Donating Books

[storzo]

Any ideas on where to donated used books? I have a bunch of hard cover and soft cover and I just can't stand to throw them in the trash.

 

[NYEmomma]

Our library takes them & uses them in their semi-annual book sales to raise money.

 

[JessB320]

Good will or a local thrift store

 

[njmom47]

Any ideas on where to donated used books? I have a bunch of hard cover and soft cover and I just can't stand to throw them in the trash.

I put my books on Freecycle (as well as other items). There is also a church around my area that accepts donations of books for their summer fundraising sale.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

OP - where in NJ are you? If you are in northern/central NJ, there is a huge biannual rummage sale in Far Hills NJ, run by the Visiting Nurse Association of Somerset Hills. They have a big book department and take all types of books in good condition. I been shopping there for years, love the selection! The next donation period is in April and the next sale is the first weekend of May.

Not sure if you live in that area, but the donations help raise money so the nurses can provide services to home-bound people, so it's for a great cause too!

 

[TifffanyD]

You can donate at Half Price Books (or sell if they are worth anything).

Around here we have big book bins you can drop books in (like shoe bins) in parking lots

 

[Pigeon]

Your local public library will probably take them. If there is anything they want to add to the collection, they will, but the bulk will go to a book sale to raise money.

 

[mfd25wife]

We donate to the library, or I take them to the used book store for credit against other books.

 

[lynxstch]

Local library, homeless shelter, battered womens shelter, anywhere someone might love the opportunity to read and can't afford books!

 

[PatsMom]

Our library will always take used books. They can either put them into circulation if they are fairly new or they hold them until the annual book sale.

 

[chamonix]

All the places mentioned are great, and are what we do. Just wanted to mention that if they are in really bad condition or something, you don't have to "throw them in the trash". You can always put books in with the paper/cardboard recycling.

Saves them from the landfill and they will have a new life, maybe even as new books.

 

[Buckalew11]

Our library does a used book sale 4 times a year! I hope most libraries do it at least once a year. I love going. OP, check into that--they resell them super cheap and then I return what I buy to resell to someone else. Good luck!

 

[storzo]

Thanks all. I've heard that libraries don't accept used books so I never bothered looking into that. They are all in very good to excellent conditon and I would love them to go somewhere that people can enjoy them so I will look into the shelters and such.

 

[storzo]

OP - where in NJ are you? If you are in northern/central NJ, there is a huge biannual rummage sale in Far Hills NJ, run by the Visiting Nurse Association of Somerset Hills. They have a big book department and take all types of books in good condition. I been shopping there for years, love the selection! The next donation period is in April and the next sale is the first weekend of May.

Not sure if you live in that area, but the donations help raise money so the nurses can provide services to home-bound people, so it's for a great cause too!

I am in Passaic County. Is there a website so I can get more info? And not that it is a deal breaker but do they pick up? I have boxes full Cleaning house. lol

 

[swanmom]

I can't believe that you are in NJ. I might have the perfect solution. Try BookBGone. They are a non-profit that collects and redistributes books. And they pick up! You can find them at: www.bookbgone.com. It's a great organization. Hope this helps you.

Here's a description from their webiste.


"Some of the types of places we donate your books include:

* Food banks in New Jersey, New York and Maine
* Schools and after-school programs in New York, New Jersey, Kentucky and Missouri
* Community Centers in Oregon and New Jersey
* The Pritzker War Library in Illinois
* U.S. troops in Afghanistan

BookBgone has also picked up books from individuals all over New Jersey from Jackson to Montville to Ramsey; and has helped local community centers, houses of worship, libraries and schools to place overstocked, withdrawn or otherwise unused books with those groups who were in need of them."

 

[marcyinPA]

Our library takes them & uses them in their semi-annual book sales to raise money.

Same here. This is a big fundraiser for our public library.

 

[marcyinPA]

Thanks all. I've heard that libraries don't accept used books so I never bothered looking into that. They are all in very good to excellent conditon and I would love them to go somewhere that people can enjoy them so I will look into the shelters and such.

Call your public library and ask. Funding has been severely cut for a lot of libraries, so used book sales are big fundraisers for a lot of them.

 

[Philagoofy]

Hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, senior citizen centers/homes, literacy programs, thrift stores.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I am in Passaic County. Is there a website so I can get more info? And not that it is a deal breaker but do they pick up? I have boxes full Cleaning house. lol

The website for the rummage sale is http://www.visitingnurse.org/news-and-events/rummage/ - they do not pick up, unfortunately. People have to drive their donations to the sale in Far Hills, NJ. Somerset County can be a hike from Passiac. It is for a great cause, though!

For those posters who mentioned that libraries take book donations, you are lucky!! I work in a library and they absolutely do not take donations. It just didn't work in our community (probably works best in smaller towns). We used to take donations, but what ended up happening was people would interpret it as the library would take anything made of paper. So people would just dump ripped damaged used books (plus any other paper trash) right into the book drops. Or they would drop off boxes of damaged books plus trash right on the sidewalk in the off hours. And then the library would have to pay for a dumpster to get rid of it all. So no more donations. Seems like such a waste but the few who abused it ruined it for the rest in our community.

Overall, books can be very hard to donate anywhere since many people don't want them anymore - they all want electronic ebooks now. Not me, still love a real book!

 

[stm61]

My mother doesn't drive and there aren't any groups that will pick up donations in her area. She discovered that the local nursing home will take as many books as she wants to donate. They put them out for the residents and staff to share. Many of the residents prefer an actual book to an e-reader.