Half Price Books (HPB) is the nation’s largest family-owned and -operated new and used bookstore chain, with 80 retail locations in 15 states. The company’s commitment to adult and family literacy began when it opened its first store in 1972.  HPB’s corporate mission—then and now—is to help people of all ages become successful readers.  The company carries out its mission in the communities where it has stores, addressing literacy needs through its partnerships with schools and adult and family literacy programs.

HPB also publishes books and other reading resources for adults and children. HPB believes that supporting literacy is a win-win for everyone: children and adults who need strong literacy skills to be successful at school and on the job; communities that need highly skilled workers contributing to economic development; and Half Price Books, whose success—and bottom line—depend on literate customers.

Overview of Partnerships

HPB forms partnerships with organizations providing literacy services to adults and children. The company is especially interested in 1) bringing attention to the organization’s work, the need for adult education and family literacy services in the community, and HPB's efforts to support literacy and 2) working with partners experienced in hosting special or media events.

HPB looks for local partners in every city where it has a store. In general, HPB seeks adult literacy coalitions, rather than individual programs, as partners because of the challenges associated with identifying programs and the high turnover rate in local program leadership. HPB contacts local chambers of commerce, libraries, national literacy organizations, and mayors’ offices to identify literacy coalitions and programs. The company varies its work with coalitions according to both HPB employee needs and community literacy needs. HPB also recognizes its responsibility to educate its employees continuously, especially those needing English language instruction.

Examples of HPB’s support for literacy include:

• Sponsoring the annual Bedtime Storybook Contest and publishing the book Say Goodnight to Illiteracy, which raises money for family literacy programs;
• Producing and distributing Reading Tips for parents and guardians, in both Spanish and English.;
• Creating libraries in hospitals, health facilities, schools and learning centers;
• Creating Half Pint Libraries, which provide books for children and families while children are hospitalized. Since 1998, the program has provided nearly 2 million books for children. Each year, between January and March, Half Price Books hosts its Half Pint Library book drive. In 2006, nearly 250,000 books were donated and distributed to Half Pint Libraries across the nation;
• Providing funding and in-kind donations to adult literacy coalitions and literacy agencies in cities where it has bookstores;
• Encouraging employees and customers to become literacy volunteers. To promote volunteering, HPB features links to national, state, and local literacy organizations on its Web site, www.halfpricebooks.com; and
• Serving as a founding contributor to first lady Laura Bush’s National Book Festival in Washington, D.C.

Other literacy activities include:

• Collaborating with adult education providers to offer adult literacy and English as a second language instruction for HPB employees;
• Encouraging HPB stores to adopt specific community service projects, including literacy. Employees are granted up to one paid hour per week, plus travel time to and from their volunteer sites;
• Offering a free video featuring literacy volunteers and students to any nonprofit organization seeking to promote literacy volunteerism. To obtain a copy, email a written request to: mwren[at]halfpricebooks.com; and
• Donating books to schools, veterans’ hospitals, nursing homes, and prisons.

Say Goodnight to Illiteracy

"Half Price Books would like to dedicate this book to all adults learning to read for their children, all the children learning to read for their future, and all the aspiring writers who find solace in the written word."
Say Goodnight to Illiteracy, 12th edition

Say Goodnight to Illiteracy is one of HPB’s major literacy initiatives.  Published annually, the book features 20 stories for young children selected through the Bedtime Storybook Writing Contest, a nationwide competition for amateur writers supported by HPB. By publishing the book, HPB hopes to encourage parents to read to their children and to remind them about the connection between reading aloud to children, the development of reading skills, and children’s success in school and beyond.

Stories are judged on style, content, originality, and their suitability for young children.  Each story includes a specially commissioned illustration. HPB publishes 25,000 copies of the book. Half are sold in company stores, with proceeds donated to adult and family literacy organizations, and the other half are given to schools and literacy providers.  For example, sales from the 12th edition supported Reach Out and Read (ROR), a program that provides books to medical offices for young children during their medical check-ups. Last year, HPB donated 15,000 copies to the White House, to be given to children participating in the Easter Egg Roll.

Lessons Learned

"We have two types of employees: those who love to read and those who don’t because they lack English reading skills. By partnering with key adult education programs, we can provide volunteer opportunities for employees who are avid readers and education for employees who want to strengthen their literacy skills and their quality of life. It’s the right thing to do."
—Kathy Doyle Thomas, Executive Vice President, Half Price Books

Find ways to support literacy providers that meet their needs and yours.

Literacy Instruction for Texas (LIFT) has been a partner with HPB since 2001. A Dallas-based literacy agency, LIFT provides adult literacy, English language, and family literacy instruction. Each year, LIFT serves more than 6,000 adults in classes taught by its all-volunteer teaching force.  Cheryl Parker, director of education at LIFT, says that Half Price Books has helped LIFT in many ways, including:

• Providing copies of Say Goodnight to Illiteracy for LIFT’s family literacy classes;
• Serving on LIFT’s board of directors. Kathy Doyle Thomas, HPB’s executive vice president, and Mark Wren, community relations manager, have both served on the board. As the current board president, Mark guides development of LIFT’s strategic plan and contributes to the work of board committees, especially the marketing committee;
• Contributing to LIFT’s book-signing and luncheon fund-raiser. The day before the luncheon, HPB hosts a book-signing event at a local Half Price Books store;
• Distributing HPB gift cards to teachers to thank them for their work as volunteers. Recently, HPB gave 100 gift cards to LIFT teachers at a volunteer appreciation event;
• Hosting field trips to HPB stores. The company gives gift cards to adult students participating in the field trips, for use during their visits to the store. For some students, the gift cards make possible their first-ever purchase of a book;
• Paying rent for classroom space when LIFT’s program expanded; and
• Providing other support to LIFT staff and students. For example, Wren offered HPB’s community room to display an adult student’s artwork and hosted a reception for the artist.

Align business and partner goals.

HPB and the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) began a partnership in 2006. NCFL, a nationally recognized adult and family literacy nonprofit organization, works to shape public policy, educate the public and the media, conduct research, and develop and disseminate tools for increasing the literacy skills of parents and children. Half Price Books was particularly interested in partnering with NCFL because of the match between the company’s philanthropic goals and NCFL’s goals, NCFL’s history of collaborating with businesses, and its location in Louisville, Ky., where HPB opened its first store in 2006. HPB now has three stores in Kentucky. HPB and NCFL are collaborating on the release of the 13th edition of Say Goodnight to Illiteracy.

NCFL’s current contributions to the partnership include:

• Drafting a plan for promoting Say Goodnight to Illiteracy;
• Producing a book review by a team of literacy specialists that focuses on how parents can use the book to teach reading to their children;
• Distributing the book review described above to newspapers; and
• Helping to identify literacy coalitions and programs in communities where Half Price Books has existing stores or plans to open new stores.

Half Price Books contributes to the partnership by:

• Donating proceeds from the sale of Say Goodnight to Illiteracy to NCFL’s operating funds;
• Profiling NCFL in its stores;
• Working with NCFL to market the book; and
• Collaborating with NCFL to highlight the issue of family literacy in its stores.

Benefits

Benefits to Business

Some benefits to HPB of its partnership with adult education organizations include:

• Improved employee skills;
• Improved employee retention, morale, and job satisfaction;
• Expansion of current and potential customer base;
• Support for the well-being and economic development of the community;
• Positive publicity associated with supporting a good cause; and
• Access to new literacy partners in communities where HPB has or plans to open stores.

Benefits to Adult Education

Some benefits to LIFT and NCFL of their partnerships with Half Price Books include:

• Potential volunteers;
• Access to business expertise and guidance;
• Recognition for volunteer efforts;
• Higher visibility in the community; and
• Greater community awareness of adult literacy programs and issues.

• Financial and in-kind support, including new funds and donations from the sales of Say Goodnight to Illiteracy;
• Information on the needs and concerns of businesses; and
• Higher visibility in the community.

• Look for common ground with potential partners. Form partnerships that can meet the needs of your company, a literacy coalition or program, and the community;
• Consider your company’s self-interest. Establishing a partnership with literacy groups can lead to better employee performance, decreased turnover, and improved job satisfaction; and
• Be thorough. Examine all the services that literacy organizations can offer to a company.

• Do your research. Look for prospective business partners that may be potential funders. Strategic partnerships are critical during this time of shrinking public funds;
• Understand the needs of business and how best to meet them. Provide services consistent with the business models of particular companies; and
• Start by offering services to a business and build the partnership from there.

Contact Information

Mark Wren
Community Relations Manager
Half Price Books
Corporate Office
5803 E Northwest Highway
Dallas, TX  75231
Phone: 214-360-0833 ext. 1064
E-mail: mwren[at]halfpricebooks.com