Since last February, many students have donated hundreds of books to Better World Books, at the Bucks bookstore, making the U.S., Africa, Asia and India better places.

At no cost to students, Bucks ships unwanted and otherwise wasted books to Better World Books, an organization that has had its roots since 2001. In just under a year, hundreds of books have been sent to the company, straight from our bookstore.

Lisa Ellis, merchandise buyer at the bookstore, is very satisfied with the company. Since last February, the bookstore has donated 100 cartons of books, which hold 15 to 20 textbooks on average, Ellis says.

Better World Books started as a single book drive at the University Of Notre Dame in 2001. The drive collected books that would have otherwise been thrown away.

The books donated to the company are used in several ways. Some books are sent directly to those in need through a company called Books for Africa, which Better World Books partnered with in 2003. Others are sold to raise money to build schools and libraries in Southeast Asia and India.

Better World Books also benefits those in the local community. The company’s original book drive benefited a local learning center, close to the Notre Dame.

While Better World Books started at the Notre Dame, a year after their inception, they grew to include five other cities across the U.S., including Philadelphia and San Francisco.

The company works on making things cheap and efficient for those who donate. “Better World Books supplies all the cartons, the tape, everything. It doesn’t cost us anything,” Ellis says.

In 2004, Better World Books expanded its partnerships, adding Room to Read, an organization that builds libraries and schools in Southeast Asia and India. The money that is made from donated book sales goes towards Room to Read, and also helps to pay the costs of sending textbooks to Africa.

The company has received awards for their good intentions, including the McClosky Social Venture Award. They were also accepted into the Social Venture Network in 2005.

Currently, they are working with the National Center for Family Literacy and are running the first-ever online book drive to benefit tsunami victims.

Better World Books has never thrown away a donated book. To date, they have saved 2.6 million pounds of books from ending up in landfills. At the very least, donated books will end up being recycled.

All of the money that Better World Books receives is donated, with the exception of the expenses that it costs to send the textbooks to Africa.

In 2005, Better World Books, with assistance from Bucks students, helped to build 39 preschools in Sri Lanka, its 2,000th bilingual library, and 200th school in Southeast Asia. Also last year, Better World Books donated its one millionth book since its creation. The company has made it possible for 755,000 children to be educated, when they did not have the option earlier.

Bucks students can donate to the cause by dropping their books at the drop box in the front of the campus bookstore. For more information visit www.betterworldbooks.com