International Book Project

What International Book Project does

International Book Project (IBP) is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1966 in Lexington, Kentucky, by Harriet Van Meter after she observed long lines for books during a 1965 visit to India. The organization collects, sorts, and ships donated books to schools, libraries, Peace Corps volunteers, NGOs, and underserved communities domestically and abroad. Since founding, IBP has shipped close to 8 million books to 168 countries, currently servicing over 200 partners across 62 countries at an annual capacity of up to 500,000 books following a March 2018 warehouse renovation.

IBP's core product offerings are tiered: individually curated Small Shipments (a few dozen to classroom-set volumes), Sea Container Shipments (20,000–30,000+ books for universities and large libraries), the Books as Bridges pen-pal program linking Kentucky students with overseas classrooms, and a Domestic Shipments program serving Kentucky-based organizations including Habitat for Humanity, Kentucky Refugee Ministries, God's Pantry, refugee resettlement agencies, prisons, and sheriff's office programs. Supporting revenue lines include an on-site volunteer-staffed bookstore selling donated books to the public and a growing audiobooks offering. The underlying operating model is volunteer-driven physical logistics with no proprietary technology, no published apps, and no disclosed AI/ML systems.

The revenue model is donation-dependent: IBP is funded by individual donations, foundation grants, corporate in-kind gifts (notably a ~$500K McGraw Hill textbook donation to Dire Dawa University in Ethiopia), bookstore sales, and fundraising events such as 'Booked for 24' and 'A Novel Evening.' Sponsorship tiers range from $50 (library book box) to $600 (annual Books as Bridges classroom sponsorship). Go-to-market is community-led and partnership-driven, with the National Peace Corps Association and U.S. embassies serving as primary international channels and a network of Kentucky nonprofits serving as the domestic distribution backbone. The organization has no parent company, no subsidiaries, no institutional investors, and is governed by an independent Board of Directors under Executive Director Lisa Fryman.

Name

International Book Project

Legal name

International Book Project

Website

https://intlbookproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Short description

International Book Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1966 in Lexington, Kentucky, that collects, sorts, and ships donated books to schools, libraries, Peace Corps volunteers, NGOs, and underserved communities across 168 countries. It also operates an on-site bookstore and a domestic Kentucky distribution program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Literacy and book donation nonprofit services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Library, Reading Motivation & Independent Reading Programs (EDAMAJAO)

Keywords

• Book donation nonprofit
• Global literacy programs
• Library book shipments
• Pen pal education program
• Used book distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Lexington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, IBP relies on charitable donations from individuals, foundations, and organizations to fund book collection, sorting, shipping operations, and program development
2. Bookstore Sales: IBP operates an on-site bookstore selling donated books to the public, generating revenue to support operations and literacy programs
3. Event Fundraising: Annual fundraising events such as 'Booked for 24' 24-hour giving challenge and 'A Novel Evening' celebration to raise funds for shipping books globally

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

International Book Project collects donated books in the United States and ships them to schools, libraries, Peace Corps volunteers, NGOs, and underserved communities across more than 168 countries to increase literacy and promote cultural understanding. Shipments are individually curated to partner requests and range from a few dozen books to sea containers of 30,000+ volumes. The organization also operates an on-site bookstore in Lexington, Kentucky, and runs the Books as Bridges program linking Kentucky students with international pen pals.

Product overview

International Book Project operates as a 501(c)(3) book donation nonprofit offering a portfolio of literacy programs. Core offerings include Small Shipments (individually curated book donations sent worldwide), Sea Container Shipments (large-scale donations of 20,000+ books for institutions), and the Books as Bridges pen-pal exchange program connecting Kentucky students with international classrooms. Supporting services include an on-site Bookstore, Audiobooks program, and Domestic Shipments serving local Kentucky organizations including Habitat for Humanity, refugee resettlement agencies, food banks, and prisons. The organization ships books ranging from a few dozen to 30,000+ per shipment, reaching 168 countries since founding in 1966.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Book Shipping (Small Shipments) Individually curated donated book shipments sent to schools, libraries, NGOs, and Peace Corps volunteers worldwide. Shipments range from a few dozen books up to classroom sets, with sizes tailored to each partner's request.
• Sea Container Shipments Large-scale donations of 20,000-30,000+ books sent via sea containers to organizations with the infrastructure to handle massive shipments, primarily universities and large library systems.
• Books as Bridges Program Literacy and cultural exchange program that matches Kentucky students with international pen pals through letter exchanges and shared book donations, fostering global cultural awareness.
• IBP Bookstore On-site public bookstore at 1440 Delaware Avenue, Lexington, Kentucky, selling donated books to walk-in customers with proceeds supporting IBP programs. Staffed in part by volunteers including retired librarians and teachers.
• Audiobooks Program Collection of audiobook donations available for distribution to partner organizations and supporters as part of IBP's book offerings.
• Domestic Shipments (Local Donation Program) Local book donation program distributing books to Kentucky organizations including Habitat for Humanity, Kentucky Refugee Ministries, God's Pantry, Family Resource Centers, local prisons, the VA Hospital, the Fayette County Sheriff's Department (Books and Badges Program), and Starting Gate After-School Literacy Program.
• Books in the Bluegrass Initiative focused on distributing books throughout central Kentucky communities, serving as the umbrella for IBP's local book distribution work.
• Globetrotters Program Program connecting international book distribution efforts across global communities, supporting IBP's broader international reach.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ships up to 500,000 books per year to 200+ partners in 62 countries
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Peace Corps / National Peace Corps AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership dating back to the early 1970s. IBP ships books to Peace Corps volunteers worldwide, with about 20% of small shipments going to PCVs in a typical year. The National Peace Corps Association President Glenn Blumhorst spoke at IBP's 2018 warehouse grand reopening. Since 2014 alone, IBP has shipped over 47,000 books to Peace Corps volunteers.
• Habitat for Humanity (Kentucky)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Kentucky partnership providing books to new homeowners as they establish their homes in Central Kentucky communities
• Kentucky Refugee MinistriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partnership providing books to refugee families resettling in the Lexington, Kentucky area
• God's Pantry (Lexington)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner providing books to families in need through food pantry services in Lexington, Kentucky
• Starting Gate After-School Literacy ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner providing after-school literacy services in Lexington, Kentucky, receiving books through IBP
• Fayette County Sheriff's Department (Books and Badges Program)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing books through sheriff's office programs to local community
• Books as Bridges Partner SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram launched in 2008 linking Kentucky students with overseas pen pals through letter exchanges and book donations. During 2017-2018 school year, over 1,500 students in six Kentucky counties were connected to classrooms overseas.
• The Plantory (AmeriCorps VISTA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with The Plantory's AmeriCorps VISTA network to host service members coordinating Books as Bridges and Local Donations Programs
• McGraw Hill Higher EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonated nearly 45,000 brand-new English textbooks valued at approximately $500,000 for shipment to Dire Dawa University in Ethiopia
• U.S. Embassy (Addis Ababa)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to facilitate sea container shipment to Dire Dawa University in Ethiopia; Embassy helped with some shipping costs
• Whitley County Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partnership to support literacy efforts in eastern Kentucky
• Teach for America AppalachiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to support education initiatives in Appalachian Kentucky
• Amachi (Mentoring Program)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partnership providing books to support mentoring program in Lexington, Kentucky
• Read to Succeed (Lexington)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Lexington initiative focused on reading success in low-income neighborhoods, started in 2013

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/intlbookproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-book-project
• Instagraminstagram.com/intlbookproject

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 International Book Project