Post from the Community: Local startup, launching on September 3, will be delivering free books to Milwaukee County residents | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Ian Buchanan
August 28, 2019
Helium is bringing books to Milwaukeeans, taking no money, and reinvigorating communities
Helium announces the launch of its library book delivery service in Milwaukee County. Helium enables residents, both public library cardholders and non-cardholders alike, to rent library books online, have them delivered to their home, and picked up and returned. Helium will provide this full range of services at no cost to readers. In an age of declining readership, Helium effectively removes obstacles to establishing strong reading habits – money and time spent obtaining books.
Helium seeks to transform the way readers get their hands on their next book. By harnessing interconnected communities of local libraries to source books, Helium effectively acts as a liaison between library-owned, free-to-the-public books and readers. This business model has been tested and has succeeded in other applications, namely food delivery services, such as Madison, Wisconsin based Eat Street, or more nationally recognized services, such as UberEats. Helium can be thought of as the Eat Street or UberEats of books. Unlike food, however, books sourced from libraries need to be returned. Helium takes care of that as well, also at no charge to the customer. In addition, with each rental order placed through Helium, the company pledges to donate to causes that support our local reading and education ecosystems.
In 2018, 26 percent of Americans admitted to not reading one book, up from 21 percent just seven years prior, according to a study conducted by Pew Research. Within the same study, the data shows that print books are the preferred medium of American readers, with 67 percent of Americans having read at least one print book in 2018, compared to 26 and 18 percent of Americans having read or listened to at least one e-book or audiobook, respectively. Further, an independent survey conducted by Helium, observed that greater than 97% of the Milwaukee County residents surveyed that claim to not be meeting their reading goals cited limited time and money as inhibitors. Helium leaves time and money in the hands of the individual, aiming to elevate readership levels by delivering free books, and in the form readers seem to cherish most – print.
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“Books hold a certain power. A lot of us have felt it first-hand, and many of us have not. I think it goes without saying that we all deserve to realize the many benefits of reading. This is Helium’s mission and we couldn’t be more excited to begin this journey,” said homegrown founder of Helium, Ian Buchanan.
To take advantage of the service, readers can visit Helium’s website, place an order to rent the books they desire and have those books delivered to their door. When it comes time to return the rented books, the reader will again visit Helium’s website, indicate their books are ready to be picked up. Helium will then do so, returning them to the local library. Helium’s services will be available to Milwaukee County residents on September 3, 2019.
Helium is a book delivery service that enables readers to rent library books, have them delivered to their desired location, and picked up and returned, free of charge. With each rental order placed through Helium, the company pledges to donate to causes that support local reading and education ecosystems. Helium will launch its service on September 3, 2019 to the residents of Milwaukee County.
To learn about Helium and its launch, please contact:
Ian Buchanan, Founder
(414) 614-0208
ian@heliumbooks.com
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