[Libs-Or] Fwd: Better World Books

Tue Aug 12 18:05:03 PDT 2014

We tried BWB, but didn't make enough money to bother with it. We're a very
small library. I didn't send junkie stuff, and was surprised at how little
sold. We're doing better selling through Powell's, but they require
like-new books. Still, their process is very easy.

Valerie Hauser
Jefferson Public Library

On Wed, Aug 6, 2014 at 8:07 AM, Megan Dugan <Megan.Dugan at mhcc.edu> wrote:

>  I agree with everything Abbie said below. We have also used BWB at Mt.
> Hood for our discards for over a year. They have several charitable
> donations to choose from which our staff thought was a benefit (we voted).
> We are not in it for the money but the convenience and ease of use. Last
> year, MHCC conducted a massive weed of our collection for the first time in
> many years and would not have been able to without BWB.
>
>
>
> Best,
>
> Megan
>
> Megan Dugan
> Library Manager
> Mt. Hood Community College
> 503.491.7652
> megan.dugan at mhcc.edu
>
>
>
> *From:* Libs-Or [mailto:libs-or-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us] *On
> Behalf Of *Abbie Anderson
> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 05, 2014 6:16 PM
> *To:* libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us
> *Cc:* neichste at pdx.edu
> *Subject:* Re: [Libs-Or] Fwd: Better World Books
>
>
>
> We've been using Better World Books at North Bend Public Library for about
> a year and a half now. It has been a huge benefit for us. You won't make
> much money from the 15% commission, but they provide you with boxes and UPS
> labels (which you print out), and they pay for UPS shipping. You just have
> to be able to box up the materials and get online to print the labels and
> schedule the pick-up. Knowing that the books will be used well (they will
> be sold to eager readers worldwide, or used in literacy programs worldwide,
> or recycled) is a big bonus. You can also apply to them for grants for your
> own local literacy projects.
>
> Access to BWB helped us recruit and organize volunteers to sort our book
> donations year round. The volunteers were inspired to help the library earn
> more money by skimming off the best quality items, checking their value,
> and selling them online directly through an Amazon Storefront for the
> Friends (http://ow.ly/oY4Qh). The organized sorting effort also improved
> the quality of books on our Friends' "Neverending" Sale shelves, *and*
> improved the books and the organization of the books for the Friends' big
> local sales. We have seen revenue from the Neverending sale go up to a
> steady $250+/month, and online sales are also about $300/month. For us,
> that's a lot!
>
> I have heard that a PDX-area library's Friends have been using BWB to
> great success-was it Beaverton?
>
> I know a lot of libraries use BWB for their discards--books that the
> Friends usually aren't going to want for their sales.
>
> One caveat: having also bought books from BWB on Amazon, I can say as a
> customer that I don't like their packaging. They use this weird shrink-wrap
> stuff for single-book orders, which clings to the book cover. The book I
> most recently got from them was fine, thanks to the mylar cover on the
> ex-library book I purchased, but I can see this stuff causing damage, or
> allowing damage in transit.
>
> Cheers,
> Abbie Anderson
>
> On 08/04/2014 08:04 PM, Ruth Murray wrote:
>
>  Can anyone help my friend? Her email is neichste at pdx.edu  Thanks- Ruth
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: *Nancy Eichsteadt* <neichste at pdx.edu>
> Date: Mon, Aug 4, 2014 at 9:54 AM
> Subject: Better World Books
> To: Ruth Murray <murrayr at pdx.edu>
>
>  Hi Ruth,
>
> I'm recovering from our big book sale this weekend. We ended up with lots
> of leftovers that should have gone to a buyer who backed out at the last
> minute. I'm looking online at "Better World Books." I realize they are a
> for-profit organization that supposedly helps with literacy issues
> world-wide. What does the library community think of this group?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Nancy
>
>
>
> --
>
>  Nancy Eichsteadt
> Marketing and outreach
> Graduate School of Education
> Executive Council Member, PSU-AAUP
> Portland State University
>
> PO Box 751
> 615 SW Harrison
> Suite 412
> Portland, Oregon 97207-0751
> Phone 503-725-5577
> Fax 503-725-5599
> neichste at pdx.edu
> Graduate School of Education <http://www.pdx.edu/education>
> Graduate School of Education Blog <http://schoolofed.wordpress.com/>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
>
> Ruth Murray
> Portland State University GSE
> Library Media Advisor/Instructor
> 503 725- 9860
> Office- Education 310B
> Hours- Tuesday and Thursday by appointment
> PO Box 751
> Portland, Oregon 97207
>
>
>
>
>
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>  --
>
>
>
> **************************
>
> Abbie Anderson
>
> Assistant Director
>
> North Bend Public Library
>
> (541) 756-1007 ext 0035
>
>
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