SES: Search Engine Strategies Conference

Posted by Jack on 08.20.2008 at 2:49 pm

Hey all, today I’m with the other betterworld.com guys at the Search Engine Strategies Conference in San Jose.  I’m rocking the “social media” track and sitting through hour after hour of lectures about twitter, facebook and all the like.  A certain book keeps coming up though and everyone I’ve spoken with says it’s a social media bible of sorts: Groundswell by Charlene Li.

I haven’t read it yet but consider it ordered.  Anyone read this one?

Have your say » | Tagged Book Reviews, betterworld.com, book reviews, conferences, search engine strategies, SF office

Jack and Social Enterprise

Posted by admin on 03.10.2008 at 10:23 am

At the conference, IMPACT invited Better World Books to discuss our awesome business model in a three hour forum entitled “Blurring the Lines: Public Good in the Private Sector.”  Jack represented us on the panel, which also had a fellow Holy Cross grad, Ken DeBlois of the Venture Consortium in Providence, RI and some folks from the Willamette University MBA program.  It was very interesting and the attendees had a lot of great questions, but it was very clear that we here at Better World Books are doing something decidedly NEW.  So new and innovative (I LOVE our business model) that folks at times have a hard time comprehending it.  The example that jumps to mind is regarding the triple bottom line – “Even if you do value social and environmental, won’t profit always be most important?”

Now I’m no business major, but I’ve spent a lot of time trying to understand some business theory as Better World Books offers a unique opportunity to see something very exciting and new in the world of business from up close.  I always start my research projects on the Wikipedia and while you won’t feel like you have an MBA by the time you’re finished with the article, you will have some ideas of good terms to use in your triple bottom line research!

Triple Bottom Line

Social Enterprise

If you want to hear a little more about the topic, a full podcast of this forum will be available later this month!

Have your say » | Tagged Uncategorized, conferences, Holy Cross, Impact, Jack Hanlon, Northeastern University

LIVE from IMPACT at Northeastern (2)

Posted by Jack on 03.07.2008 at 3:01 pm

We’re currently at the Northeastern IMPACT conference (see previous post) I just got back from my forum (which was awesome!).  I’m going to do some editing of a recording of the forum so a podcast of the talk is coming up soon, great stuff indeed about mobilizing students and the differences in the sectors in the business world.  People asked me hard questions and I gave them honest answers [insert warm and fuzzy feeling here].

Now I’m playing Scrabble with three students at Middlsex Community College in Edison, NJ, and let me tell you, despite their smiles, they’re rough customers.  Erin just laid down “Quell” on a triple word score for 45 points and is absolutely killing us.

Garima, Erin (hustler), Barum and Ham from MCC

Have your say » | Tagged Uncategorized, boston, conferences, Impact, massachusetts, Northeastern

Better World Books hits CAMEX

Posted by admin on 02.29.2008 at 6:03 pm

Niko and I are in San Antonio, TX attending a variety of educational sessions at CAMEX 2008 and celebrating warm weather (come check us out at booth 1145, next to Publisher’s Row!  Massive floorplan here).  I was in a session discussing textbook rental programs and a question arose regarding what to do with the books when they are no longer applicable to the class.  What was the resounding answer (I promise I didn’t say it first!)?  “Better World Books!”  All I could do was sit back and glow with pride (and scheme how to get in to the totally sweet Jansport party this year…)

Have your say » | Tagged Uncategorized, CAMEX, conferences

What a Year!

Posted by admin on 02.11.2008 at 12:13 pm

I began my career with Better World Books at ALA Midwinter ’07. Without much in depth knowledge of our Library Discards & Donations Program I was thrown into the metaphorical library pool to sink or swim. Having recently returned from ALA Midwinter ’08 and reflecting on a full year of transition, change and overwhelming progress, I am filled with pride with how well I’ve stayed afloat. While I could go on and on about my own incredible competency (it’s review time so this forced arrogance is a result of having to justify ones existence or right to a pay increase, I’m not always like this), I can not ignore the amount of guidance, instruction, support and encouragement I have received from the stellar colleagues I have throughout the Better World Books family. This blog entry is a thank you to all of you for allowing me to be part of this incredible mission. I look forward to many more years at Better World Books!

Have your say » | Tagged Uncategorized, ALA, American Library Association, conferences, library

High-Fives, Kareem, and Dominos

Posted by admin on 01.21.2008 at 2:11 pm

A few of us from the Library Team were recently in Philadelphia for the ALA Mid-Winter Meeting.  We had a great time high-fiving librarians, seeing our current clients, enjoying the ALA sponsored band, and meeting new libraries.

As usual, we had a tasting of the local cuisine.  Christian and I even had a surprising run-in on our hotel elevator with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who was in town promoting his most recent book On the Shoulders of Giants: My Journey Through the Harlem Renaissance!

Doesn’t it look good??

Philadelphia was littered with sculptures throughout the city.  You’re never quite sure what you will run into around the corner.  At the base of one of the buildings, were HUGE board game pieces.

Don’t crush me!!

And although I didn’t get a chance to visit the statue, Philadelphia is of course home to the one and only Rocky Balboa.

“Yo, Adrian! I bought a book off BetterWorld.com!”

I look forward to the next conference and seeing everyone again.  Thanks to those who stopped by our booth and I hope you had just as great a time as I did!

Have your say » | Tagged Uncategorized, ALA, American Library Association, conferences, library

Good Times with Al Gore

Posted by King on 11.28.2007 at 7:39 am

From Left to right pictured are Rod Risley (Executive Director of Phi Theta Kappa), Xavier Helgesen (one of the co-founders of Better World Books), Al Gore (former Vice President of the United States), Aaron King (Director of the Campus Division for Better World Books, and the guy writing this post), and David Murphy (CEO of Better World Books).

Now I know because I am standing behind Mr. Gore, I look like I was photoshopped into this photo.. but trust me, I was there, it is just a trick of the light. If this were a court of law, I would say “look, you can see the shadow from his shoulder on my suit jacket, I really was there!”

So, I would love to say that Al Gore, while contemplating his next initiative to help the environment, heard the news that Better World Books and Phi Theta Kappa were teaming up to run book drives on college campuses around the country, keeping books out of landfills, providing funding for Phi Theta Kappa chapters, and most importantly, raising money for literacy programs.

When Al Gore heard of this wonderful partnership, he immediately arranged a meeting with us to encourage us in our good work, and then took a photo with us.

Unfortunately, the above tale would be a fabrication;  yes, we do have a great partnership with Phi Theta Kappa, and yes we have saved millions of books from landfills, and raised a lot of money for Phi Theta Kappa and literacy too.. but Al Gore did not set up any meeting with us.

Mr. Gore was gracious enough to be one of the speakers at the Phi Theta Kappa conference in Nashville in April 2007, and there was a Photo Session Scheduled where a select group of conference attendees got to stand in line and cycle through for a Photo Op with Mr. Gore.   We had about 15 seconds to say hi and tell him about our program, but lets be honest, Mr. Gore met thousands of people that day… so lets just say I am not expecting any invites to his house for coffee anytime soon.

While we were waiting for our 15 seconds with Mr. Gore, we a got a chance to meet Kevin Sharp, country music star, cancer survivor, and inspirational speaker, another one of the presenters at the conference.  He had hosted his own photo op the previous day, and now got to experience the other side, waiting in line just behind us for the chance to meet Al Gore.

So let me close by saying: Mr. Gore, it was very nice to meet you, I won’t be offended if you don’t remember me, and thanks again for inventing the internet, allowing me to post articles like this.

I hope that Better World Books can continue to work with Phi Theta Kappa and all of our amazing partners to someday save enough books from landfills and raise enough money for literacy that Mr. Gore features us as a great way to help improve the world in whatever his next project is.

Have your say » | Tagged Uncategorized, Al Gore, conferences, literacy, Phi Theta Kappa

Travel = Food

Posted by admin on 11.19.2007 at 11:47 am

As Walter recently mentioned, the Library Team was in Charleston from November 7-10.  It was my first time in the city and also my first time to the Charleston Conference.  I had a great time enjoying the beautiful weather and it was great meeting everyone there.

One of the things I most enjoy when going to a new city is the food!  During the GALA Reception on Thursday night, we were presented with barbeque, boiled shrimp, steamed shrimp, and a plethora of other goodies.  Although I’m not a big fan of oysters, it was a lot of fun standing around shucking and enjoying everyone’s company.

Pictured: Jacob Fu, Walter Sears, Dustin Holland, Christian Blue

Another great place we stopped in for brunch was Jestine’s Kitchen.  It was a great local place that had a line waiting to get in before it even opened.  The meatloaf and sweet tea were amazing!

I definitely look forward to going back next year.  Let me know if you have any suggestions on places I need to try.

Have your say » | Tagged Uncategorized, conferences, library

The Weather Is Beautiful, Wish You Were Here

Posted by admin on 11.09.2007 at 11:27 am

I am lucky enough to be attending the 27th Annual Charleston Conference enjoying some of the best weather that the southeastern United States has to offer in November.  We have spent two days honing our acquisitions skills learning about weeding processes, approval plans and, most interestingly, RFID (IMO).

Thanks to Corrie Marsh, Associate University Librarian at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, I learned that they are using RFID to indicate low tire tread, keep track of students and school buses, even pay for cover charges and drinks at bars in Barcelona & Miami.  That’s right, a bar owner in Barcelona has added an RFID reader that can charge your account for cover charges and drinks through an RFID tag surgically imbedded under your skin!  Check it out here www.txcdk.org/rfid.  To take it a step further, China is planning to issue over 10 million RFID identification cards to individuals and 3 million RFID readers to the police to assist in crime prevention.

Is RFID going too far?

Have your say » | Tagged Uncategorized, conferences, library

NCFL Update!

Posted by admin on 10.03.2007 at 8:46 am

Join the most creative and progressive leaders working to integrate families, communities and education at the 17th Annual National Conference on Family Literacy: “Literacy Grows Families and Communities.”

The event, a signature activity of the National Center for Family Literacy, is the largest and most comprehensive conference for educators, community leaders, philanthropists and government officials dedicated to family literacy.

Session topics will highlight innovative approaches to helping families achieve their goals through literacy. Speakers will include Loriene Roy, American Library Association; David W. Murphy, Better World Books; Dorothy Kauffman, Center for Applied Linguistics; Peter DeBenedittis, author and consultant; Karen L. Mapp, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Faith Rogow, Insighters Educational Consulting; Christopher J. Lonigan, Florida State University; and Cristina Jose-Kampfner, Latino Health Access.

The Conference will be held March 29 –31, 2008, in Louisville, Kentucky.

Online registration is available now! Brochures will be mailed in October. Visit www.famlit.org/conference for details.

Have your say » | Tagged Our Partners, conferences, NCFL, Our Partners, partner updates