Book reading is a habit that can change your whole personality. People think it is just for passing time, but in reality, it is a “Mental Gym.” We can learn many things in real life by gaining knowledge from books.
But have you ever thought what happens to the books we leave after reading and think they are old?
A Great Mission: Saving Books and Giving New Hope
In the same way, today we are talking about a company that not only sells books online at the best price but also saves second-hand books from being wasted.
- Affordable Education: Students often leave or waste books after reading them. This company takes those books and sells them again at a very low price so everyone can read.
- Support for Literacy: Not only this, but the company also supports literacy programs. This means they give free books to children who cannot afford them and donate a large part of their profit to many schools.
Which Company is This?
You might be thinking what the name of this amazing company is. The name is Better World Books.
Better World Books is not just a store, it is a movement that dreams of making the world educated and better.
Better World Books History: From Small Drops to a Big River
People say that small drops make a big river—and this example fits perfectly with the story of Better World Books.
Three Friends and a Small Dream (2001–2002)
It started at the University of Notre Dame by three friends Christopher Fuchs, Xavier Helgesen, and Jeff Kurtzman.
Around 2001–2002, after finishing their graduation, they had many books. They thought instead of wasting them, they should sell them online so they can help the world and also earn something.
In their very first attempt, they got a very good response.
First Big Successful Experience
In 2002, they organized a “Book Drive” to help a local community center, Robinson Community Learning Center.
They collected 2,000 books and earned $10,000 by selling them! They donated half of this money to support children’s education.
This was the moment when they realized they could do both “Business” and “Good Work” together.
From Business Plan to Global Brand (2003–2010)
- 2003: They created a formal business plan and won a big competition.
- 2004–2008: The company started growing. They began collecting old books from libraries and colleges.
- 2008: They expanded to Scotland (UK) so people around the world could buy affordable books.
A New Journey with Internet Archive (2019–2026)
In 2019, a very big change happened when the Internet Archive (the world’s largest digital library) acquired Better World Books.
The goal was to digitalize physical books so people all over the world can read them online for free.
Their Record
Research suggests that since the beginning, this company has:
- Donated more than 38 million books
• Raised more than $33 million for literacy (education)
• Saved more than 450 million books from going into landfills by recycling or reusing them
BetterThatWorld.com believes that their mission and start were very strong. In the same way, if you also start with a good purpose, you can achieve success.
What Kind of Books Are Available?
They have more than 8 million books in their inventory. These include all types of categories:
- Academic & Textbooks: Old and new books for school, college, and university (Science, Arts, Commerce).
- Fiction & Non-Fiction: Novels, history, biographies, and self-help books.
- Children’s Books: Picture books and learning books for kids.
- Rare & Out-of-Print: Old books that are not easily available in the market anymore.
How Does This Help the World?
This company, Better World Books, works on the principle of “Triple Bottom Line” (People, Planet, Profit).
It helps the world in three ways:
Literacy Support
Their main idea is: “Buy a Book, We Donate a Book.”
When you buy a book, they donate a book to children or libraries in need. They work with partners like:
- Books for Africa
- Room to Read
These organizations send books to places where people cannot afford education.
Environment Protection
Books are made from paper, and paper comes from trees.
- Saving from Landfill: People often throw old books into the trash. Better World Books collects them. So far, they have saved more than 475 million books from going into landfills.
- Recycling: Books that cannot be used are recycled properly so new paper can be made and fewer trees are cut.
Affordable Knowledge
Many people in the world cannot afford new textbooks because they are very expensive. This company provides the same books at very low prices with free worldwide shipping. Because of this, education becomes accessible to both rich and poor people.
According to BetterThatWorld.com, when you buy books from here, you are not just gaining knowledge for yourself. You are also helping a poor child get an education and protecting the environment at the same time.
Is Better World Books Legit? (Trust Factor)
The first question people ask is: Is this a scam or real?
- It is a Certified B Corporation (this means it legally works for social good).
- It has a 4.8/5 rating (based on millions of reviews on Shopper Approved).
- It is a partner of Internet Archive, which is the world’s largest digital library.
“Listen, if you are thinking this site is real or not, don’t worry. This company is more than 20 years old, and millions of people have already ordered books from here.”
Better World Books Coupons & Promo Codes (Saving Guide)
Here are some practical ways to save money:
- Email/Text Sign-up: When you sign up for the first time, you get 15% to 20% off.
- Shelf Steals: There is a section on their website where books are available for $4–$5.
- Student Discount: Students can get extra discount through “Student Beans.”
- Free Shipping: Orders above $15 get free shipping.
“if you are paying full price, you are making a mistake. Just join their newsletter and get a 20% coupon quickly.”
Better World Books Review (Pros & Cons)
Readers always want to know other people’s experience. You can share these points:
Pros
- Cheap books
- Worldwide shipping
- Good purpose (charity)
Cons
- Used books condition may sometimes be a little different from the description
- Shipping can take 1–2 weeks
Tip:
“In our experience, always check the ‘Condition’ when buying used books. Sometimes books have old library marks, which is normal.”
Conclusion: One Book, One Dream, and a Better World
In the end, I just want to say that buying a book from Better World Books is not only about gaining knowledge for yourself, but also about helping a needy child get an education. They have proved that business and charity can work together.
- When I did research on this for BetterThatWorld.com, I realized that real success is not just selling books but saving them from being wasted and helping make the world more educated.
- When you buy a cheap book from here, you are not only saving money but also helping protect the environment.
Better World Books is not just a store, it is a “movement” that dreams of making the world a better place.
.
