My book collection outgrew its allotted shelves a few years ago despite my best efforts to control its growth by patronizing my local library and avoiding literary impulse buys.
Fortunately, the tipping point came just as my family was preparing to move across town. We gladly took the opportunity to donate dozens of hardcover and paperback books to local tax-exempt charities. Because we itemized our income tax deductions that year, we actually made a decent amount of money on the deal thanks to the federal tax deduction for eligible donations.
You are reading: Best place to donate used books
we were lucky to donate when we did. Following the Jobs Act’s expansion of the standard deduction and tax cuts, the vast majority of American taxpayers are better off taking the standard deduction than itemizing their deductions, eliminating any direct financial benefit from used property donations.
but even if our book donations hadn’t qualified for a federal income tax deduction, they would have been worth it. by unloading about half of the books we’d accumulated during our adult lives (books we knew we’d never open again), we made a freestanding bookshelf redundant and pocketed $50 from its sale before we moved.
We also freed up several boxes to transport essentials like cookware and clothes and brought a lot less clutter to our new home.
Today, we have much better control over our literary carbon footprint thanks in large part to digital solutions like kindle and audible. however, our experience was educational. put us in touch with a host of local and national organizations that accept used book donations and put them to better use than ever.
best places to donate used books
If you’re embarking on a cleanup campaign that needs some literary victims, you should have no problem finding legitimate organizations willing to accept your old books. some operate brick-and-mortar stores or warehouses with drop-off locations, possibly within arm’s reach of your home, while others operate remotely and accept mail-in books.
1. your local library
Some local libraries and library systems accept donations of used books. To find out if your library or library system accepts donations, visit their website and look for details on their donation policy.
Don’t assume your library accepts used books; Some major library organizations, such as the Chicago Public Library System, do not accept unsolicited physical donations. even if yours does, you could limit the collection to annual or seasonal book drives. If your local public library doesn’t accept donations, check with a local school library.
2. the little free library in your neighborhood
If you have a modest number of books to download, drop them off at a small free library (or several) in your neighborhood. little free library is a network of little mailboxes erected by ordinary people across the country where others can take or donate their old books.
is a great way to recycle an old read of your own and pick up a new one while you’re at it. just make sure the types of books you donate to the free little library are appealing to mass reading. These boxes are not the place for old manuals, college textbooks, or reference books. save them for used bookstores, where you can redeem them for cash.
use little free library’s map feature to find active locations near you, keeping in mind that most don’t hold dozens of new books at once.
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If your neighborhood doesn’t have a free little library and you’re willing to spend some time and money to start one, check out the free little library getting started guide. the advantage of starting your own is the ability to seed it with as many old books as it can hold.
3. a book drive or fundraiser in the school or community
School groups and community organizations often sponsor book drives to raise funds, collect books for deserving recipients, or both. If you’re already involved with school organizations that might use books (or use books for fundraising), your donations will probably have the biggest impact there.
If not, look for non-profit organizations in your area that collect and distribute books. One example is the Children’s Book Bank, a group based in Portland, Oregon, that organizes book drives to provide low-income families with reading materials.
With these organizations, you may have to wait until they start soliciting donations for seasonal book drives.
4. free cycle
freecycle is a loose network dedicated to sensible reuse and free sharing. Because they are cheap and plentiful, books are perennial items of interest to members of the freecycle network. If you live in an area with an active freecycle community, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding multiple people to take your old books off your hands.
Just don’t expect to be able to download large quantities of books here or claim a federal income tax deduction for your contribution.
5. accredited charities
many nonprofit organizations accept donations of used books.
goodwill is one of the largest and most well-known not-for-profit thrift store chains in the united states. If you live in or near a decent-sized city, chances are good that you have a goodwill within driving distance. Goodwill has an expansive and lenient donation policy that, at least with respect to the books, doesn’t change with the calendar. and donations to goodwill are tax deductible if you itemize.
The Salvation Army is another well-known mission-driven organization that accepts donations of all kinds. operates a strong network of second-hand stores open to the public. As with goodwill, donations to the Salvation Army are tax deductible if you itemize.
but goodwill and the salvation army are not the only reputable organizations in the game. Several other national or regional nonprofits take used books and other household items, including the Society of St. vincent de paul, vietnam veterans of america and habitat restoration for humanity.
6. local religious organizations
If the proper national charities don’t have branches in your area, or if you prefer to reward smaller faith-based organizations that do good work in the community, look for local congregations that advertise book donations. As with school-sponsored book donations, you may have to wait for annual or seasonal drives.
but if you plan to claim a tax deduction for your donation, confirm that the recipient is a qualifying tax-exempt nonprofit.
7. your neighborhood thrift store
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Dozens of local thrift store chains and hundreds of independent thrift stores operate in various corners of the country. Even if you’re not an experienced thrift store shopper, you probably know the most popular places in your city, and if not, a simple search can help you find one.
Your local government may also have a master list of thrift stores that accept donations. I have used the chosen reuse map of my home county to plan my book donation in the past. If you’re running out of ideas, try Savers, it’s one of the biggest in the US. uu. thrift store chains and accepts books and other paper media.
8. local museums & other cultural organizations
If any of your books have historical or cultural significance (beyond just being classics), contact local museums, historical societies, institutions of higher education, and performing arts groups to gauge their interest. such organizations collect books relevant to their areas of study or interest, both for the benefit of the general public and for historical research. they are more likely to take good care of valuable or notable books than mass-market thrift stores and charitable shoppers as well.
9. prison libraries & literacy programs
Do you want your old books to make a real difference in someone’s life? try donating to literacy groups that serve incarcerated populations, called book-for-prisoners programs. Use the prison book program master list to find groups that operate in your home state, such as books through bars, serving pennsylvania and surrounding areas.
Not all prison literacy organizations are tax-exempt nonprofits, so check with potential recipients if you have a deduction.
10. armed forces charities
Two literary charities serve Soldiers and support personnel deployed overseas or housed in hospitals or rehabilitation centers: Books for Soldiers and Book of Operations.
books for soldiers collects and publishes book requests for soldiers for specific titles, which donors can fill from their personal collections. operation paperback has a more lenient donation policy and encourages donors to come together for drives and packing parties.
11. domestic & amp; international public literacy programs
Countless organizations and public literacy programs serve children and vulnerable adults in the us. uu. and abroad. Many national literacy organizations operate at a local or regional level, which is good if your goal is to make a difference in your own corner of the world. For example, the Children’s Literacy Foundation primarily serves Northern New England.
Check out Charity Navigator’s list of high-quality literacy organizations to find tax-exempt entities that accept book donations.
If you prefer to support literacy initiatives abroad, look for international literacy organizations that accept donations of physical books. not all do, as the cost and logistical complexity of sorting and shipping the books abroad is too much. and reputable organizations tend to have an ample supply of pristine books through relationships with publishers.
However, some literacy organizations, such as Book Aid International, encourage their supporters to indirectly donate used books. organize community book drives or garage sales and contribute financial income.
last word
Donating used books is beneficial to both the givers and the recipients. For donors, giving away vintage books brings with it the satisfaction of a cleanup job well done and the knowledge that receiving organizations will get more out of them. For recipients, vintage books can be a vital source of income or knowledge, or both, depending on the organization’s mission and purpose.
Donating old books also has other benefits, such as reducing the donor’s carbon footprint and slowing the ever-growing landfills on the planet. Along with other sensible lifestyle changes like eating less meat and buying ethical and sustainable clothing, swapping your physical volumes for digital versions could be one of the best things you do for the planet this year.
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