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Corporate Social Responsibility
News
3.18.2008 - 02:00pm ET
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Better World Books Library Discards & Donation Program Helps Libraries Fill the Fundraising Gap While Supporting Literacy Programs and Protecting the Environment
Socially Responsible Online Book Seller Now Partnering with 900+ Libraries Nationwide
(CSRwire) MISHAWAKA, IN. - March 18, 2008 – Online bookseller Better World Books
today announced that it distributed more than $470,000 in proceeds from
its Library Discards & Donations Program to hundreds of city, county and
university libraries in 2007, providing library systems with much-needed
resources to pay for basic operations, staff salaries and the acquisition
of new materials. With library funding cuts on the rise nationwide, Better
World Books hopes that more libraries will embrace the unique fundraising
opportunities that the company’s Library Discards & Donations Program
provides.
Better World Books collects discarded and donated books from more than
900+ libraries nationwide and resells them through 18 online marketplaces,
including BetterWorld.com, Amazon.com and Half.com. Throughout the
company's five-year history, it has generated over $1.4 million in funding
for libraries and secondhand stores and an additional $2.7 million in
funding for non-profit literacy initiatives.
"The Better World Books Library Discards & Donations Program offers
libraries an innovative way to manage their library discards and gift book
donations – generating a new source of revenue while also funding
literacy and helping protect the environment," says Walter Sears, director
for Better World Books’ library division. "We know librarians would
rather spend time serving patrons than preparing for sidewalk sales, so we
make it easy for them to monetize their surplus material with minimal
effort and no extra fees."
Libraries routinely receive gift book donations, which include countless
items that do not meet their collection development criteria. In the past,
yearly book sales were the primary way to purge surplus material. Now
Better World Books offers libraries a more resourceful approach to manage
their collections. Because Better World Books sells online to a worldwide
market, its sales reach a diverse group of buyers. Operating efficiencies,
a two million person customer base and patented pricing and inventory
software enable the company to maximize the value of every book it sells.
In the last three years Better World Books sales helped raise more than
$121,000 for the Brooklyn Public Library system, $143,000 for Howard
County (MD) Library, and $19,000 for The Ohio State University Libraries.
Hundreds of others have benefited as well.
We've raised significant funds by incorporating Better World Books'
user-friendly process into our branches' regular weeding practices," says
Christine Stenstrom, manager of collection projects, Brooklyn Public
Library. "Better World Books has offered a solution that meets all our
needs."
How the Discards & Donations / Online Sidewalk Sale Program Works
Better World Books provides a custom-tailored solution for shipping
your Discards & Donations to Better World Books, at no cost to your
library.
Upon receipt, Better World Books catalogs, prices and inventories
salable books and returns a percentage of net proceeds from sales back to
the participating library.
An additional percentage of net proceeds from sales are paid to a
literacy partner.
An online web portal allows clients to check the status of their
inventory and sales at any given time.
The participating library receives a quarterly commission check. The
quarterly payout range is varied, with some libraries raising enough funds
to purchase a new computer, to some libraries raising enough funds for one
year of a salaried position.
About Better World Books
Better World Books (www.BetterWorld.com) is a for-profit
social enterprise that collects and sells books online to fund literacy
initiatives worldwide. With more than two million new and used titles in
stock, Better World Books is a self-sustaining, triple-bottom-line company
that balances the social, economic and environmental values of its
stakeholders. Since its founding in 2003, the Mishawaka, Ind.-based
company has raised $4.15 million for its non-profit literacy, library and
college partners; diverted more than 6200 tons of books from landfills;
achieved 1725 tons of carbon offsets through carbon-neutral shipping (in
partnership with carbonfund.org); and created more than 175 full-time jobs
with meaningful benefits. Better World Books is a 2008 Fast Company
Social Capitalist Award Winner and certified Founding B
Corporation(TM) (www.bcorporation.net).
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