21 Places Accepting Book Donations

A list of non profit organizations and other places where you can donate books.

Do you have a lot of old books that are just gathering dust on your shelves?

Books provide entertainment and education – they can be really sentimental pieces. However, how often do you read or re-read your favorite books these days?

You have to admit that most of the time, they are just stored in your shelves, occupying space that you could be using instead for things that you do use on a daily basis.

So why not send them to a new home where they can continue to enrich and entertain other people’s lives?

Donate your used books!

Now if you have no idea where to send your books, here is a list of 20 places accepting book donations. Check them out!

1. Better World Books

One of the best organizations for book donations is Better World Books. They sell the books donated to them. The proceeds are then used to support the organization’s initiatives and programs for education and literacy.

Check this store locator to find the nearest donation drop off in your area. If there is no drop off near your place, you have the option to just ship your book donations to them.

2. Little Free Library

This organization simply facilitates the exchange of books, and they make books more accessible to the community.

You might see these small little houses around your area filled with books. These small libraries are unlocked and anyone can simply take a book or leave a book in them.

Check this Little Free Library World Map to see if there is one in your area.

3. Kids Need to Read

This organization aims to create a culture of reading for kids. It is done by providing books to underfunded libraries, schools, and literary programs all over the United States.

For more information on how to donate your books to them, check this page.

4. Reader to Reader

Here is another nonprofit organization that aims to increase literacy and encourage a love for reading at all ages.

They cater to the nation’s underprivileged and vulnerable communities such as poor rural towns, Native American reservations, and inner city schools.

Check out their Book Donation Program for more information.

5. Books to Prisoners

This is a Seattle-based organization who have been sending books to prisoners since 1973. They encourage prisoners to pursue knowledge and self-empowerment through reading.

Check their book donation page for more information.

Note: As of this writing, Books to Prisoners is currently closed to book donations because of Governor Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order. They will eventually reopen, although they are unsure of when that will be.

6. Goodwill

Goodwill Industries is a good place to buy used books and all these books are actually donations!

The proceeds they get from selling donations are used to fund job training and placement programs for disabled people, the poor, and others who are having trouble getting employed.

Check out this list of Goodwill store locators to see which Goodwill store is nearest to you.

7. Salvation Army

This faith-based organization is known to be one of the world’s biggest social aid providers.

The Salvation Army has supported adult rehabilitation centers, homeless shelters, food pantries, veteran programs, and victims of domestic abuse for many years now. And one of the ways to give and help this international movement is by donating your old books!

Check this Salvation Army locator to find the nearest branch in your area.

However, if you are a busy person and have no time to drop off the donations yourself, you can schedule a pickup with them for free.

8. Ronald McDonald House

If you have lots of children’s books to donate, you should consider The Ronald McDonald House. It’s a charitable organization of the fast food giant McDonald’s.

They give families a place to stay when they have a child that is hospitalized away from their home. Also, they provide play areas for the kids who are staying with their parents in the houses.

Hence, they accept donations of toys, books, and other items that can entertain under these trying and stressful conditions.

To see where your donations can go, check out this Ronald McDonald House Donation Landing page.

9. Operation Paperback

They collect books for US soldiers and their families. The book donations are sent to soldiers who are stationed or deployed out of the country, to US veterans, and to military families.

To learn more about their programs and how to donate your books, click here.

10. Books for Africa

If you have a lot of textbooks and other educational reading material, you can donate them to Books for Africa. They accept popular fiction and non-fiction books too.

This organization’s main mission is to send educational materials in Africa. The books are given to rural schools, orphanages, community resource centers, and adult literacy programs.

To know where to send your donations and which books are accepted by the organization, check out this book donation page.

11. Vietnam Veterans of America

This organization aims to serve the needs of veterans. They are known to accept book donations and have a convenient pickup service. All you have to do is schedule a pickup then leave your labeled donations outside your home. Their driver will pick up your donations for free.

12. Re-book It

This is a free community service by the Last Bookstore – a place for creative people in downtown LA. It was created to ensure that books don’t end up in landfills and instead, find new homes.

Donated books are sold at very affordable prices, helping also to raise funds for the bookstore. Some of the proceeds are given to local charities, libraries, hospitals, and schools in LA.

Check their donation pickup page for more information.

13. International Book Project

They send donated books to parts of the USA and developing countries overseas.

Among the books that they need are fiction and non-fiction for adults, children’s books, English texts, math texts, science texts, medical texts, vocational books, and other reference books such as dictionaries, thesauruses, and encyclopedias.

For more information, check out their website here.

14. Freecycle

Freecycle is a local online bulletin board that aims to reuse goods. You will find a community of people who are giving away goods and getting goods for free in their local communities.

You can create an account for free, then post the books that you want to donate and see if anyone wants to have them.

Check their search box to see if there is a Freecycle community in your area.

15. Public Libraries

A lot of people overlook libraries as the place to donate books since they seem to have all the books already. But a lot of libraries actually thrive on book donations!

Some public libraries even hold book sales to raise some funds for some of their programs.

So if you have a public library near your home, do not hesitate to visit or give them a call and ask if they are accepting book donations.

16. Retirement Homes

Local retirement homes often accept donations to help entertain their residents and books is one of them. So if there is a retirement home in your town, go give them a call and and ask whether they are accepting book donations.

17. Daycare Centers

If you have lots of children’s books that your kids have outgrown, you can drop by your local daycare centers and see if they are accepting book donations.

Most of these daycare centers are privately owned so they use their own funds to set up and fill their libraries. Donations will most likely be appreciated.

18. Pediatric Hospitals/Wards

Here is another probable home for your children’s books. Check out your local pediatric hospitals/wards if they are in need of book donations.

A lot of them are happy to receive books and toys for their young patients. The books are usually provided in waiting rooms, given to volunteers who read to the patients, and even left in the ward for patients to read.

19. Women’s Shelters

Women’s shelters house women and children who are victims of domestic abuse. These women and children often flee from their homes with nothing but the clothes they have on.

Most of these organizations will accept donated items of any kind. So go and check with your local women shelters if they are accepting book donations.

20. Youth Groups

We often see church youth groups and other youth service clubs doing rummage sales as a way to raise money to fund their activities and programs. They may be accepting books that they can sell to raise funds.

If you have self-help and faith-based books, these books can also become part of their library.

21. Adult Literacy Programs

You can check if there are adult literacy programs in your community. They may be accepting book donations as well.

These programs help adults who were not able to master the skill of reading when they were children. The donated books may be incorporated in their program in so many ways.

Donating Tips

Here’s an important donating tip! When you make your donations, keep your receipt!

It will be helpful when you itemize your tax deductions. You can claim the value of your books as a charitable donation. Remember that all charitable contributions are tax deductible!

The receipt serves as your proof of the donation.

And one more thing, please only donate books that are in good condition. Most of these organizations are reselling used books and using the profits for their initiatives and projects.

If you donate books that are too tattered already, they will just be recycled or thrown away.

Donate Now!

Donating your books will not only declutter your home but will also give you room for new books!

By donating your old books to any one of these places and organizations, you can be assured that your books will go to a nice home and be appreciated by others who love reading too!

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