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

Great American Book Drive Brooklyn

Posted by admin on 10.10.2008 at 2:54 pm

The Great American Book Drive got off to a strong start in Brooklyn.  There was a band, a book sale, face painting, and, of course, lots of book donations.  Minus a few stitches in Dustin’s finger, the drive went off without a hitch.  By the end of the day, the library was already talking about a repeat performance in the spring – and given the number of people who asked when the next event would be, this seems like a great idea.

We received some good press in advance of the event – including mention in the New York Times and TimeOut New York.  And while a concerted push the past two weeks to promote the event resulted in a total of 15,000 – 20,000 books (many were recycled locally and 8 packed pallets are en route to the Green House), the next time around we will be able to considerably build upon this with sustained and concerted promotion.
Read more…

Have your say » | Tagged Uncategorized, book drive, brooklyn, Chris Johnson, community, great american book drive, press

Show Us Some Love, Phi Theta Kappa Edition

Posted by admin on 09.17.2008 at 10:25 am

[Guest post by Maggie Webster, a Phi Theta Kappa Member who just visited our office in Atlanta!]

Hello Phi Theta Kappa!

I just wanted to share a little of a fabulous day I had on Monday, September 15. I was invited to the Better World Books Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. I was able to talk to the staff about what we do at Phi Theta Kappa and they were able to tell me about the process of what they do. They were so excited and asked so many great questions about Phi Theta Kappa. They were really impressed with the levels of leadership throughout the Society as well as the level of involvement.

They also taught me a bit about Better World Books. Did you know that you can research the literacy programs they work with and designate where you’d like your chapter’s donations to go? I didn’t! I also didn’t know that if you reach the goal of 1000 accepted books, you can earn an additional $0.25 on your book for a total of up to $1.25 per book? I didn’t know that Better World Books never throws a book away. The books you collect will never end up in a landfill. In fact, to date 6500 tons have been diverted from landfills! Better World Books is having an Operation Green impact as well!

I hope you’ll keep this great organization in mind for projects this year. After all, Better World Books can help you create a great Honors in Action project — if you relate your book collection to The Paradox of Affluence to help potential donors understand the importance of promoting literacy around the world and also do the research about where you would like your books to go (Scholarship Hallmark), then take the lead to organize the book drive (Leadership Hallmark), and serve the community giving the books and the communities receiving the books and help minimize landfill space needed (Service Hallmark). One Better World Books employee suggested having a “Packing Party” to pack up all the books collected, enhancing the Fellowship Hallmark!

How lucky are we to be able to partner with such amazing groups? They even gave me a t-shirt to wear!

Have your say » | Tagged Our Partners, ATL office, book drive, guest posts, Our Partners, Phi Theta Kappa

Show Us Some Love, Library Edition

Posted by admin on 09.16.2008 at 2:29 pm

Library Journal, the most respected of periodicals about the business of libraries just posted an article on LibraryJournal.com called “Green Weeding: promoting eco-friendly options for library discards.”  Within the article, check out the following:

…and Better World Books (whose Dustin Holland was a 2007 LJ Mover & Shaker) are two of today’s most popular discard solutions. Both help libraries make the most of the marketing principles of the long tail, as coined by Wired magazine’s Chris Anderson, wherein obscure titles are able to find a larger audience owing to the efficiencies of e-commerce.

…contributors to Better World Books are pleased with the results. “The Brooklyn Public Library sees a real value in this relationship and has been more than happy with the revenues it generates,” over $155,000 since 2005, says Barbara Genco, director of collection development. Western Kentucky University Libraries, Bowling Green, succeeded in building a $200 Alibris credit over a two-year period. Southwestern University earned $300 with Better World Books during the 2006–07 academic year.

Thanks, Library Journal!  We do our best to bring libraries the best value while providing a much needed service.

Have your say » | Tagged Show Us Some Love, book drive, green for all, library, library journal, press

Super Rushed Update

Posted by admin on 09.09.2008 at 4:19 pm

Busy busy today, working on a partnership with Invisible Children that is launching and the Great American Book Drive.  [Your] powers combined (said in Captain Planet voice) and you have the world’s biggest book drive!  Seriously.  More news to come after it’s made.

Have your say » | Tagged Our Partners, book drive, community, great american book drive, invisible children, Our Partners

Field Trip to the Warehouse

Posted by admin on 07.28.2008 at 8:46 am

While speaking with clients I am constantly blindsided with questions such as “what goes on at the warehouse, about how many books are stored in your warehouse”, etc… the list goes on! Before my trip to Mishawaka, I would inform clients that (unfortunately) I had never visited the Better World Books warehouse. So the actual process of picking, shipping, and receiving books was a total blur.  However, since I have actually worked hands-on at the warehouse, I am very comfortable with answering questions about how the work is carried out.  Everyone at the warehouse was friendly and very patient with us newbies (a.k.a the Atlanta office). Also, the Trade Show was awesome!  Everyone received the opportunity to share great facts and ideas about each department. After learning this information, I am able to implement this knowledge into my daily Account Rep. responsibilities. When you know better, you do better!

Let me not forget to mention my community service project! I was able to work with the Literacy Council of St. Joseph County shelving books and toys for kids all around.  This organization is dedicated to breaking the cycle of illiteracy amongst adults and children.  Both this organization and Better World Books hold a lot in common, which is why it was so important to volunteer for this organization and demonstrate my appreciation for their hard work by devoting my time to assist them in any way possible.

Since the field trip to the warehouse, I feel more well-rounded as an employee of Better World Books and as an individual. I can’t wait to see you guys again!!  Woohoo!

Have your say » | Tagged Dispatches from the Green House, angela, ATL office, book drive, green house

University of British Columbia Book Drive

Posted by admin on 06.23.2008 at 10:52 am

Hi all!  My UBC Golden Key contact sent along this shot today.  He’s basically coordinated and collected all of the books himself – already has 48 boxes packed and more to go!

Woot woot!!

2 Comments » | Tagged Uncategorized, book drive, campus, Canada, UBC, University of British Columbia

ReUse First

Posted by admin on 06.09.2008 at 8:31 am

A new program that Better World Books is offering to waste management and recycling centers is called the Better World Books ReUseFirst Program.  The idea is that there are plenty of books that still hold value and end up at our local recycling centers to be destroyed.  What we would like to do is use our new PreScreenReUsed” before they are sent off for recycling.  In the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle chain, this is a better solution for the environment, not to mention our company and our literacy initiatives.  feature to sort out which books can be “

Feedback among the waste management community tells us that there is a great deal of excitement about this new program offering.  Most waste management centers have a longstanding commitment to the environment and appreciate the opportunity to keep these books in the market as opposed to sending them off to be pulped.  While the ReUseFirst Program does require and extra step in sorting, the program is free and in many cases can return revenue for the materials we receive.

Send an email to library@betterworldbooks.com for more information.

Have your say » | Tagged Uncategorized, book drive, ReUse First

Campus Shout Out: UBC

Posted by admin on 05.12.2008 at 10:37 am

UBC is one of my new schools (through my recent acquisition of Canadian schools) and this school values literacy.  UBC has worked with Better World Books to support Books for Africa since fall 2005 and has sent – you may need to sit down – 1,885 cartons of books!  All of the campus bookstores participate during buybacks; additionally, FORGE, Golden Key and the Medical School have all participated!  This spring, Golden Key and the UBC Bookstore are carrying the drive, and so far they have shipped 136 cartons!

To promote the drive, Golden Key created an excellent website that outlines the types of books they collect, where the donation sites are, and who can be contacted with questions.  I recommend all students interested in coordinating a drive check it out as it is a great, efficient way to share information on the book drive: http://ubcgoldenkey.org/bookdrive/.  If you are located at UBC and would like to donate books, you can find donation bins in the following locations:

*Outside the entrance to the David Lam Library
*Outside the entrance to the Education Library
*Inside the Abdul Ladha Science Centre
*Inside the lobby of the Gage Residence Towers

Best of luck this semester, UBC; your dedication to sharing literacy and reducing waste shines as an example to campuses around North America!

Have your say » | Tagged Uncategorized, book drive, campus, Golden Key, UBC

Tips from the Bookdrive King!

Posted by King on 05.12.2008 at 9:59 am

When this company was in it’s youth there were 3 founders and their friend from Purdue who started book drives around the state of Indiana.  Throwing books in the back of a van, that friend, Aaron King, is now a book drive General, managing the campus divisions 1500+ schools.  Check back here for tips on how to make the most of your drive from the best in the business!

-Tip 1
-Tip 2
-Tip 3

Here is your final tip to get as many books as you can even if your semester has ended:

TIP #4: Offer professors and departments an office clean out service!

Students are not the only people on campus with books; Professors and faculty are often sent sample copies all throughout the year, and there are many offices that are just overflowing with books. Most faculty would love the chance the de-clutter their office, support a good cause, and help with your group’s fundraising efforts. You have heard of a car wash fundraiser; offer your campus an Office Wash fundraiser.

BOOK DRIVES THAT COLLECT BOOKS FROM OFFICES AND DEPARTMENTS INCREASE THEIR BOOKS BY 50%!

• Send out a mass email or get a blurb in the campus newsletter alerting all faculty on campus of your “office wash” opportunity.
• Put collection bins in major buildings in easy to reach places.
• Offer a door to door service to come by and do pickups from any office or department that wishes to donate.

Remember, any books that we receive by 7/31/2008 will count as part of your spring book drive totals. As always, our Campus Acquisitions Team is here to make it as easy as possible for you to collect as many books as possible on your campus.  Contact us any time.

Thanks for reading, I hope the end of semester goes smoothly for all of you, and I hope this short series of tips has helped you maximize your campus book drive. Have a great summer!

Have your say » | Tagged Uncategorized, Aaron King, book drive, campus, king of book drives