Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I learn more information about your Company?

Better World Books is a B Corporation. What is a B Corporation?

B Corporations are a new kind of Company which use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.

B Corporations:

Meet higher standards of social and environmental performance
Expand corporate responsibility to include consideration of the interests of employees, the environment and the community
Amplify the voice for a diverse marketplace through the power of the unifying B Corporation brand

To become a B Corporation, we answered a rigorous 200 point questionnaire audited by a third party, and changed our corporate by-laws to require balancing our benefit among all stakeholders (community, environment, employees, etc.), not just maximizing profit for shareholders. You can see our public profile here.

What are the dimensions of Drop Box?

Depending on the version, a Drop Box measures approximately 4' x 5' x 5' (l x w x h).

Tell me more about the Drop Box.

Our Drop Boxes are designed and manufactured in the U.S.A. with domestic steel (recycled, of course). Each Drop Box holds approximately 800 books. Select Drop Boxes are equipped with level sensor technology that alerts us as the Drop Box fills to capacity.

Drop Box full? Who services the Drop Box?

The Better World Books Logistics Department regularly services the Drop Boxes. For additional service, customers and partners may contact us. We'll schedule the pickup immediately and dispatch a driver within 1 business day. Please pass along the unit number.

Contact Information:

Phone: 888-510-7107 (extension 7)
Email: [email protected]
Text: GA only - text the unit number to 30364
Twitter: @BWBooks
Facebook: /betterworldbooks

What happens once the books are collected by Better World Books?

All books are transported to a local distribution center operated by Better World Books. Our goal is to extend the life-cycle of the book through reuse. Books in good condition are listed for sale online on marketplaces such as BetterWorldBooks.com or donated to literacy partners. Books that cannot be sold or donated are recycled and converted in to pulp for new products such as brown tissue, cardboard, or even new book covers. We never send books to landfills.

Why is your Company a For-Profit instead of a Non-Profit?

At times, people wonder about the for-profit nature of our social enterprise. It is understandable that people question the motives of for-profit corporations when many mainstream corporations have failed society so dramatically in recent years. In our case, we simply view it as the most effective model for spreading global literacy. It enables us to accept investment, to attract top talent through offering stock options, and to operate free of the funding cycles and restrictive grants most non-profits face - all of which enable us to grow the business and therefore grow our positive social impact more quickly.

Equally important, we have played a leadership role in the growing movement of triple bottom line companies that recognize business must benefit society, not just a small number of shareholders. We're walking the talk by being a certified B Corporation, recognized for meeting social and environmental criteria while being transparent about where we stand. To learn more, visit www.bcorporation.net.

Do you obtain permission to place your Drop Box on private property?

Yes. Before we place a Drop Box, we obtain permission from the property manager and/or the property owner. In many cases, we pay a monthly rent to the property manager or the property owner for such placement.

Are you able to insure our organization?

For partners with multiple locations, we will add your organization to our general liability policy and issue a Certificate of Insurance.

I understand that each Drop Box benefits a literacy partner.

Correct. Each Drop Box supports the non-profit literacy partner(s) indicated on the Drop Box. A minimum of 5% of net proceeds are paid to the literacy partner on a quarterly basis. In cases where the property manager or property owner elects to donate their rent to the literacy partner, the literacy partner may earn up to 20% of net proceeds. Non-profit literacy partners include Books for Africa, Room to Read, Worldfund, Robinson Community Learning Center, United Way's Education Fund, and local libraries, including Gwinnett County Public Library, Athens-Clarke County Public Library and Atlanta Fulton County Library System to name a few.

Is my book donation tax-deductible?

Better World Books is a for-profit social enterprise. Unfortunately, book donations are not tax-deductible.

Where can I find one of your Drop Boxes?

Check out this page for a list of Drop Boxes in your area.

Our organization is interested in hosting a Drop Box.

Help us expand in Georgia and Indiana. We are looking to place Drop Boxes at major shopping centers, retailers, libraries, recycling centers, government buildings, parks, and schools. For more information, please contact us.

Located outside of Georgia or Indiana? Please contact us here. We're making plans to expand to new states.

Will our organization have to sign a contract?

For all placements, we require your organization to electronically sign a simple license agreement. The license agreement governs the terms and conditions of the program. If your organization is unable to accept the terms of the license agreement, we can issue you a letter outlining the terms of the program. Also, if your organization already has a boilerplate license agreement for this type of partnership, we'll be happy to review your agreement.

What type of books do you accept?

We accept all books in readable condition.

I've made a book donation. Now what?

Thank you for your donation. Please text READ to 30364 to receive your special thank you.

Coming Soon!

We are working to publish the impact of book donations. Real-time stats per Drop Box will be available on our site. Each Drop Box location will show a picture, address, literacy partner supported, funds raised to date, and environmental impact metrics such as trees saved, water saved and electricity saved.

I love using your book donation Drop Boxes. How can I help Better World Books?

Please encourage your family, friends and co-workers to use the book donation Drop Box, then shop BetterWorldBooks.com for all your used and new book purchases. Be sure to "Like" us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or check out our Blog.

What social and environmental impact has Better World Books made?

From the spring of 2003 through September 2009, Better World Books has collected more than 25 million books, raising more than $7.3 million for over 80 literacy and education non-profit organizations, sending 1.5 million books to our partner programs & saving over 13,000 tons of books from landfills. Please visit our Impact page for more details.