Where do you donate books – Decluttering is one of the best ways to organize your life. Recent studies state that decluttering can increase your happiness and relieve your stress immensely. While decluttering one of the most difficult things to get rid of are old or used books. You may find it mentally and emotionally exhausting to let them go or search for a good place to put them.
If you want to be mentally healthier and happier then you can give your used books a new home. This guide will list the top best places where you can donate your old books. By reading this guide you can be certain that your used books will continue to be useful for others and will enrich others lives.
Highlights of this Post
Key Takeaways
- Donate used books to local charities and community centers to support educational programs and libraries.
- Utilize specialized organizations like Reader to Reader for donating educational materials to underserved communities.
- Explore unique opportunities for book donations, such as Little Free Diverse Libraries and Books for Africa, to support global literacy.
- Consider donating to specific programs for children and military personnel to provide reading materials where they are most needed.
- Leverage online platforms and local resources like Better World Books and Freecycle to conveniently donate and recycle books.
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How Can I Get Rid Of My Old Books?
Every reader knows how books can change one’s mood and life. Parting with your favorite books can be a challenging task however it can also be a win-win situation. Once you learn where to donate your used books you can share their knowledge, wisdom and beauty with others. Donating old books frees up some space on the bookshelf for new ones.
Even though you can sell the valuable books on Facebook marketplace or eBay, donating them for a good cause will be a thoughtful way to get your books a new home. There are various organizations, nonprofits and foundations that gladly accept old books. Moreover, you can also donate your old books at local schools, second-hand bookstores, local community centers, local libraries and charity shelters.
What Are The Best Places To Donate Used Books?
The mission of this faith-based organization is to bring salvation to needy people. The organization provides aid to the less fortunate and poor people through spiritual and physical means. The projects include managing shelters for homeless people, relief operations, providing financial aid etc.
Given that they do a lot of work in favor of children’s education and upbringing, they accept used books, textbooks, reading material, and other such similar types of donations as well.They also accept donations of goods and money including clothing, toys or materials that are usable.
The donations are redirected to charity shelters and rehabilitation centers to provide hope and light to those in need. If you’re searching for a legitimate organization to make the most use of your used books check out the Salvation Army site.
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Goodwill Industry
The Goodwill site is not just for books but for all sorts of donations, including clothes and other items of household necessity. One of the best things about Goodwill is that the material that you donate may even be used as training materials for those who are unemployed, or who are seeking a job. Check out the Goodwill website to know more.
A nonprofit organization known as Reader To Reader Inc. is committed to expanding learning and literacy opportunities for vulnerable and chronically underserved communities in the nation including Native American reservations, city schools and poor rural towns.
The organization is dedicated to bringing books to under-resourced public libraries and schools across America. Reader To Reader does not accept encyclopedias, textbooks, out-of-date reference materials or magazines.
If you have books for school-age children then you can contact the organization. You can contact the organization at 413-256-8595 and send boxes directly to the organization for under 35 pounds.
No matter whether your children have outgrown their diverse books or if you’re making a room on your bookshelf for other diverse stories you can donate your used books that are written by and for people of color at Little Free Diverse Libraries.
They accept diverse books and aim to amplify as well as empower diverse voices. Little Free Diverse Libraries was founded by a book lover and a school counselor based in New York City in 2020.
If you have books that are written by black or brown authors or a book that centers around brown or black characters you can leave them at Little Free Diverse libraries in your local area. You can mail books early to the organization at 50 W. 72nd Apt 506 New York 10023.
The organization Books for Africa provides necessary tools of encouragement and empowerment for parents, students, community leaders and teachers in Africa and aims to create a culture of literacy.
You can donate used books to the nonprofit organization and help African communities gain an education. You can drop your used books off at the St. Paul MN or Marietta GA location or make your donation to the Books for Africa warehouse directly at 1491 Cobb Industrial Drive Building B Marietta GA 30066.
The organization spends nearly $0.30 per book on shipping to Africa. The books go to the children who are hungry to read, learn and explore the world in different ways.
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Free Book Donations For Children
Children are the future who need education to succeed and thrive in their lives. As adults, we need to make sure children grow up with the right understanding and knowledge of the world. You can ensure this by donating your used books for future kids. Many organizations accept book donations for children. The following are the most prominent ones.
The mission of the organization Children’s Book Bank is to assist children in discovering the immense joy of learning and reading from books.
The organization was designed to encourage people to improve their children’s lives and make them good readers. If you want to be a part of this community then you can check their official website and learn how to give away your books to them directly.
Kids Need to Read organization aims to assist children in discovering the significance of reading and literacy. The organization motivates people throughout the United States of America to support children through literacy programs, book donations as well as library enhancement.
In case you want to become a part of the organization’s movement you can check their official website and learn how you can donate your books for children.
Project Night Night is an organization that accepts brand new children’s books and donates them to at-risk homeless children below 12 years of age. If you have new books for newborns or kids up to 12 years of age then you can donate them to this resource.
The charity sends 25,000+ packages every year to homeless shelters throughout the United States of America. The packages comprise stuffed animals, children’s books, and a security blanket.
The mission of the organization is to distribute care packages to homeless children throughout the country, provide comfort for kids in uncertain and stressful living conditions and promote education. You can also donate books in a variety of book genres apart from heavy books, religious books and books with batteries.
The organization’s Pajama Program accepts brand new and used kids and young adult books and donates them to children who are living in uncertain and unstable situations.
The nonprofit is based in New York and accepts pajamas and books from children living in group homes, temporary housing facilities and shelters. If you want to make needy children feel important, loved and saved then you can donate books or pajamas to the Pajama Program.
The organization accepts unusual brand-new books that are not focused on serious medical issues, death, violence, religion, divorce or holidays. If you have used books for children in grades pre-K through high school then you can donate them to Pajama Programs for a good cause.
Free Book Donations For Military And Veterans
The life of a military soldier is not easy and sometimes they need something like a book to perk them up. Individuals who have tons of books at their house and want to give away for a good cause can donate to help military heroes
Vietnam Veterans of America is an organization that caters to military members from veterans and their family members. You can donate useful items like books, clothing, household materials and toys to this organization that works for the betterment of veteran families.
Operation Paperback is an organization that works for American troops overseas including military families and veterans in the country.
Established in 1999 Operation Paperback has shipped around 2.9 million books to 30+ countries worldwide. You can check the official website of Operation Paperback to learn about the book donation process.
Storm Bear Williams founded the Books For Soldiers organization during the Gulf War. The aim of the founder was to help his colleagues and friends who joined the war effort by offering a simple and easy way to entertain themselves.
This led to the formation of Books For Soldiers to support the men and women joining the US armed forces.
You need to register for the Books For Soldiers account to see the request for books and send your used books directly to soldiers.Apart from sending books, you can also send DVDs, and CDs to the soldiers posted abroad.
Free Book Donations For Prisoners
Being behind the bars doesn’t mean one has to stop reading and learning. A lot of prisoners enjoy activities like reading to keep themselves updated and entertained about the outside world.
If you want to improve the lives of the prisoners and help them read your books then you can contact the two following organizations that will donate your books to the prisoners.
The organization Books Through Bars operates in 6 states in America: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Delaware and Virginia. The organization accepts requests from the prisoners for particular books they wish to read and accepts book donations to assist prisoners in getting the books.
The organization Prison Book Program is available in three countries across the globe: Canada, the United States of America and Great Britain. Founded in 1972, the Prison Book Program helped to ensure entertainment and healing for more than 10,000 prisoners every year.
The organization Books to Prisoners has been donating reading materials and books to incarcerated people since 1973. Books to Prisoner is a Seattle-based nonprofit organization that distributes reading materials to inmates across America to foster a love of learning and reading among prisoners.
The organization receives more than a thousand requests every month that are fulfilled through donations. You can email the organization to donate books that will be usable to the prisoners.
The most in-demand categories are dictionaries, thesauri, dictionaries, Native American studies, African American history and fiction, genres fiction, legal materials, foreign language learning materials etc.
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Local Communities And Online Resources To Donate Books
Following is the list of organizations that will help you to donate your used books to the libraries and local communities across the globe.
You can donate your books directly to the Better World Books’ drop boxes situated in the United Kingdom and the United States. You can visit the Better World Books website to learn how to donate your used or new books.
Habitat for Humanity ReStores is an organization that provides its helpful services throughout the United States of America and in 70 different countries across the globe.
The organization focuses on providing housing help to individuals who do not have an apartment place to live. You can donate books as well as other items like household appliances and clothing if you want.
An online platform known as Freecycle allows people to give and get things for free in their town. Freecycle is similar to a shopping center except for the fact you need not pay for anything.
You just need to post whatever you want to give or receive and you can easily find suitable options. You can sign up with Freecycle today and learn how to donate your old books.
Are you wondering how to donate used books without paying for the shipping cost? A great resource is Donation Town which places your household items or books in a worthy home by providing free book pickup and delivery options.
Your books are donated to nearby charities for instance Hope Services, Human Society, Rescue Missions etc. Sometimes your donation can also go to a local school, prison library, county library or nursing home.
There can be plenty of things in your household that you no longer need so you can give them a second life by filling out a donation form, adding the Donation Town with your zip code and filling out the personal information.
Additional Resources To Donate Used Books
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Local Schools
Local schools are an excellent place to rehome your used books. They accept age-appropriate books that are in well-maintained and maintained condition.
As stalking classrooms and libraries with books costs money for schools they welcome donations so long the books are in decent and age-appropriate condition. You can contact your local school to find the type of books they accept and make your donation for children.
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Local Libraries
What better place to donate old books than to a library itself? One of the best places you can give away your old books is a library, and not only will they be happy with your donation, but you can also be sure that they will take care of your books, and give your reading companions the love and care that they truly deserve.
A lot of Boys and Girls Clubs have learning and literacy programs and accept donations of used books and learning materials. You can find a Boys and Girls Club of America in your local area and contact them to know if they’re accepting book donations.
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BookCrossing and BookMooch
BookCrossing connects people through books and organizations that allow you to share your books with new readers. You just need to label, share, follow and join free of cost.
Bookmooch is a community to exchange used books and help you to get rid of your used books. Bookmooch is similar to book crossing and is free to join. You can easily give away or receive books through Bookmooch.
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Children’s Hospital
A lot of children’s hospitals throughout the country incorporate learning and reading programs into their pediatric care.
For instance, reaching out and reading at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is an amazing resource if you’re ready to give away old books to the Children’s Hospital. You can contact your local hospital to learn if they have a similar program and accept old books.
- Assisted Living Communities
Assisted living communities that cater to older adults are in charge of designing events and programs that support senior citizens.
They have everything from book clubs to libraries in their community centers. You can contact an assisted living community in your local area and ask if they’re accepting books for senior citizens.
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Local Churches Or Charities
Another great place to donate your old books is local charities and churches. For instance, if a thrift store near your house provides job training and placement services for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities then you can give away your old books to those charities.
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Your Friends And Family
You can ask your loved ones such as family members, friends or neighbors if they would like to shop for used books on your bookshelf. Giving away books to your fellow book lovers will give you immense satisfaction and help you save time.
The nonprofit organization Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has donated more than 150 million books to children all across the globe. You can see if Dolly’s Imagination Library is ready to accept your used books and has an affiliate in your local area.
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Conclusion
People who have old books at home and wish to increase their life satisfaction and happiness can donate the books for a good cause at the aforementioned organizations. There are many other places where you can donate your used books like community centers, hospitals and retirement homes. This way you can create a significant impact on others through your book donation.
Learn more about Where To Donate Used Furniture To Charity at Get Government Grants’ section today. Our resources will help you to locate the right type of assistance in your difficult times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I donate my old books that are no longer useful to me?
You can donate your used books to various pick up centers of well known charities such as Salvation Army, Goodwill, local religious organizations, churches and non profit organizations. These organizations offer free pickup for book donation.
Can I get any benefit from donating my used books?
Yes, if you donate your used books to IRS 501(c) (3) charities, you can claim tax benefits when you file your income tax return.
Who will receive my donated books?
The donated books will be collected by nonprofit organizations and distributed among needy individuals, children belonging to the low income families and poor needy students who need them the most.
