“Blog Action Day is an annual nonprofit event that aims to unite the world’s bloggers, podcasters and videocasters, to post about the same issue on the same day. Our aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion.”

So here’s my post:

Here at Better World Books, we see everything through a certain lens, and that lens is dead focused on literacy.  If a woman in Africa is literate, she is 50% less likely to contract HIV.  1 in 7 people in the world are illiterate and the majority of these people are women.  Over half of the eligible population in Detroit, Michigan doesn’t graduate from high school.  The fact is, if you can’t read, you can’t succeed.  Literacy is the first step towards sustainability and stepping out of the tangled web of poverty.

Literacy isn’t a skill, it’s as fundamental as sleeping or going to work– if you can’t do it, you’re not going to make it.  That’s why we’re so serious about making a difference in this space.  See that ticker up top (OK, yes, I need to update it)?  It says it clear as day, through your buying books at betterworld.com, we’ve raised over $4.5 million for global literacy.  Be it money for children in Latin America with Worldfund, scholarships for young women and libraries in Southeast Asia through Room to Read, cash to programs here in the US sponsored by the National Center for Family Literacy, aiding the number of homeless and poor children of Uganda with Invisible Children, or being the largest shipper of college level textbooks to Africa via Books for Africa, we’ve talked the talk and walked the walk, distributing over 1,000,000 books along with the excellent amount of cash raised.

We’re doing our part, not because it’s sexy (though giving always is, and you know it) and not because it makes us feel good (though that warm fuzzy feeling is great), we do it because it’s our responsibility.  As those who can, we must get involved in making a change, be it a simple blog post, a single book given or a single kid tutored near our offices (loving Robinson Literacy and 826!). It’s worth it because the bottom line isn’t about what we make, and it’s not about who we claim to be, it’s about who we are and what we do.

In July of last year, I was working in acquisitions, managing the (now gone) Northeast Region. I ran book drives in Ontario, Connecticut and New York. But I knew there was more that I could do; more that I could offer to Better World Books. That’s why in July 2007 I took over control of the blog (notice June 2007 had two posts, July 2007 had 17 and October had 26. I’ve never looked back). At first there were small changes, instituting formatting (Arial 2, black, please!), insisting on more photos, requiring a standardized signature at the top, and trying to tap into content that people would want to read. The fact is, that people who like us do so for two reasons:
(1) Our involvement with our non-profit literacy programs
(2) The fact that we are the coolest online bookseller in existence.

The blog was answering well to (1), but coming up way short on expressing (2), something we all felt was true, but no one would know by looking here at the blog. After hacking away at this job, two things occurred that spurred on a huge change, first of all acquisitions was on the cusp of being completely restructured, and second I was drawing more traffic with better content to the blog.

Xavier called me come wintertime, and after tracking him down after a few months of searching (he’s like a special agent, it’s unreal trying to get a hold of him) he offered me the job of coming out to San Francisco and becoming the CBO, [Chief Blogging Officer]. The first order of duty was to get involved in social media, which I did via a few routes:
-a Facebook fan page
-a YouTube page
-a Flickr photostream
-a Twitter account

and a few less notable efforts.

But the real goal, as it was when I first took over, was to create a blog that was compelling for our customers, stakeholders and the average lover of books. This was going to require a huge restructure of the blog. We started in March 2008 and after I drew up a plan for the new site, we started working with a creative agency to iron out details and enact the plan in June or July.

Now, after tons of phone calls and emails and hair pulling, the new blog is live. It’s not done, as those who stop innovating doom themselves to electronic death, but I’m proud to say, it’s ready to offer you some great new material, such as author podcasts, video interviews and other great features, and we’re ready to listen to what you have to say!

Sincerely,
Jack Hanlon
Chief Blogging Officer and Evangelist
Better World Books

Not sure when we’ll go live next week, but take a look around and enjoy this setting as long as you can, it’s not long for this world.

Have a great weekend, folks.

Coming up soon:
-Commentary on NYT article re: “Il Gattopardo”
-Author video interviews
-A new poll so you can help me decide where to go next
-An ARC update
-Talking the “State of Education”

Stay tuned…

Follow the lead of your fellow readers (including Felipe on the last post) and leave a comment about what you would like to see us do.  You’ll never know what we’re capable of until you test us (and maybe we’ll never know either!).

So get all Web 2.0 on us, forget the comment and suggestion box, forget the smearing ink and get typing, the community knows what it wants!

On A Prolific Trip of Epic Proportions 5
MGD says: “It is great to see those young children reading. They appear to enjoy doing that. Keep the good job guys.”

On Show Us Some Love, Finnish Edition
Sanntu says: “Hi! Nice site! I don’t know how you manage to have such low international shipping prices AND do some charity as well but I’ll be sure to buy something… soon.

So, I’m Finnish and might be able to help you out. The whole article is maybe a tad longish to translate completely (at least now, it’s 3 a.m.) and doesn’t seem to be online anyway.

But here’s what the caption says, roughly:
“$Millions to promoting literacy: ‘Way back in school I used to dream about a company whose operations were inseparably connected with charity,’ says Xavier Hegelsen.

All in all it seems like a positive story and if there’s something more you’d like to know, do ask.”

On Chicago, Navy Pier, Game Time!
Kristin says: “I had never heard of you before and I am so happy I came across your book store at the Chicago Green Festival! Thanks for coming out to our town!”

On Show Us Some Love, May 12 Edition
Cathy says: “My first encounter with BetterWorld was with a book I bought on Amazon. No more Amazon for me now that I have found this great site.”

Well Cathy, I’m not going to complain.

First, I made you some things, interviews and stuff that are going to be on the new site.  See, I still dig you.

Second, I’ve got photos to prove I was at work, they’re not all up yet, but they’re comin, just you wait.  In fact, I’ve got video.  Yup, video.

Third, there’s more exclusive content coming, just for you, because we’re going to do this together.  By the way, have you seen www.betterworld.com lately?  I’ve been real busy, but I think it’s coming together.  I’m doing it for you reader.  Did Van Gogh’s screaming alien people complain that his masterpiece was taking too long?  I think not!

Your bookstore loves you,
Jack

In the not so distant future, here are some things you can look forward to:

A Better World Books facebook fan page
A Better World Books facebook app to RSS the blog
And best of all… a prettier and 100000% more functional blog (including author bio’s, recent post lists, recent comment updates, social bookmarking, Flickr streaming and more!)
Posts that include author interviews, contests, polls and a myriad of staff picks and new features!
Me being able to get some sleep instead of working on these supersweet updates (hooray!)

“Sharing this from an RFF (Readers for the Future) posting by David Glen Anderson, repeated below. Sounds like a website worth supporting. I like the idea of books supporting good causes, and I like to see second hand books move on to new lives. (The book Dave talks about below isn’t Righteous Anger)

‘Before I left to attend Life, the Universe and Everything, I ordered one of the Golden Duck candidates from BetterWorld.com (http://www.BetterWorld.com/) Fund literacy, care for the environment, and get a fair price on the books you want. 2 Million Used Books. Free shipping in the USA, $2.97 worldwide This book was not available new.

The book is in transit. I went to their website. For less than $30 I found about 8 books that I needed to fill in some holes. Some are exlibrary copies but when I cannot find certain books in my local bookstore exlibrary works. BetterWorld lists libraries et al that benefit by my purchase.

Dave Anderson’

([Dave]‘s into all kinds of good books and good ways to make them mean as much as they can in the world.)”

Nice!