Better World Books is offering $75,000 in grants to library communities

Posted by admin on 03.14.2011 at 4:56 pm

Libraries serve a very important function in our communities.  They are a valuable resource for children and adults.  Libraries offer a wide range of services from helping people find jobs to offering workshops for small businesses.  And they are often the only place to access the internet for the 34% of the US population who do not have computer access at home (“Home Broadband Adoption,” Pew Internet and American Life, 2010).

Libraries tend to reflect the communities they serve.  They tailor their services to the needs of the people in their areas.  And when new resources are needed to help the local community, libraries will seek funding to make their projects a reality.  That’s where we come in.

Better World Books is a huge supporter of libraries of all kinds and we are aware of the financial struggles they face.  It is why we decided to make available $75,000 to be distributed to libraries who have compelling projects which will make a dramatic impact in their communities.

Libraries have up until March 25th to submit their “Game Changing” ideas. Winners will be announced on May 16th and the winning projects implemented between 5/16/11 and 12/31/11.

We are looking for projects that will significantly impact literacy in their communities.  It’s why we refer to them as “Game Changing” ideas.  Successful applicants will use funds to advance a compelling literacy project that Better World Books will follow and share with you.

If you work at a library, know of anyone that works at a library, love your library or have ever been touched by the power of a book, check out www.betterworldbooks.com/librarygrants.  There you’ll find out more about the library grant program and how to participate.

1 Comment » | Tagged Our Partners, Grants, libraries, literacy

Biblioburro!

Posted by Jack on 10.21.2008 at 2:23 pm

This is one of the funniest and most awesome things I’ve read in a while.

First of all, just say it to yourself: “Biblioburro.”  Fantastic, right?  Now for the meaning…

From the New York Times:

Read more…

1 Comment » | Tagged Uncategorized, biblioburro, colombia, fantastic ideas, libraries

Friends of the Tompkins County Public Library Book Sale

Posted by admin on 11.03.2006 at 12:34 pm

Better World Books received a full truckload of books this week from the Friends of the Tompkins County Public Library in Ithaca, New York.  We are very pleased help out our “Friends” with their leftover books from the giant sale!  Over 250,000 items were up for sale during several weekends in October.  Special thanks to Maura in our logistics department and Maria from Tompkins for making this pickup possible!

Read more in theithacajournal.com

outside of the Friend’s warehouse…

volunteers ready to send the full truck to Mishawaka!

Have your say » | Tagged Uncategorized, ithaca, libraries, Tompkins County

Books Coming and Going

Posted by admin on 10.13.2006 at 11:35 am

It’s been a busy week in the Logistics office, starting and ending with a bang. Monday found the Campus Division Support Agent (myself) navigating a very large truck through the streets of Chicago to pick up 9 pallets of books generously donated by the Chicago Public Library’s Friends of the Blackstone Branch . The streets of Chicago never felt so narrow, but with the help of a few dedicated volunteers, especially Betsy Glynn, my navigator, and Dina Weinstein, our contact at the book sale, we were able to get about 9000 books boxed up and loaded in under two hours. Great job and thank you to everyone involved!

Now Friday has finally arrived, and we ended our week in the warehouse by sending our second shipment of approximately 18,000 college text books directly to the Kampala International University in Uganda .

We have more of these direct shipments scheduled and we will try to keep everyone updated as they go out. In the meantime, everyone have a fantastic weekend, and keep those books coming!

Have your say » | Tagged Dispatches from the Green House, Impact, Our Partners, books for africa, campus, chicago, kampala internation university, libraries, uganda

Better World Books and FACE

Posted by admin on 09.28.2006 at 9:13 am

Believe it or not, there are millions of children and families who want to read but don’t have access to libraries or worthy resources.

That is about to change for thousands of American Indian families. Much needed books are making their way to American Indian parents and children in family literacy programs across the nation thanks to Better World Books and the National Center for Family Literacy.

The effort will support the literacy development of families participating in the Family and Child Education (FACE) program funded by the Bureau of Indian Education and in operation in states including Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, New Mexico and Mississippi. The FACE program is coordinated by NCFL and is the nation’s longest running family literacy program.

Many of the sites are located in remote desert or plains areas where there are no main libraries and schools have limited resources, according to NCFL. More than 25,000 books will be given to families with children birth to eight-years-old.

“We’re going to be providing books to a lot of families that just don’t have books in the home,” said NCFL’s Sharyl Emberton who coordinates NCFL’s services to the FACE program. “Families who attend programs in these schools will be able to select a variety of books. They will be able to build their own home libraries.”

The high-quality books are the result of partnerships with over 500 local libraries who give their discarded and donated books to Better World Books to benefit their literacy partners.

Better World Books initiated its partnership with NCFL immediately following the 2005 Hurricane Season to provide a long-term solution to the social and economic devastation and has contributed more than $80,000 of cash funding to support the organization’s literacy initiatives.

In addition to the FACE program, NCFL works with literacy programs throughout the U.S., helping families in need gain necessary literacy skills. Each year, NCFL programs help more than 60,000 individuals by supporting programs including the Hispanic Learning Institute, the Bureau of Indian Education’s Family and Child Education program, and—most recently—providing relief to families displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

–9/27/06

Have your say » | Tagged Impact, Our Partners, American Indians, FACE, Impact, libraries, NCFL