Are you confused about the process? Don’t worry—that’s why we created this resource center in the first place.

So why should I run a textbook drive again? That’s an easy one: People, Planet, and Profit.

• People – Gain professional development and leadership skills. We also provide you with resume materials and interview questions from your experience with us. This project allows you to be the driving force behind a campus-wide initiative and get a leg-up in the eyes of employers—all while helping promote global literacy.

• Planet – We have never thrown away a book. Every single book you send to us will be resold, repurposed, or recycled. Together, book drives across the country are making enormous impacts. You can help your campus improve its sustainability.
• Profit – Make money for your organization and generate funding for nonprofit literacy partners. We give your group $1 for every accepted book you send us, and give a portion of our profits to fund one of our literacy partners.

What if I’ve never run a textbook drive?

There are a lot of things we can’t help you do: learn how to dance, live harmoniously with your roommate, or wake up in time for your 8am class next Friday. But we’ve got you covered with the book drive. This student resource center will answer 100% (of some) of your Better World Books book drive questions. We send all of the supplies that you need. And since there’s no traditional way to run a book drive, you’ll be trailblazing a method of your own.

What kind of books are you looking for?

All books—we can repurpose or donate them to keep them out of landfills.
However, if you’re looking to raise the most money for your student organization, check out our accepted books page.

Will this take up a lot of my time?

No! We have designed it to be as simple as possible for busy college students. Ultimately, you determine how ambitious you want to be with the textbook drive. It can be a casual thing or a “causal” thing. Either way, you determine your own methods. Just remember, the more time you spend, the more funds you will raise.

Does it cost anything?

It costs you nothing. Here’s our hidden fee – $0.00. We ship everything to you free of cost. We also provide you with shipping labels and all marketing materials. Everything is already paid for once you sign up.

What are the deadlines?

We operate with open trust. There are no hard deadlines—you determine how you want to collect the books or set up the collection bins. However, we do ask that you ship the books to us at the end of the semester.

How do I ship the books?

Login to the Client Portal account where we provide free and printable shipping labels inside the portal. All you have to do is designate an address/date for pickup and we’ll take it from there.

What do you do with the books?

Better World Books promises to find the best use for each book. Every book we sell generates funding for the literacy program of your choosing. Whenever an accepted book is purchased, we donate a book we can’t sell to promote literacy. And if the book can’t be donated, we repurpose or recycle them. Every book that you send to us will remain out of landfills.

How long do I have to wait for my check to come?

How much money can I raise?

That’s up to you. The amount of money you receive depends entirely on the amount of accepted books that you send us. We send you $1 for each accepted book. How many accepted books can you collect? A hundred? A thousand? A hundred-thousand?

How much space will I need?

Not much. The cardboard foldouts are set up as non-intrusive bins. The bin displays are designed to fit pretty much anywhere. During textbook collection, you only need as much space as you want to take up. You will only need to ship one box of books at a time throughout the semester so that you don’t have a mountain of them in your dorm room. This helps you maximize donated books while minimizing taken space.

Can I put this on my resumé?

You sure can. Once you’ve signed up, we even provide you with resume skills and interview questions. They can be accessed inside the portal and will be available for your use.

What if other people are running textbook drives on our campus?

If other student organizations are running textbook drives on your campus, that’s okay. Even the best textbook drives don’t collect every book. If another student organization is running a textbook drive, have a conversation with them—they might be looking for different kinds of books. You might be able to respectfully divide the campus based on departments and collection areas.

Okay, so what if there’s another Better World Books Textbook Drive on my campus?

There’s always the choice to team up. Think of how productive your campus impact would be if you enlisted the help of another organization. Maybe you can agree to divide the check you receive or divide and conquer the campus.

What if we don’t want to split the check?

Many student organizations prefer to work alone. If there’s multiple organizations hosting Better World Textbook drives on the same campus, that’s healthy competition. As long as the two organizations stay respectful of each other’s initiatives, everything should run smoothly. In fact, your competitor’s promotion efforts will help you get the word out. When two organizations compete, global literacy wins.

Where do I sign up?

That’s the spirit! Right here.