Better World Books Podcast: Byron Pitts

Posted by Dana on 11.03.2009 at 4:01 pm

Byron Pitts is a gifted broadcast journalist, an engaging and talented speaker, a published author and force for good. But that wasn’t always the case.  As his book STEP OUT ON NOTHING details, Byron started out a skinny kid with the nickname “Pickle” who didn’t talk much and was often bullied.  But worse than that, Byron was hiding and working hard to keep his secrets.  He couldn’t read and had a debilitating stutter.

If it wasn’t for his faith and the people who “stepped out on nothing” for him, Byron doesn’t believe he would have made it to the place he is today.  When his mother was told he was “stupid” she wouldn’t accept it.  When his best friend in college noticed his limited vocabulary he stepped in to help.  And a when a professor he had never met before found him dejected an about to drop out, she believed in him. Read more…

 

 Interview with Byron Pitts [17:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (105)

Have your say » | Tagged Author Podcast, Our Partners, 60 Minutes, Author Interview, Byron Pitts, CBS, dana barrett, National Center Family Literacy, podcast, Step Out on Nothing

My Trip to Books For Africa

Posted by admin on 10.26.2009 at 11:32 am

by Paul “Paco” Miller

On October 2nd and 3rd I had the opportunity to represent Better World Books (BWB) in Minneapolis/St. Paul at several events put on by our partner Books For Africa (BFA). Those two days were jammed packed with events that made me find my way around the twin cities, but were well worth the trip. My biggest take away is that BFA is a great partner for BWB. Everything about the trip reaffirmed how reputable an organization it is and made abundantly clear the important role it plays in the great task of confronting the obstacles to literacy and education in Africa.

The events ranged from breakfast with Dr. Augustine P. Mahiga, the Tanzanian Permanent Representative to the United Nations; lunch with Johnnie Carson, the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs; a conference on Literacy and Education in 21st Century Africa co-hosted by the University of Read more…

4 Comments » | Tagged Our Partners, books for africa, Dr. Augustine P. Mahiga, Johnnie Carson, Paco Miller

Our partners stop by for a visit!

Posted by admin on 09.24.2009 at 2:02 pm

It’s always great to meet with our partners face to face and to show them around our South Bend, Indiana warehouse so they can really get a feel for what’s we’re doing.

Just last week we had a visit from Shaun Skelton, Executive Director of Visions In Action and Pat Plonski, Executive Director of Books For Africa where we  discussed ongoing collaborative opportunities.

Visions In Action is shipping seven containers of books to South Africa, Uganda, and Tanzania, with Books For Africa providing the books and Better World Books and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) providing funding.

“Better World Books is our number one funder, our number one source for college textbooks, and our number one source of visibility on some 800 college campuses across North America,” Plonski noted. “Their support has been critical to our success, and it was great to tour their facilities and meet their staff.”

–Always a pleasure Pat!  We’re so glad you do what you do.  Thanks for stopping by!

2 Comments » | Tagged Our Partners, books to South Africa, Books to Tanzania, books to Uganda, Executive Director of Books For Africa, Executive Director of Visions In Action, indiana, Pat Plonski, Shaun Skelton, south bend, United States Agency for International Development

The Better World Books / NCFL Libraries & Families Award

Posted by admin on 07.11.2009 at 7:00 am

We are so proud to be working with the National Center for Family Literacy on a new national award for libraries.

The Better World Books/NCFL Libraries and Families Award is three $10,000 grants that will be given to three different library recipients each year to help enhance family programming already under way in library settings. The award will connect more families to their local libraries and expand their literacy efforts in new and innovative ways.

We work with over 1,800 libraries across the country, so we know how passionate they are about literacy. We also know how tough this economy is and how hard it is to get funding for much needed programs. That is why we are so proud to be partnering with NCFL on this award.

For more details, check out our press release – or just go to www.famlit.org where libraries can also submit their contact information and be notified when the application is available.

Have your say » | Tagged Impact, Our Partners, better world books, Grants, Libraries and Families Award, National Center for Family Literacy, NCFL

We found a new way to support our Non-Profit Literacy Partners

Posted by admin on 06.16.2009 at 1:24 pm

Great news!  As you probably already know, promoting literacy has always been woven into the fabric of our business.  Now we’re delighted to announce we’ve given an ownership stake to our non-profit literacy partners.   Yup…we’ve granted Incentive Stock Options to these partners – as far as we know, a first for social enterprise.

The purpose of the plan, put together with the help of our primary investor, Good Capital, is to ensure that our literacy partners can have a stake in and share in our financial success.

We’ve put aside roughly 5% of the company for use in stock option grants to an initial group of five literacy partners (with potential to add others in the future):  Books for Africa, Invisible Children, Room To Read, WorldFund and the National Center for Family Literacy.

One of our fearless leaders Xavier Helgesen puts it best:  “We created Better World Books to show that it is possible to do good while at the same time run a successful company.  Our literacy partners are essential to our mission, and we want them to flourish.  Today’s announcement ensures that as our company grows, our partners will too.”

Check out the press release to get all the details. Or read more about it at Change.org.

3 Comments » | Tagged Impact, Our Partners, better world books, books for africa, Good Capital, Incentive Stock Options, invisible children, National Center for Family Literacy, room to read, Social Enterprise, social entrepreneurship, worldfund, Xavier Helgesen

Our Partners: Ellen Cherry & Invisible Children

Posted by Chip on 06.08.2009 at 9:48 am

One of my favorite things about working for Better World Books is the amazing people I get to meet from across the country who share Better World Books’ vision to keep books out of landfills and support global literacy.

Last month, I had the privilege of meeting Kristin Putchinski of the Baltimore based band ellen cherry.  I met Kristin while she was traveling through Atlanta following a performance at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, GA.

The singer-songwriter is one of many musicians using their talent to support and spread awareness of the noble efforts of Invisible Children to end the war in Northern Uganda.  I was happy to discover Kristin was already a fan of Better World Books and was eager to spread the word of  how students can support Invisible Children through the Book Drives for Better Lives program at her upcoming benefit concert.  Better World Books’ partnership with Invisible Children has brought in over 1.7 million books to generate unrestricted funding for Invisible Children in what is being called the largest book drive in history.

Read more…

1 Comment » | Tagged Our Partners, Baltimore Bands, better world books, Book Drives for Better Lives, chip boyes, Eddie's Attic, ellen cherry, indie bands baltimore, Kristin Putchinski

Great American Book Drive this weekend in Brooklyn

Posted by Dana on 05.14.2009 at 11:47 am

Brooklyn Public Library and Better World Books host the Great American Book Drive on the Plaza at Central Library on Saturday, May 16th from 10AM-3PM.

An untold number of used books rest on shelves, under beds and stacked in offices across the country. The Great American Book Drive is a book-by-book, click-by-click campaign to turn these books into dollars to support Brooklyn Public Library. At last year’s event, over 15,000 books were donated.

Bring your books to Central Library from 10-3 on Saturday, May 16th. In addition to the Book Drive, enjoy the music of the Library’s own Lost in the Stacks from 10-12, and crafts for kids throughout the day. In addition, the library will also revive its popular book sale with all books priced at $1.

For additional information, check out The Abbeville Manual of Style blog post about the event!

Have your say » | Tagged Our Partners, Abbeville Manual of Style, Brooklyn Public Library, great american book drive, Lost in the Stacks

We can’t thank you enough!

Posted by Dana on 05.07.2009 at 12:31 pm

It is because of you — all of you — our amazing customers, book drive organizers, librarians, fans and friends that we were voted THE MOST PROMISING SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR by Business Week.

We are so proud of what your support has been able to do for our Non-Profit partners.  So far we have:

With your help, Books for Africa, Invisible Children, Worldfund, Room to Read and the National Center for Family Literacy are doing amazing things to increase literacy around the world!

Thanks!  And please keep spreading the word!

2 Comments » | Tagged Impact, Our Partners, book drive, books for africa, business week, BusinessWeek, invisible children, National Center for Family Literacy, room to read, social entrepreneur, social entrepreneurship, Social Impact, Winner, worldfund

Better World Books 6,400 Book Donation to NCFL

Posted by Jack on 01.12.2009 at 4:00 pm

From the NCFL blog:

On Wednesday, Emily Kirkpatrick, Meg Ivey and I headed up to snowy Detroit for a book giveaway from Better World Books. Better World Books donated 6,400 books to three family literacy programs in Southwest Detroit, and NCFL was on hand for the donation!

We met up with Rudy and Phil from BWB at Roberto Clemente Learning Academy, one of the three sites to receive books. They had driven up from South Bend, Indiana, with 8 huge pallets of books.

Read more…

4 Comments » | Tagged Impact, Our Partners

Better World Books Raises $5 Million!

Posted by Jack on 01.01.2009 at 9:01 am

A wise man once told me “people dramatically overestimate what they can accomplish in a day, and dramatically underestimate what they can accomplish in 5 years.”

When this crazy ride started, in 2003, no one knew what they would be able to accomplish.  They often had to scan hundreds of books in given days (there’s the overestimation bit), but no one could have imagined that 5 years down the road Better World Books would have raised $5.2 million for global literacy.

It’s taken hard work, it’s taken commitment, and it’s taken time, the payoff couldn’t be any sweeter.  What started as an effort between friends to raise money for a local community center transformed into something bigger than anyone could imagine.  Proceeds from every book you buy go towards making that number even bigger and more effective, in turn getting money and books to those who need it. 

But this is no time to rest on our laurels.  No, this is the moment in which we make our commitment again (think of it like restating your marriage vows).  $5 million is great, $5 million exceeded dreams, but until illiteracy is conquered no amount is enough to give up the quest.  I know, now you’re thinking “Jack, that’s a pretty tall order.  How will you take on such a challenge?  Do you really think Better World Books, even with its partners can combat illiteracy when it’s so pervasive?”

Do I really think that we can do it?
 

Give us 5 years, I think you’ll be surprised what you find…

4 Comments » | Tagged Impact, Our Partners