Better World Books

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Better World Books is an American for-profit social enterprise that collects used books and sells them to raise funding for over 80 non-profit literacy programs.

As a social enterprise, Better World Books measures its success through a “triple bottom line”, considering economic, environmental & social factors. The Better World Books mission statement is “to capitalize on the value of the book to fund and support literacy initiatives locally, nationally, and around the world.”

Contents

[edit] History

In May of 2002, three University of Notre Dame graduates led a book drive to help the Robinson Community Learning Center in South Bend, IN. The founders won the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza School of Business top prize for social entrepreneurship - the McCloskey Social Venture Business Plan competition. They used the momentum to expand book drives beyond the Midwest. As of June 2007, the Campus Division of Better World Books works with students & bookstore managers to lead book drives at over 1,000 college and university campuses across North America; the Library Division works with over 500 libraries take care of their discards and unwanted donations.

[edit] Partners

Better World Books partners with over 80 non-profit literacy partners to provide them with a consistent source of unrestricted funding. The main literacy partners are:

  • Books for Africa– the largest shipper of donated books to the African continent – since 1988, shipped over 15 million books to 27 countries.
  • Room to Read– supports the construction of schools, libraries & language labs, publishes local-language children’s books and funds long-term scholarships for young girls in South Asia & Africa
  • National Center for Family Literacy– provides literacy materials and training to over 6,000 family literacy programs across the United States
  • Worldfund in Latin America - supports high-quality education for impoverished children in Latin America.
  • Robinson Community Learning Center in South Bend, IN
  • Prison Book Program in Quincy, MA

Better World Books also partners with college student organizations to assist in the collection of books no longer needed on campus. These include Phi Theta Kappa, Golden Key Honour Society, Alpha Phi Omega and Circle K, among others. These student partners are compensated according to the level of their collections.

Better World Books is a member of National Association of College Stores (NACS). Some NACS members have questioned the collection of donated textbooks by a for-profit social venture, while many partner with Better World Books to manage extra books left over after buybacks. BWB does not always advertise their for-profit status in promotional materials. College students may be unaware that they are donating their books to a for-profit social venture.

[edit] Impact

Better World Books either sells collected books to raise funding for its literacy partners, sends the books directly to partner programs, or recycles books unsuitable for sale or direct donation. As a for-profit social enterprise, the company has not released the percentage of profits donated to non-profit partners, financial figures or salary figures of employees and executives, although NPR reported that its top executives make $100,000 or more. Through November 2007 they have made the following impact:

Social impact: Collected over 10 million books, raised over $2.3 million for non-profit literacy programs, $1.2 million for libraries and $850,000 for student groups.

Environmental impact: Saved over 5,350 tons of books from landfills. Reclaimed over 680,000 pounds of metal shelving from U.S. libraries and offset over 775 tons of carbon dioxide through Carbonfund.org.

Economic impact: Created 130 full-time jobs with full benefits and revitalized a dormant packaging plant in an industrial center in Mishawaka, IN.

[edit] Online Sales

Better World Books sells collected books through 17 online marketplaces, including Amazon.com, Abebooks & their own online e-commerce site, Betterworld.com.

However, Better World Books currently has over 1.8 million used books physically at their Mishawaka, IN warehouse and employs two full-time, in-house Antique, Rare & Collectible book experts to grade & care for rare books.

[edit] External links

[edit] Literacy Partners

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