Ong Biblionef

What Ong Biblionef does

Ong Biblionef is a French non-governmental organization (Association loi 1901) founded in 1992 by Maximilien Vegelin van Claebergen, then Dutch Ambassador to France, and Dominique Pace. Headquartered at 48 boulevard Diderot in Paris with additional offices in La Rochelle, Cape Town, The Hague, and Tunis, the organization selects and donates new books to disadvantaged children and adolescents, with a focus on underserved communities in Francophone regions and priority education areas in France. Its offering centers on five named programs: core book donation services (approximately 150,000 new books shipped annually from a rolling stock of roughly 300,000 books across about 1,500 titles), the domestic '1000 nouveaux lieux pour l'accès à la lecture - Lire c'est grandir' initiative, the Tunisia-focused 'Bibliothèques pour Tous' program spanning 24 governorates, the Morocco 'Des livres pour grandir' program with FMPS, and the ANCT-financed 'Cités éducatives' operation.

The underlying 'technology' is a curated book-donation supply chain rather than a software platform. Inventory is sourced through privileged partnerships with major French youth publishers (Nathan/Hachette Livre, Gallimard Jeunesse, Bayard, Minedition, Éditions Thierry Magnier, Larousse, Le Robert), and books are stored, packaged, and shipped by Micro Lynx in Rennes via international carriers. Distribution occurs through field partners including French Embassies, the Alliances Françaises network, French Institutes, local NGOs, schools, and municipal libraries, reaching what the organization states is 100+ countries (with internal materials citing 115 countries cumulatively since 1992).

The business model is that of a charity rather than a commercial enterprise. Biblionef collects cash donations from individuals, French corporate foundations (Groupe ADP, Air France, Safran, RATP, SNCF, Auchan, EDF, Areva, SAP, Drosos, BATIGERE, SOMDIAA, Addax & Oryx, Masalina, Le Conservateur), and institutional partners such as the ANCT, with donors eligible for the French 66% (individual) / 60% (corporate) tax deduction. Project carriers make a nominal contribution per book to cover logistics. The organization is recognized by UNICEF, the Council of Europe, and operates under the patronage of the French National Commission for UNESCO; founder Dominique Pace holds the Légion d'honneur and other state honors.

Name

Ong Biblionef

Legal name

ONG Biblionef

Website

https://biblionef.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Ong Biblionef is a French non-profit founded in 1992 that selects and donates new books to disadvantaged children and adolescents worldwide, shipping roughly 150,000 new books annually across 100+ countries through publisher partnerships and a field network of Alliances Françaises, embassies, schools, and libraries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Literacy and Book Donation Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921)

akta.pro primary industry

Library, Reading Motivation & Independent Reading Programs (EDAMAJAO)

Keywords

• Book donation services
• Children literacy programs
• Library creation services
• Reading access initiatives
• Francophone education support

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Biblionef operates as a non-profit organization funded primarily through donations from individuals, foundations, corporations, and institutional partners. The organization benefits from tax-deductible donation frameworks in France (66% tax reduction for individuals, 60% for corporations).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ong Biblionef is a French non-profit association that selects and donates new, recently published books to underserved children and adolescents worldwide through field partners. The organization ships approximately 150,000 new books per year from a rotating stock of 300,000 books across 1,500 titles, sourced through privileged partnerships with major French youth publishers, and supports library creation, revitalization, and literacy programs in over 100 countries.

Product overview

Ong Biblionef is a charitable organization (French law 1901) that provides new books to underserved children and adolescents worldwide. The organization operates through several programs including: book donation services (with approximately 150,000 new books shipped annually from a stock of 300,000 books and 1,500 references), the '1000 nouveaux lieux pour l'accès à la lecture – Lire c'est grandir' national program, the 'Bibliothèques pour tous' Tunisia program, the 'Des livres pour grandir' Morocco program, and the 'Cités éducatives' France program. Biblionef also provides expertise in library creation, consultation services, and logistics support for book distribution across 115 countries on all continents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Book Donation Services
• 1000 nouveaux lieux pour l'accès à la lecture – Lire c'est grandir
• Bibliothèques pour tous (Tunisia)
• Des livres pour grandir (Morocco)
• Cités éducatives Program (1000 livres pour les Cités éducatives)

Quantifiable outcome

• 115 countries reached with library projects since 1992
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Nathan (Hachette Livre)coreTechnology or IntegrationMajor French youth publisher providing book donations through privileged partnership. Nathan contributes to Biblionef's rotating stock of youth literature.
• Gallimard JeunessecoreTechnology or IntegrationLeading French youth publisher contributing to Biblionef's book donation program with quality literary works.
• BayardcoreTechnology or IntegrationMajor French media group for youth publishing providing books through the partnership with Biblionef.
• Hachette LivrecoreTechnology or IntegrationOne of the largest French publishing groups contributing to Biblionef's youth book donations.
• MineditioncoreTechnology or IntegrationFrench youth publisher participating in Biblionef's book donation program.
• Editions Thierry MagniercoreTechnology or IntegrationIndependent French youth publisher contributing quality books to Biblionef's catalog.
• LaroussecoreTechnology or IntegrationFrench reference publisher providing educational and dictionary resources through the partnership.
• Le RobertcoreTechnology or IntegrationFrench dictionary publisher contributing reference materials to Biblionef's book donations.
• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal organization recognizing Biblionef's mission to provide books to disadvantaged children worldwide.
• UNESCO (French National Commission)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization placed under the patronage of the French National Commission for UNESCO, supporting Biblionef's literacy mission.
• Conseil de l'EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean intergovernmental organization recognizing Biblionef's educational and cultural work.
• Alliance française (International Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal network of French language and culture organizations, key distribution partners for Biblionef's books in over 100 countries.
• Institut FrançaiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench cultural agency abroad serving as a key partner for book distribution and literacy programs in French-speaking countries.
• Micro Lynx (Logistics Partner)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPrinting company in Rennes handling Biblionef's logistics: storage, management, and preparation of books for shipment from the warehouse.
• FMPS (Fondation Marocaine du PréScolaire)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoroccan foundation for preschool promotion. Partnership signed May 15, 2024 to enrich preschool reading corners and provide books to tens of thousands of Moroccan children.
• Children of Africa FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation led by Dominique Ouattara (First Lady of Côte d'Ivoire) operating mobile library buses. Partnership with Biblionef for over 15 years to bring books to children across Côte d'Ivoire.
• Fondation des Alliances FrançaisescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation supporting the Alliances françaises network. Convention signed April 16, 2025 to consolidate partnership for providing books to media libraries.
• Direction Diocésaine de l'Enseignement Catholique (DDEC) LillecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDiocesan education authority in France partnering with Biblionef since 2015 to create and revitalize school libraries. 152 schools supported.
• Alliance pour la LecturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition for reading promotion in France. Biblionef is a founding member. Regular regional workshops and events organized together since 2021.
• Charte du don de livrescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBook donation charter. Biblionef is a founding member along with French Library Association, BnF, Culture et Développement, and Ministry of Culture. Published in 1998.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Room to Read: Global non-profit that builds school libraries, publishes local-language children's books, and supports literacy instruction in 20+ countries across Asia and Africa. Highly comparable to Biblionef in mission (literacy access for underserved children), operating model (library creation + book provision), and funding structure (institutional foundations).
• First Book: Non-profit that distributes new books to children from low-income families, primarily in the US and Canada, working through schools and programs. Comparable mission (books for underserved children) but geographically focused on North America.
• Library For All: Non-profit building digital libraries in developing countries via a mobile reading app and curated content. Directly comparable mission of expanding reading access in underserved geographies, but with a tech-enabled delivery model.
• African Library Project: US-based non-profit that establishes libraries in African countries by collecting and shipping donated books. Highly comparable model focused on library creation in Africa, though smaller in scale than Biblionef.
• Worldreader: Non-profit delivering digital reading content via e-readers and mobile apps to children in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. Directly comparable mission but operates via digital channels rather than physical books.
• Books for Africa: US-based non-profit that collects and ships books to libraries and schools across Africa, with a similar book-donation model and large-scale annual throughput. Directly comparable on supply-chain mechanics and African geography overlap.
• LitWorld: Global literacy non-profit that builds literacy practices with children, educators, and communities through programs and advocacy. Comparable mission and grassroots program model, focused on literacy promotion rather than book distribution.
• Reach Out and Read: US pediatric literacy non-profit that integrates book distribution into pediatric care for low-income families. Comparable mission of getting books to children from under-resourced families, but operating primarily within the US healthcare system.

Regional players

• READ Global: Builds libraries and supports literacy in rural South and Southeast Asia through a sustainable social enterprise model. Comparable library-creation mission but operates primarily in a different geography (Asia vs. Biblionef's Francophone-Africa focus).

Others

• Better World Books: For-profit social venture that sells used books online and channels profits into literacy non-profits worldwide. Adjacent to Biblionef through shared focus on book-driven literacy funding, but operates a commercial resale model rather than donations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Biblionef

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Ong Biblionef