It was so great to meet Monica and have her with us.  I hope you enjoy the chat and grab a copy of her book too!

I asked her why are books and music so linked together for people and she had this to say:

“Passion – I think that’s the most important thing. People become avid readers because there’s a subject that they’re passionate about…and its similar with becoming a musician or enjoying music as a form of expression. It’s something that taps into your passion.”

Check out the video to hear more.

Better World Books and the National Center for Family Literacy are teaming up again this year to provide grants for libraries with exceptional family programming.

Applications are now being accepted for the Better World Books/NCFL Libraries and Families Award. You can get more information and apply at online at http://www.famlit.org/BWB-library-award.  Applications are due by Nov. 12, 2010.

NCFL anticipates awarding three $10,000 grant awards– one in each of the following three categories:

1) Local Friends of the Library programs
2) Public/academic libraries
3) Urban libraries

In addition, award recipients will receive scholarships to attend the National Conference on Family Literacy.

Last year’s winners are doing amazing things!  Learn more about them here!

This will be the second year of the award and the latest partnership effort between our organizations, which together have raised more than $555,000 for NCFL’s programming since 2005.

The winning libraries will each receive $10,000 for their awesome family programming.

Meet the winners:

• The Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library in Shirley, N.Y. (Public/Academic Libraries Category). The library’s Learning English: A Family Affair program offers high quality instruction focused on learning English. Standardized tests show that 75 percent of participants increase their English proficiency by at least one level in less than a year; and
• The Vineland Public Library in Vineland, N.J. (Urban Library Category). The library’s Families and Books workshop instructs adults on the importance of reading to their children daily. The program, which is conducted at local schools, community organizations and in the library, has strong results. Research shows 63 percent of parents who attended the workshops said they read more often to their children, and 88 percent of parents said reading aloud to their children had improved their children’s readings skills.

Our CEO David Murphy had this to say; “Local libraries serve a critical role in promoting lifelong learning and literacy in their communities. We are proud to partner with NCFL to specifically promote the new and innovative ways libraries are working to bring families together over books and learning.”

And Sharon Darling the NCFL president & founder added, “Libraries provide important access for families to read together and take other critical steps that lead to success. This new award program will spur the innovative programming that is fundamental to that success.”

The winners were officially announced at NCFL’s National Conference on Family Literacy in San Antonio.  To learn more, check out our detailed press release!

Through this opportunity the National Center for Family Literacy and Better World Books will reward and enhance existing family programming and expand literacy-building practices of families in library settings. The three $10,000 grants awarded each year will connect more families to their local libraries and expand their literacy efforts in new and innovative ways.

The deadline to apply is March 3, 2010. One winner will be chosen from each of the three following categories: local Friends of the Library programs, public/academic libraries and urban libraries. The winners will also receive scholarships to NCFL’s 2010 National Conference on Family Literacy that will take place April 11-13 in San Antonio, Texas.

Click here to apply now!

Here’s the short version of the plan:

We get a bio-diesel book mobile and drive it around the country distributing 1 million kids’ books to those who need ‘em most.

The goals of the project are:
* Hold literacy events in at least 200 communities.
* Get families reading and learning together.
* Help struggling schools raise money.
* Promote family literacy with the National Center for Family Literacy
* Get 1 Million Children’s Books in the hands of kids nationwide.

Check out the video from Xavier with some more of the details:

Vote Now!

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.

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.

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!