Better World Books is a fabulous example of thinking out the box. BWB describes itself as a for-profit business whose primary objective is social profit, and through their efforts they have been able to build a successful business that has helped with literacy and the distribution of books in poorer countries. It is amazing to see what a little initiative can do.

BWB originally started as a student organized charity program begun by three college friends, but now betterworldbooks.com has developed into a thriving organization blossoming through selling "no value books." BWB collects books on an individual basis, from bookstores and campus book drives. Their innovative product? Unused books that are one man's trash turn into another man's treasure. BWB has turned 2 million pounds of landfill destined books into their corporate and cultural capital, and they have become an important source for new and second hand text books. BWB accredits their success to several factors: First, there is a huge market for unwanted textbooks to be sold online. Second, college students and members of the community are more interested than ever in making a difference.

BWB banked on the notion that people want to help make a difference in the world, and they seized on the opportunity and began to work spreading literacy locally, and globally. Their company was able to convert unwanted, wasted books into funding for non-profit literacy partners. BWB is now working with the National Center for Family Literacy, and is running the first-ever online book drive to benefit tsunami victims. They are also creating partnerships with libraries and thrift stores across the country, converting their wasted books into funds for literacy initiatives. BWB provides both local and global experience opportunities, growing from their books and social improvement programs. As a result they have become the place for socially responsible book purchase, and are seeing the benefits from their out of the box thinking.