How to Get Rid of Old Books

Donate books to people around the world. You can make a significant difference in the lives of those who are eager to get their hands on a few books. You can browse through a variety of websites with international book donation programs to find the right one for you. You might try the International Book Donation Programs website. This page lists programs by organizations, institutions, and cities or rural areas that otherwise have no access to reading and educational materials.

• Choose from the geographical index or go to the International section, which lists large agencies that collect and distribute books to many countries.
• The topics, languages, and levels of books needed are listed, along with contact information. Make sure to contact them first to ensure they need your materials. For international shipping, you'll need a customs declaration form from the post office.

Donate your books to your local library or to the Friends of the Library Group. Most libraries hold annual book sales. They resell the books to raise funds for the library, and you can claim a tax deduction for your donation. Ensure the books you donate are in resalable condition. If your books are moldy, stained, filled with personal information, or missing pages, they will likely be rejected.

Donate your books to a thrift store. Most thrift stores have book sections and will gladly accept your old books, provided they are in good condition. Check nearby thrift stores to see if they need your old books. They might be more willing to accept them if you also have clothes or other items to donate.

Donate your books to a church. Many churches accept book donations, as they either give them to those less fortunate or sell them to raise funds for their operations. Check local churches to see if any are accepting old books.

Donate your books to another charity. Search online for charities in your area that accept book donations. Many organizations are working to rebuild libraries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

Release your books "into the wild." BookCrossing is a website that allows you to register your books and leave them somewhere for others to find and enjoy.

Set up a "Free Book" box. Look for places where people wait—laundromats, hospital waiting rooms, bus stops, and similar locations. Place a "Free Book" box on your street. At your workplace or school, set up a "Free Book Exchange" box in a corner or break area. Just ensure you get permission from the staff beforehand.

Donate your books on online free goods platforms. Several websites allow you to give away your books for free. Visit Freecycle or Sharing is Giving to find a group in your area. These groups list location-specific pages where you can post items you want to give away.

• People interested in the books will come to your home or workplace to pick them up. Ensure you're comfortable sharing your address if you use this feature.

Sell your books online. List your books on sites like eBay, Half, and Amazon. Expect these sites to take at least 15% of the sale price. Be prepared to lower the price if the book doesn't sell quickly.

• To sell your books online, you'll need to create an account, provide basic details about the book, and wait for interested buyers.

Sell your college textbooks to a college bookstore. If you've used the textbooks recently, you might be able to sell them back for a fraction of the original price. Call the store beforehand to check if this is an option. You’ll likely need to sell them to the bookstore at the school where you purchased them, though you might find another college bookstore willing to buy them.

Sell your books to students who will need them. Find college students entering a class you just finished and see if you can sell your books to them at a fraction of the original price—both the seller and buyer benefit from this exchange. Ask friends if they know anyone taking the course soon, or even stand outside the class on the first day and approach students who might not have had the chance to buy the books—just don’t be too pushy.

Sell your books to a used bookstore. Used bookstores often buy back or offer store credit for selected books in good condition. Most used bookstores price current titles at about half the cover price and pay around 15% of the cover price in cash or 20% in store credit. The store will also check the book’s value online, so if you’ve priced your book online, that’s what the store might expect to sell it for, not what they’ll pay you.

• If you want to make the most money, sell the book online yourself; for quick and convenient sales, offer your books to a used bookstore.

Sell your books at a garage sale. You can sell books at a garage sale alongside larger items to attract more customers. If you’re selling furniture and have interested buyers, you can direct them to your books. Advertise the sale with signs or even by letting your Facebook friends or other social media contacts know you’re hosting a sale—but make sure you only share your address with trusted friends.

Host a book swap. Invite some friends over and ask them to bring a box of old books. Sit together and browse each other’s collections to find books that interest you, while encouraging your friends to take some of your books. Make sure you don’t end up with more books than you started with.

Host a White Elephant party with just books. In this fun gift exchange, all wrapped books (or “gifts”) are placed in the center of the room. Participants take turns selecting gifts and swapping for more desirable ones. Clarify that only old books will be exchanged. A minimum of six people makes this a lively gift-giving game.

Trade your old books for new ones. Various websites allow you to exchange your old books for new ones you’d like to read. Visit BookMooch, Green Textbooks Recycling, PaperBackSwap, or Title Trader. For each book you send to someone else, you earn credit to get a new book.

Swap books for video games, CDs, or movies. Swap is a website that lets you trade your books for other products you might enjoy. It’s a great way to build your collection of CDs, movies, or video games while getting rid of old books.

Give away your books at a party. Host a gathering for a group of book-loving friends. After an hour or two and a few drinks, place a box of your old books in the middle of the room and announce they’re free to take. Your friends will dive in and excitedly pick out a few books. You’ll be surprised how quickly the box empties.

Give your books to people who will appreciate them. Go through your books and attach sticky notes to the covers, marking who might value them most. Then distribute the books to friends you think will enjoy them. This feels like a thoughtful gift rather than just getting rid of something. Say something like, “This made me think of you” or “I know you’ll love this book,” and they’ll happily take them off your hands.

Create a hollow book. If your book is too old and damaged for anyone to use, have fun hollowing it out and turning it into a secret treasure box. Here’s how to make a hollow book:

• Find an old book with a sturdy cover and glue the pages together using Elmer’s glue. Let it dry for at least 15 minutes.
• Use a pencil to mark a rectangular area at least 1.2 cm inside the book’s edges.
• Use an Exacto knife or box cutter to cut through multiple pages at once.
• Continue cutting until the book is hollow.
• Enjoy storing your favorite items inside the book.

Recycle. If your books are too damaged for anyone to use, it might be time to discard them. If you don’t want to throw them away, recycling is the most eco-friendly option. Some city recycling programs allow you to place paperback books in single-stream recycling bins, while others accept books at solid waste facilities. Check your local city council’s website to see if your books can be recycled.