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

Better World Books

About Better World Books: BetterWorld Books (www.betterworldbooks.com) began with three college friends (Class of 2001; University of Notre Dame) who formed a for-profit social venture - a business with the mission to promote literacy locally, nationally and around the world. Starting from one single book drive at the University of Notre Dame, the organization has grown into a nationwide effort with 130+ employees and thousands of people involved, all looking to improve the quality of life for people through literacy. About BetterWorld.com: BetterWorld.com is the retail website for BetterWorld Books. On BetterWorld.com customers can shop over 2 million new and used titles, shop by genre, cause, or search by author, title, or subject. Every order on BetterWorld.com benefits a predetermined literacy partner, is shipped for free to US customers ($2.97 worldwide), and is shipped carbon neutral with an offset by the Carbon Free Fund.

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