History
BWI (Book Wholesalers, Inc.) was founded in 1987 in Lexington, Kentucky, with the belief that the collection development needs of librarians in the public library community were being underserved. We started as a full-service children’s and young adult book vendor with the singular purpose of providing the highest quality service to public libraries.
BWI was purchased by Follett Corporation in 1997. Over the last few years, we expanded into the areas of graphic novels, DVDs and music, and then began to provide adult and reference materials as well. Due to our success in expanding the business, BWI outgrew its Lexington facility and relocated to McHenry, Illinois, in October 2007.
We are now situated on a beautiful 25-acre campus with more than 470,000 square feet of office and warehouse space. Because we work solely with public libraries, BWI understands and responds to your needs by quickly providing accurate, customized products and personalized services for exceptional value. Every one of your library partners at BWI is proud to be “Always at Your Service.”
Collection Development
It’s like having your own personal assistant — with an MLS degree
Working together, we’ll help you build a collection that will inspire you … and your patrons.
eNewsletter
BWI’s eNewsletter offers library trends and selection information once a month, and our TitleTalk newsletter arrives in the mail with insights and recommendations from our professional librarians.
We value your privacy just as much as you do. Your personal information will not be sold to or shared with any third parties.