What Dream Books Co. does

Dream Books Company, LLC is a Denver, Colorado-based book recycling and redistribution company founded in 2008 by David Chung. The firm collects used books and media from schools, libraries, higher education institutions, bookstores, nonprofits, and the general public through a hybrid of scheduled pickups, free residential service for 3+ boxes, and a network of 16+ book bin drop-off locations across the Denver metro area. It then sorts, evaluates, and routes each title to one of three channels — resale, donation, or recycling — using conveyor-based sorting equipment and a proprietary web portal, claiming over 95% landfill diversion and a throughput of approximately 1 million books per month.

The company monetizes through four primary streams: (1) book resale via a Denver physical bookstore stocking 5,000+ titles under $5 and an e-commerce shop; (2) institutional services (K-12, libraries, higher ed, bookstores, nonprofits) that include pick-up, recycling, and competitive monthly rebates; (3) the BookCash nationwide program launched in August 2023, which offers partner organizations upfront cash for scanned books at an average $1,500 per shipment; and (4) wholesale supply to retailers and resellers by pallet, category, or truckload. In 2025 the company reports 8.7 million books redistributed, $1.02M returned to community partners, and 240+ active partner organizations across the Front Range.

The business is privately held, founder-controlled, and operates as a single LLC domiciled in Colorado. As of July 2025 the company employed 33 people (up from approximately 11 a year earlier), has no disclosed outside investors or funding rounds, and carries no public revenue or ARR disclosure. The company's strategic emphasis has shifted from regional collection services to digitally enabled nationwide monetization (BookCash, LibroLoop, wholesale portal), positioning it as a logistics and disposition infrastructure layer for institutional book inventory.

Name

Dream Books Co.

Legal name

Dream Books Company, LLC

Website

https://dreambooksco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dream Books Company, LLC is a Denver-based book recycling and redistribution business (founded 2008) that collects, sorts, and recirculates used books from schools, libraries, bookstores, nonprofits, and individuals, monetizing through institutional services, the nationwide BookCash program, wholesale supply, and retail.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Book Recycling and Redistribution Services

NAICS

Book Retailers and News Dealers (4592)

SIC

Wholesale-Paper & Paper Products (5110)

akta.pro primary industry

Book Trade Wholesale (Print Books) (CRAOALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Recovered Paper Collection & Sorting (OCC, ONP, Mixed Paper) (IMAMAKAA)

Keywords

• Book recycling services
• Used book redistribution
• Library book removal
• School book recycling
• Wholesale used books

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Book Resale and Retail: Resells collected books through the company bookstore (books under $5), online shop, and wholesale channels. Core revenue stream from recirculating books back into the market.
2. Organization Services (Libraries, Schools, Bookstores): Provides book removal, recycling, and donation management services to organizations. Generates revenue through processing fees and competitive rebates to partner organizations. Includes pick-up services for collections.
3. Wholesale/Bulk Sales: Supplies retailers, resellers, and institutional buyers with quality used books by pallet, category, or truckload. Processes approximately one million books per month for large and recurring orders.
4. BookCash Program: Nationwide program providing upfront cash offers for books from partner organizations. Average payout of $1,500 per shipment (800-1,200 books). Monthly payments via direct deposit. No cost to participate.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Dream Books Co. collects used books and media from institutional partners and the public, then uses advanced sorting equipment to evaluate each title and route it to resale, donation, or recycling. It monetizes surplus inventory for libraries, K-12 schools, higher education institutions, bookstores, and non-profits via its BookCash program, while also selling books through its Denver physical bookstore, online shop, and wholesale division.

Product overview

Dream Books Co. operates as a book recycling and redistribution company offering a portfolio of integrated services rather than a single unified software product. The core offering centers on collecting, sorting, and redistributing used books and media—serving schools (K-12), libraries, higher education institutions, bookstores, and non-profits through specialized removal and donation management services. The company runs a physical 'the bookstore' retail location in Denver plus an online shop, and has developed BookCash (a nationwide scan-and-ship program) as its primary digital product for partner monetization. Additional offerings include a Wholesale division for bulk book supply, a Book Bin Hosting Program for community partners, and a Free Books for Educators Program. The services are offered as standalone offerings that can be mixed and matched by different customer segments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BookCash: A program that enables bookstores, libraries, and thrift stores to monetize book donations by scanning and shipping books to Dream Books Co. for upfront payment. Average payout is $1,500 per shipment (800-1,200 books).
• LibroLoop

Products and services

• Book Recycling & Redistribution Services Primary service for collecting, sorting, evaluating, and redistributing used books and media back into circulation; materials not suitable for resale are recycled. Processes over 3 million books annually and serves institutional partners plus the public.
• the bookstore Physical retail bookstore at 4455 Grape St, Denver, CO, with a weekly rotating selection of over 5,000 books priced under $5; also serves as a pickup location for online orders and offers free books for educators.
• BookCash Nationwide program enabling bookstores, libraries, and thrift stores to monetize book donations by scanning titles via a web portal and receiving upfront cash payments; shipping is covered and average payout is $1,500 per shipment (800-1,200 books). Accepts ex-library books with no term commitments.
• Residential Pickup Service Free residential pick-up service for book and media donations of 3 boxes or more within the Denver Metro Area; contactless service accepting up to 40,000 books per request, with commercial pick-ups potentially charged.
• Book Bin Donation Locations Network of 16+ outdoor book donation drop-off bins throughout the Denver Metro Area (Aurora, Boulder, Denver, Erie, Louisville, Littleton), each holding over 600 books and accessible 24/7; the headquarters bin at 4455 Grape St has no maximum.
• Wholesale Book Supply Bulk books and media supply for retailers, resellers, and institutional buyers, available by pallet, category, or truckload. Processes approximately 1 million books per month across subjects, genres, formats, and publication years; portal access requires application.
• Free Books for Educators Program Provides free books to teachers and educators for their classrooms, libraries, and students; educators can visit the Dream Books Co. Bookstore from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM daily to select books at no cost.
• Book Bin Hosting Program Allows organizations to host a Dream Books Co. book bin at their location, occupying less than one parking spot; benefits include thousands of monthly impressions and participation in efforts that divert 3+ million books from landfills.
• K-12 School Services Book removal and recycling services for K-12 schools ranging from individual classrooms to entire districts; handles adoption curriculum and overstock books, waives recycling fees for eligible schools, and collects over 50,000 books from schools annually.
• Library Services Comprehensive book removal and donation management services for libraries, including post-sale cleanouts and donation handling; services include collection supplies, scheduled pick-ups (including collections over 40,000 books), and competitive monthly rebates.
• Higher Education Services Sustainability programs for universities and colleges covering dorm cleanouts, textbook buy-back rejects, and bookstore overstock, with environmentally responsible solutions for end-of-semester materials.
• Bookstore Services Monetization services for independent and chain bookstores to sell unsold and overstock inventory, with pickup service available for partners of all sizes.
• Non-Profit Services Book and media donation management for thrift stores and non-profit organizations, both local and national; offers competitive rebates for contributions and handles overflow book donations.
• Online Shop E-commerce platform at shop.dreambooksco.com for browsing and purchasing books and media online, with in-person pickup available at the Denver bookstore location.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 8.7 million books redistributed and recycled in 2025
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arapahoe LibrariescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLibrary partner receiving book removal, recycling, and donation management services. Dream Books Co. provides collection supplies, scheduled pick-ups, and monthly rebate payments for donated books and media.
• Boulder Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLibrary partner receiving book removal and recycling services. Partner in Front Range community network of 240+ organizations.
• Eco-cycleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental organization partner supporting sustainability and recycling initiatives. Contributes to company's mission of diverting books from landfills.
• Tattered Cover Book StorecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent bookstore partner and referral source. Recommended buy-back service for general public when Dream Books Co. cannot purchase directly from individuals.
• Aurora Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLibrary partner receiving comprehensive book removal and donation management services including post-sale cleanouts and discard handling.
• Jefferson County Library FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit foundation partner supporting Jefferson County Public Library. Raised over $30,000 in first nine months of 2023 through BookCash program. Provides additional income stream to support foundation and library programs.
• Friends Foundation of Denver Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit foundation partner supporting Denver Public Library. Receives book donation management and rebate services.
• Longmont LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic library partner in Front Range region receiving book removal and donation management services.
• Cherry Creek School District (CCSD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerK-12 school district partner receiving book recycling services for end of semester cleanouts and curriculum material removal.
• Colorado AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent K-12 school partner receiving book recycling services.
• Denver Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor K-12 school district partner receiving comprehensive book recycling and removal services.
• Denver School of the ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerK-12 school partner with specialized arts focus receiving book recycling services.
• Douglas County School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerK-12 school district partner receiving book recycling services for curriculum and overstock books.
• Arc ThriftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit thrift store partner receiving book donation management and competitive rebates for book contributions.
• Goodwill ColoradocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit organization partner receiving comprehensive book donation management services and competitive revenue rebates.
• Salvation ArmycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational nonprofit partner receiving book donation management and competitive rebates.
• Tru ThriftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit thrift store partner receiving book donation management services.
• University of Colorado DenvercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigher education partner with book bin placement at Lynx Crossing residence hall. Supports campus sustainability and student book disposal at end of semesters.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Better World Books: Largest U.S. used-book recycler and online seller, partnering with libraries and institutions to collect, sell, and donate books. Operates at materially greater scale than Dream Books Co. with a near-identical buy-back / redistribution model.
• Discover Books: Book recycling and redistribution company that partners with libraries, schools, and publishers to process and recirculate used books. Closest direct competitor in business model, with national logistics reach.
• Half Price Books: U.S. chain of used-book retail stores that buys and resells used books, CDs, DVDs, and games. Comparable on the consumer-facing used-book retail and media trade-in side of Dream Books Co.'s business.
• ThriftBooks: Major online used-book retailer that buys and resells used books at scale. Directly comparable to Dream Books Co. on the resale side, with overlapping wholesale and consumer channels.
• GreenDrop: Donation pickup service that collects clothing and household goods — including books — for nonprofit partners. Comparable on the logistics and partnership side of residential and institutional donation collection.

Regional players

• Strand Bookstore: Iconic New York City used-book retailer with a buy-back counter for consumers. Compares on used-book retail and trade-in experience, but is geographically concentrated on the East Coast and lacks a recycling/wholesale arm.

Broad incumbents

• AbeBooks (owned by Amazon): Global online marketplace for used and rare books connecting sellers with buyers. Overlaps with Dream Books Co.'s online used-book retail and wholesale channels but operates as an aggregator/marketplace rather than a recycler.
• Powell's Books: Iconic large independent used-bookstore based in Portland. Overlaps with Dream Books Co. on used-book retail and used-book buying, though operates at much larger retail scale without a recycling/wholesale focus.
• Alibris: Online marketplace connecting buyers to independent sellers of used, new, and rare books. Comparable to Dream Books Co.'s online used-book channel, though it operates as a marketplace rather than a recycler or distributor.

Others

• Books for Africa: Nonprofit that collects and ships used books to Africa. Adjacent rather than directly competitive; represents an alternative downstream channel for some of Dream Books Co.'s recirculated inventory.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dreambooksco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dream Books Co.