Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQs)
How
is BookPower different from other book charities?
We
are unique in four ways:
- We
support only textbooks for tertiary students in training for professions.
- We
include only the latest, top-quality textbooks.
- Our
books are not donated, but sold at affordable prices. This prevents
waste and ensures their use by students who really need them.
- By
using existing booktrade systems, we encourage the development of local
distribution and bookselling infrastructures.
Who runs BookPower?
BookPower is a registered UK
charity. It has a Board of Trustees and is
run in co-operation with participating publishers
How
do we spend our money?
We use it to reduce
the price of leading textbooks to levels which students and libraries
in the poorer countries can afford. Usually our books cost between 20-33%
of the cheapest developed world editions.
On average each £1.50
donated funds one copy of a BookPower title, though this can increase
for larger books, those with coloured illustrations (vital for many medical
textbooks) or shorter print-runs.
How
are we so cost-effective?
By using existing booktrade
production and distribution systems, most of our funds are devoted to
price reduction.
How
do we decide which textbooks are needed?
Information on local needs comes from our Overseas Partners in seven key
countries as well as from university and college reading lists. We then
take advice from our academic advisers, who all have direct experience
of student needs in low-income countries. We also always welcome suggestions
for additional titles from academic staff and librarians in the countries
where we operate: email us to make suggestions at BookPower@mistral.co.uk
Do
we compete with locally-published books?
No: there is very little tertiary-level publishing in most countries where
we operate, as student numbers are too small for this to be economic and
export infrastructures are not fully developed. India is the exception,
but our survey showed a clear preference for international textbooks.
Aren’t
textbooks being superseded by electronic resources?
No. Our survey confirmed that there is still insufficient material available
online or on CD; and that hardware, connectivity and uninterrupted electrical
supply can all be problematic away from the largest cities. Most advisers
expect printed textbooks to remain the norm for many years to come. However,
we always include additional electronic materials where appropriate.
How
exactly do we work with publishers?
We convince them to agree to a specified low price for BookPower editions.
To make this possible we pay them a partial subsidy, but the publishers
must still accept a much lower return than usual.
BookPower editions
are printed as “run-ons” of publishers’ standard editions,
though with our own distinctive covers and preliminary pages which acknowledge
our sponsors’ donations. They are therefore identical in content
and quality to the standard editions.
Do
the authors lose out?
Authors receive royalties
in the usual way, but as these are a fixed percentage of the books’
price they are substantially lower on BookPower editions.
How
are the books distributed?
Importing wholesalers and booksellers in the countries where we operate
buy from publishers in the usual way. We require participating publishers
to offer normal trade discounts to cover the importers’ costs, so
that BookPower editions are sold at the local equivalent of the prices
printed on the books. We monitor the performance of local importers with
the help of our overseas partners.
How
is the success of the scheme monitored?
We review reports
on sales by region and title on a regular basis. The figures are reported
to the Board of Trustees and to the sponsors concerned.
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