In 1949, a group of concerned women in Darien, Connecticut knew that Americans were throwing away
large quantities of books and magazines and that there was a need for all
types of reading materials worldwide. These women began collecting used books and
magazines to ship overseas in huge cartons, funded largely by
the U.S. Army and the State Department. Thus, Darien Book Aid Plan began. 
Over the years, there have been only a few changes. When the Town of Darien built a new firehouse, Book Aid acquired the old firehouse and converted it into the current workshop. Donated books are received, sorted, selected, and packaged for shipment in that old firehouse.
Darien Book Aid Plan's mission remains the same as it was in the beginning - to build a foundation of peace, understanding and friendship by the free distribution of books to schools and institutions in the USA and around the world.