Where to Donate Used Books

Most of us have books lying around the house that we have read and are ready to pass along. Where to Donate Used Books will give you various ideas about the best places to donate your books.

Where to Donate Used Books

If you’re looking for more articles on books, 41 Must Read Hygge Books to Inspire a Cozy Life and Best Book Lovers Quotes will help you on your journey.

Why Donate Used Books?

If you’re like me, you love books. You love them so much that they seem to multiply all over your home. Instead of housing your books after you read them, why not pass them on to someone who would also love them? that would love them as well?

While it might be tough to say goodbye to the books you’ve come to know and love, giving them a chance to inspire someone else is a noble goal.

You can donate your books to a variety of different places. They can also be sold or traded online or at used bookstores.

Donating books is a great way to declutter your home and do some good at the same time. It also opens up shelving on your bookcase for more treasures.

Tips on Donating Used Books

Ensure your books are in good condition and free of water damage, smell, or ripped pages.
Pick a place to donate your books that tugs at your heart. It will be easier to let your books go if you know they are finding a good home.
Look up your used books on eBay or Amazon to ensure you aren’t donating a rare or valuable book.

Here’s Where to Donate Used Books

Friends and Family

If you find a book you love, pass it on to a friend or family member with a note about why you think they will enjoy it.

Swap Parties

How about hosting a book swap party with your friends? Host a potluck gathering, and everyone can talk about the books they are trading and why they liked them. You can donate the leftover books to your favorite thrift store.

Free Little Libraries in Neighborhoods

A beautiful trend started with creating little libraries and scattering them through neighborhoods. One person makes a mini library by putting the small box on a pole or stake. The front of the box usually has a window door and shelves inside the box.

You get to pick books out for free, and in their place, you drop off the books you no longer want.

Local Library

Most libraries have regular book sales to raise funds. Contact your local library to find out if they take donated books and when their next book sale will be. You can usually get great prices on gently used books to fill your bookshelves again!

Wealthier neighborhoods usually get more donations, so donating to lower income areas will help even more.

Buy Nothing Groups

There are many Buy Nothing Groups worldwide. The concept is simple: Instead of spending money on something, you see if the group has one available for free.

You can put your books together in box lots by genre and offer them to the first responder to your ad.

Local Pay it Forward Group on Facebook

What goes around comes around. Pay it Forward Groups would love to have your used books. If you want to spread kindness in the world, you’ve found the right place.

Small, Local Independent Used Bookstore

I love supporting small businesses, and donating your books to a local independent used bookstore is a great way to help. The overhead for running a bookstore is expensive, so finding books at low prices is a must for any store owner.

Thrift Store that Supports a Cause You Believe in

Before donating to a thrift store, find out what cause they support and ensure it aligns with your beliefs.

At my last home, I always dropped off my unwanted goods at a thrift store that helped support our local animal shelter. Most of the shelter’s funding came from donations and events. The shelter almost had to close at one time because of a lack of support, so supporting the thrift store with my donations became my priority.

Homeless Shelters

You may not have thought of it before, but donating your used books to a homeless shelter can make a big difference in the lives of those struggling.

Books are excellent ways to improve lives, escape from reality, and dream of bigger things. For people experiencing homelessness, the right book can feel like a lifeline.

Veteran Drug and Alcohol Centers

Donating used books to Veteran centers is a great way to support our heroes. Contact your local VA center to get the nearest location. Veterans have sacrificed so much for our country, and we must do what we can to help them.

Books can help veterans to stay positive and provide entertainment. It’s a small gesture that can help transform lives.

Senior Center

If you have used books you no longer want, consider donating them to your local senior center. Seniors are some of the most avid readers, and they appreciate having a wide selection of books.

Senior centers usually have limited budgets, so they rely heavily on donations. Your generosity will be appreciated.

Schools

If you have children’s books, donating them to local schools might be a perfect choice. Used books in good condition can be helpful to students who can’t afford new books.

Church

Churches always need books for their libraries and reading rooms. Books donated to churches are typically read by parishioners and then passed on to others, ensuring their long lifespan.

We’ve reached the end of Where to Donate Used Books. I hope you enjoyed it!

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Thanks for stopping by!

2 Comments

Selene says:

September 28, 2022 at 11:54 am

I didn’t know churches had book rooms; I’ll definitely commit that to memory 🙂

1. Kelly says:
  
  September 29, 2022 at 9:06 am
  
  Yes, some of them do. They also do books sales. Kelly