GoneReading founder Brad Wirz, volunteering in Honduras (March, 2010)

Gone Reading International, LLC seeks to spread the magic of reading and books, through increased funding for libraries around the world.

“Book lovers know what it’s like to have reading as part of their lives, to always have a book close at hand, to enjoy reading and its ability to broaden your mind,” says GoneReading founder Brad Wirz.  ”I can’t even imagine what it would be like to live in a world without books,” adds Wirz.

Wirz’s perspective changed, however, during a volunteer trip to Central America in 2010, where he worked with a group of Americans to help build a library in the middle of the Honduran jungle.  ”Hundreds of villages, thousands of people, had basically no access to books or reading materials at all.  That just blew my mind.  With a little introspection I knew I could find a way to help,” adds Wirz.

Increased Funding for Libraries

Back in the States, Wirz began thinking about what he could do to spread the magic of reading on a broad scale.  ”I found that there are some great organizations already doing this work, building libraries, helping people help themselves by providing access to books, reading materials, and literacy training,” says Wirz.  Unfortunately, these organizations lack the funds to work on a broad scale.

Even in wealthy countries like the United States, funding for libraries has dropped dramatically in recent years.  ”There’s a misperception that libraries are losing their relevancy in the U.S. and other developed societies.  Libraries are more crowded than ever, and rightly so; reading will always benefit society,” adds Wirz.

Upon his return from Honduras, Wirz spent six months researching the challenges faced by libraries around the world.  He knew that he could put his marketing background to work to generate increased funding for libraries, both in the developing world and in the United States.

At that point Wirz had spent 20 years in marketing, most recently as the Senior Vice President of Experiential Marketing for global consortium Euro RSCG Worldwide.  ”It was time for a change in my life.  My wife was totally on board.  And so one day I quit my job, ended my career, and started Gone Reading International.”

Wirz with young readers in Honduras

Enter GoneReading – “Brilliant Products for the Reading Lifestyle”

Wirz knew he didn’t want to start a charity in the traditional sense.  ”I didn’t want to spend my life simply asking people for donations.  That seemed too limiting to me.”

But as Wirz sat in his local mall one day, in the midst of a global financial meltdown nonetheless, it occurred to him that people were still buying lots and lots of stuff.  ”I had read that about 100 million adults in the U.S. identify reading as their #1 hobby.  These people are spending money every day, buying the things they want and need.”

That’s when Wirz decided to build a for-profit lifestyle brand for readers, donating all of the profits to provide new funding for libraries.  ”I had spent 20 years of my life helping to build some of the biggest consumer brands in the world: Wells Fargo, Discovery Channel, Coca-Cola, Corona Beer, the Academy Awards.  I was in the perfect position to create a brand of gifts for readers and book lovers that people would want to buy.  That’s what led to GoneReading.”