Looking to declutter your bookshelves and make room for some new arrivals? If you don’t want to do a giveaway on your blog or social media, consider donating some of your books to readers in need.
These suggestions are a bit US-focused because that’s what we’re familiar with at Pages Unbound, but if you have recommendations for donating books in other countries, please let us know in the comments!
(And, remember, most of these places are looking for newish books in reasonable conditions. If you donate a paperback with the cover ripped off, a hardcover growing mold, a set of encyclopedias, or your 20-year old collection of National Geographic, these things are probably just going to end up recycled or in the trash. Donate the type of book you would be interested in acquiring!)
Your Local Library
Libraries often accept book donations for use in their book sales or even as prizes for summer reading or other programs. You can likely also donate ARCs here. If the library decides they have too many books, they’re in horrible condition, or they’re just not selling at the book sales, they may recycle the books or donate them somewhere else themselves. Check with your local library for their policies.
A Little Free Library
Anyone around the world is welcome to build their own Little Free Library (though you should look into your local zoning ordinances before erecting something permanent in your yard). If you don’t have your own, you can check the Little Free Library website to find one close to you where you can leave your books and maybe pick up some new ones.
A Local School
If you know any teachers or school librarians, check if they’re interested in acquiring any classics or children’s books for their class or school libraries. If you don’t have personal connections, you can also try emailing or calling the school directly to inquire if they accept book donations.
Your College or University
Many colleges have a shelf or table somewhere on campus, frequently run by the English department or library, where students and faculty can leave free books for others to take and enjoy. Often this means people’s assigned reading gets donated, but there’s nothing stopping you from donating from your personal library.
Prisons, Women’s Shelters, and Homeless Shelters
Many of these places are often on the lookout for donated books in decent condition. However, they may also have specific books they want to acquire and may not take random donations. Check with your local organizations to see what types of books they may want.
Hospitals and Nursing Homes
Hospitals and nursing homes may also be looking for books for their patients and residents to read. You can call up the ones in your area to see if they are accepting donations.
The Salvation Army/Goodwill/Local Thrift Stores
Donating to these places can help make books more affordable to local citizens. Check the organizations’ websites for locations and policies.
Other Options
There are also organizations where you can ship your books to benefit various causes. Check out Read Brightly’s list here, and, of course, always research a charity before donating to it.
Did it. All.
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Great post! Your list reminds me that I’ve been meaning to check and see if the library at my workplace will accept some of my books…
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Your workplace has a library?! That’s so cool! I have worked at a place where they had what was basically a little free library, though they didn’t call it that.
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This is a great post. I usually take my books to the local charity shop (goodwill?) for them to sell but you’ve given me some other ideas.
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I just take mine to the library because I’m always going there anyway…. But I think that the real point is to pass on books and share the book love, no matter where you donate to!
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I think I always assumed the library wouldn’t take them. I’ve heard a few stories in the past about people being turned away. I however seem to have lost a book I got from the library so I’m hoping they’ll accept a replacement copy (or not notice that I’m returning a paperback and not a hardback) 🙂
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It probably depends on the library. Most of the ones I’ve encountered have book sales a few times a year, so they like the donations. But I guess if a particularly library doesn’t have book sales, or if they just have too many books and don’t want more to sell, they wouldn’t take them. It doesn’t hurt to ask!
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I think it depends on the library. Some won’t take certain items like VHS’s or outdated textbooks. Others just have drop boxes and you throw the stuff in and they sort through it later. My most scarring experience was a library where they looked positively annoyed I’d even asked if they take donations. (They do. And they took mine. But they made me feel like they were going out of their way to do me a great favor. I donated my next pile of books to someone else.)
Some libraries will accept replacement copies if you ask. It’s worth a try because it’s probably cheaper that way!
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What a coincidence. I was at my local library this afternoon to pick up a book that was on hold for me, and I dropped off some book donations while I was at it. 🙂
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I have a bunch that I keep forgetting to bring to the library….
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Ooh what a lovely post! These are some incredible suggestions, I will definitely have to keep these in mind the next time I’m looking to donate my books. 😊
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If I’m home in Spain I usually bring them to the local animal shelter, which sells them to raise funds! If I’m at uni in the UK I bring them to Oxfam 😊
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Now that you mention it, I think in the US the SPCA does run thrift stores with used books to support their animal shelters.
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I don’t know about the US haha! Unfortunately where I live in Spain the animal shelter has to find ways to support itself, and there are way too many strays around, so donating to them is always good!
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I have no idea how animals shelters fund themselves, honestly. I know most take donations of money, pet food, etc., but I’m not sure if that’s their primary source of funding or not. I haven’t even thought about it before!
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I think it depends on each shelter! Some might do lots of fundraising at events, others just accept donations and volunteers, etc. x
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This is a great list. Thanks for sharing because I hadn’t even considered some of these.
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I’m glad you found it useful!
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Ah best post ever! As a serial donator/used books connoisseur, I absolutely agree with this!! My personal preference is to donate them to a charity shop, cos they’re everywhere, and I’ve used them so many times it’s just the best form of recycling I can think of. But I absolutely love some of the places to donate to on this list and think it would be so brilliant to donate more widely 😀
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The nice thing about charity shops over libraries, I think, is that they’re always accessible. I’ve seen one public library that has a dedicated book sale room that’s open all the time, but at most other ones you have to wait several months until the next book sale to buy books! And then there’s a mob trying to get in first to get the “best” books. It’s intense. :p
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Yes for sure- I agree with you there!
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These are such great ideas. I go to university in the UK (I’m from Estonia) and often can’t bring back the books I’ve bought so I’ve been giving them to vintage stores but this has really inspired me to look into ways I could donate them to charity. I often see homeless people sat around reading in Oxford and I’ve considered giving my used books to them sometimes (but somehow I’m always too shy to go through with it).
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I’ve seen several homeless people reading around my town as well. I haven’t talked to them either, so I’m not sure where they get the books, or even really what types of books they like to read.
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We have similar options in Australia, including caravan park libraries, for tourists to pick up. It’s great to pick up a pre-loved book that’s still in good condition.
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Great post! We have a lot of free little libraries in my town I love leaving my gently used books there when done.
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