Where can I donate pbooks?

[BookCat]

If all goes well with the legals etc, I'll be moving into a new house in a month or two. Meanwhile, I'm going to begin "The Big Clearout" which will involve getting rid of numerous paperbacks.

Many charity shops no longer want them, having a surplus already. I've thought of doing an unofficial bookcross and just leaving them scattered in various coffee shops, benches etc. Or even the silly notion of putting them in a bin (not on bin night) marked "Please take one" and leaving that outside my house.

I just hate the idea of throwing them away.

Any ideas greatly appreciated.

[auntykatkat]

I know that many senior homes like donated books.

[BenBanned]

Free little Library

[Witty Username]

A new 'shop' called Books for Free has recently opened in my town, maybe there is one near you?

Healthy Planet website

The home page says that if you have large quantities then they will collect from you - I suppose that depends on their definition of 'large quantity'.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by BookCat

If all goes well with the legals etc, I'll be moving into a new house in a month or two. Meanwhile, I'm going to begin "The Big Clearout" which will involve getting rid of numerous paperbacks.

Many charity shops no longer want them, having a surplus already. I've thought of doing an unofficial bookcross and just leaving them scattered in various coffee shops, benches etc. Or even the silly notion of putting them in a bin (not on bin night) marked "Please take one" and leaving that outside my house.

I just hate the idea of throwing them away.

Any ideas greatly appreciated.

We haven't found the charity shops not taking them yet.

Goodwill especially has an online presence selling books. I get many used books from them through Amazon for 1 cent + 3.99=$4.00. When finished I give them to my local store.. In fact there seem to be nice big Goodwills everywhere. We like them because besides providing free or cheap goods Goodwill has a jobs program.

[Witty Username]

Just to point out that the OP is in Birmingham, UK

[purple_fishy]

Have you tried local libraries? Our local libraries accept book donations to resell in a small used bookstore to raise funds for their literacy programs. You can also ask nursing homes. I donated lots of yarn, knitting needles, and books to our local nursing home. The elderly people staying there need something to do and many will enjoy reading.

[pidgeon92]

My local library took the when I lived out in the 'burbs. They had a little used bookshop that they ran to offset the cost of buying new materials.

[cromag]

Mostly the same answers here. Our Goodwill is happy to take them, as well as several smaller thrift shops. Our library accepts used books, with most of them going to the quarterly book sales.

The only thing I can add would be if you had any large hospitals in your area. Ours needs books, especially for kids and young adults, but they're interested in any and all.

[odiakkoh]

The used bookstore I frequent donates the books that they can't sell but the customer doesn't want back. You could see if something around you does something like that.

[BookCat]

The charity shops near me have signs on their doors saying "No Books Please". Perhaps because I'm currently near a University, many of the students donate books to them, especially at this time of year.

There's a hospice not far from me, but the charity shop which raises funds for it is one which no longer takes books.

I don't think we have a Goodwills in the UK.

I used to go to lots of car boot sales and purchase really cheap paperbacks, in variable condition and amassed lots of them. I'm like a hoarder where books are concerned, but I must get rid of some, especially the out of copyright classics which I'd rather read on my ereader.

Most of the furniture from my present house will be dumped in someway, I'm just taking a few select items and the washing machine and fridge. The majority of the move will be books! So I must get rid of many. I must be RUTHLESS!

Originally Posted by BookCat

The charity shops near me have signs on their doors saying "No Books Please". Perhaps because I'm currently near a University, many of the students donate books to them, especially at this time of year.

Did you check with the university? Some of them have book sales for fundraising. Asking the charity shops rather than going by the signage may be an idea too. They may be trying to avoid textbooks, but may be perfectly happy to accept other types of books.

You may want to ask charities/non-profits that don't have charity shops, since they may need books to give to people (rather than for resale).

[carpetmojo]

Bookcat - I'm amazed your charity shops don't want them - down here in Somerset they are happy to take any number you want ! I just can't believe they don't take 'em.
In fact, all our charity shops don't even care about old raggedy clothes etc.. - they sell anything unsaleable for rags for recycling.
And Witty - I'm in "the county town" - where's this shop sounds like a good idea.

[ Actually, charity shops now face competition - firms that advertise cash for "unwanted" clothes. They are now taking other articles as well, I noticed in the window of one of their shops in Wellington. So they are taking stuff that might otherwise provide help for those in need, and turning a profit on it . With some of them they claim a percentage goes to charity, but the wording is usually rather obtuse - like the 1,000's of plastic bags that come through my door each week asking for, yes, you've guessed it, "unwanted clothes", for some pop-up new charity.....

Handy for the rubbish, saves buying bin-liners and waste sacks ....

[Synamon]

Once I stopped reading paper, I gradually dropped off my old paperbacks at book exchanges. A local grocery store and a laundromat and a hospital waiting area each had a shelf of books, I would add a few dozen and once those were gone I'd add another batch until I managed to rid myself of a couple of hundred books. Didn't take long.

When I traveled I did the same thing with books I'd read during my trip, there are always book exchanges in touristy places somewhere: smaller hotels, coffee shops, garages, information centers, local businesses, etc.

[ClareK]

Is an annual Oxfam book fair held anywhere near you? I assume they collect books well before the date of the fair, so it might be worth ringing the organiser, if you can find one that's not too far away.