Recent data shows teachers will spend over $800 out of pocket in school supplies during this calendar year, including nearly $200 for books. But a resource is helping teachers and other educators obtain quality used books for an affordable price.
ThriftBooks 4 Teachers™, a program offered by ThriftBooks, the world’s largest independent online seller of used books, gives educators a free used book (valued at $7 or less) every time they buy four books.
“It’s really all about accessibility to books, being able to get as many books into young kids’ hands as much as possible, because we know the impact that has on their future,” said Barbara Hagen, vice president of sales and marketing for ThriftBooks. “They’re just starting to enjoy reading at a young age.”
ThriftBooks is a leader in the industry, having sold more than 230 million used and new books since it started 20 years ago. The book-seller has an extensive inventory of books, which it sources from thrift stores and libraries.
ThriftBooks 4 Teachers
The ThriftBooks 4 Teachers program started for K-12 teachers and has expanded to include librarians, homeschool teachers, childcare workers, and other educators.
Educators can sign up for free on the ThriftBooks 4 Teachers website. Once verified, they can start reaping the rewards of the program. In addition to getting every fifth book for free, educators can earn 10 points in the ThriftBooks main loyalty program, called Literati, for every dollar they spend, whether it’s for school or their personal use. Literati users get a free book every time they earn 500 points.
Homeschool parent Katelyn Davis of Roanoke, Illinois, relies heavily on books when she teaches her children in preschool, second grade, and fifth grade. She loves ThriftBooks, especially the program for teachers.
“ThriftBooks 4 Teachers allows me to buy even more books for way cheaper than I can find new or used on many other sites,” she said. “Expanding our home library is a big dream of mine and this program allows me to do so and stick within my budget.”
Significant savings
The program is easy to use, and it’s accessible throughout the year, not just at back-to-school or with promo days, like other book-seller programs. Users also like that it’s an alternative to large online retailers.
The savings can be significant: “Instead of having to pay for books, you can get many of them for free,” said Hagen, noting the company has been in business 20 years and is known for its customer service.
Sherry Willer, a library media tech in literacy at a junior high school in Fremont, California, has been using ThriftBooks to help replace damaged and lost books for her school library. For example, she replaced a copy of “Romeo and Juliet” and “The Hobbit.”
“A full-price replacement is costly,” she said, “so, this saves me money. Originally, I was just earning a free book by earning extra credits. With ThriftBooks 4 Teachers, I am more than happy to purchase a group of books at the same time, compared to replacing them one by one when needed.”
Willer and Davis encourage other educators to try the program.
“You save tons of money, the book quality is always fantastic, and if you ever have any issues, the customer service is by far the best out of any place I shop,” Davis said.
To learn more about ThriftBooks 4 Teachers™, visit www.thriftbooks.com/teachers
