How to Donate Used Books to Charity

Last Updated: June 1, 2021 References

Books can take up a lot of living space from your home, especially if you are an avid reader. An excellent option to deal with this problem is to give the books away, as this releases the burden in your home in addition to helping people in need. You will not only be able to reduce the logistics problem, but also share the joy of reading and helps to improve others' lives.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:
Preparing to Donate Books

1
Assess each book's condition. Before donating a book, make sure that it is in good condition. Look at the cover and make sure it is attached securely. Check for water damage or spills. Check for holes or significant rips in the pages. If the pages are severely yellowed, it may be time to recycle it. If the book has outdated information, recycle it.
2
Identify books that can receive continued use. Choose which books would benefit the populations you wish to serve. Keep in mind whether you want to donate to children, adults, university students or specialized populations.Think about the overall desirably of the book, and if the general public will read it. Will other people appreciate the book? If not, there's no use passing it along.
- How-to books may not be a good option to send, such as a sewing book or model airplane book. Books that require other items are not good options.
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3
Decide where to donate your books. Options vary, and donation can be as simple as dropping the books in a dropbox. Other options may require you to buy mailing envelopes to ship your books. Consider the time you have and which populations you would like to assist with your donation. Then do some research, as some organizations have guidelines to which books they will accept, which may include thematic content and age appropriateness. The method you choose is entirely up to you, and should be decided beforehand.
- Organizations like DonationTown will come to your door for book pickup, and lets you choose which charity the money supports.
4
Ask for a tax receipt. To receive a tax deduction, you must donate to a qualified organization, so check ahead of time to make sure your deduction counts. Have a receipt from the organization that details the monetary value of your donation. To deduct a charitable contribution, you must file Form 1040 and itemize deductions on Schedule A.^{[1]
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Internal Revenue Service
U.S. government agency in charge of managing the Federal Tax Code
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:
Donating Books In Your Local Community

1
Donate to your library. Many libraries accept used books.They use donated books to add to their collections or in book sales to raise funds. Call ahead to make sure your local library runs this program.^{[2]
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American Library Association
Oldest library nonprofit association in the world, dedicated to promoting libraries and library education internationally.
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2
Talk to your local schools. Many schools will accept books, especially private schools. Phone the school library and ask if they receive donations. If so, drop off your age-appropriate books at the school.
3
Call local nursing homes. Consider donating used books to a nursing home. For this specific population, books with large print are best.
4
Inquire if a hospital accepts donated books. Hospitals receive many visitors that wait patiently for their loved ones to recover. Ask your local hospital if they accept donated books for waiting rooms, visitors, or patients.
5
Visit a local second-hand store. Many second-hand stores will accept donated books for resale. Second-hand stores often use profits to donate to local or national charities. The benefits of dropping off books at a second-hand store include the ability to drop off an array of books at once.^{[3]
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- Check out your local Salvation Army for drop-off locations.^{[4]
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- Goodwill also offers book drop-off.^{[5]
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6
Offer books online. Post an add on an online marketplace advertising the books you wish to donate. This works especially well if you have recent textbooks you wish to donate that a current student may use.

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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:
Donating To Organizations Through Mail

1
Donate books to prisoners. Many prisons offer books to prisoners, which are received as donations. Do some research to find organizations that deliver books to prisons. Consider books for adults with no violent or dark themes. Also, softcover books are preferred as many prisons do not allow hardcover books.^{[6]
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- Consider donating to Books To Prisoners.^{[7]
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- Books Through Bars also donates to prisons.^{[8]
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2
Donate books to soldiers. Books can provide a taste of home for soldiers deployed abroad. Choose books that are entertaining and will provide some relaxation.^{[9]
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- Books for Soldiers takes requests from soldiers and individuals are able to send those books to soldiers.^{[10]
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3
Donate books to underprivileged schools. Programs exist within the United States to mail books to underprivileged schools. Research online for programs that work with these schools.^{[11]
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Trustworthy Source
American Library Association
Oldest library nonprofit association in the world, dedicated to promoting libraries and library education internationally.
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- The Libri Foundation Books for Children Program works through libraries to donate books to under privileged schools across the nation.^{[12]
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4
Donate books internationally. International book organizations provide books to orphanages, schools, and universities. A list of international donation organizations can be found here: http://www.ala.org/offices/iro/iroactivities/intlbookdonations.
5
Donate textbooks separately. Because textbooks have a limited audience, don't assume soldiers will want to read about Accounting 101. Find a specific organization that works with textbook donations. Some organizations offer donated textbooks to university students in Africa, for example.
- Donate Textbooks is one organization that works with donated textbooks.
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Community Q&A

Question

Will any organizations also pack up the books for me?

Community Answer

The best thing to do would be to call a book charity in your area and ask them if they would be willing to come pack up and take the books you have for donation. They may or may not be able to offer that service for you.
Question

How can I donate used books that are in good condition?

Community Answer

You can drop them off at your nearest thrift store that accepts donations or a Goodwill nearby. If your town does a toy and coat drive, you can donate the books to that or go ahead and give them to younger nieces/nephews.
Question

Can we get money by giving away to people?

Lilylovers

Community Answer

No. Giving away is a charitable act, therefore you cannot make money from it. If you did make money, that would just be selling your old things.
Question

Is there any online platform where I can donate my old books online?

Community Answer

If you want to sell books online, you can sell them on eBay.com, Shopify.com, and sellbackyourbooks.com. If you want to donate your books, you can give them to a charity store in person.

Warnings

Make sure that you donate to reputable and trustworthy parties. Do some online research on what they aim for, and their reputation and track record.

Thanks!
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