What do you do with your old books?
By maezee
@maezee (41988)
United States
January 29, 2016 12:48pm CST
As an avid reader, I seem to accumulate a ton of extra, unwanted books. I have a good sized book collection, but when I am not thrilled by a book I have read I tend to wash my hands clean of it - make it someone else's problem. I just recently got rid of 7 at a local "little free library", which is usually what I do with them.
For those who don't have these, these are like home-made little "libraries" people set up in their front yard, near the sidewalk, where strangers/people are allowed to put books in and take them out. I like donating my old books to these little libraries across the city - because it's cool to encourage literacy in your neighborhood...Also, I have found some good books to read by going to these little libraries!
How about you? Do you have a special place where you donate all of your old books to?
7 people like this
10 responses
@patgalca (18391)
• Orangeville, Ontario
30 Jan 16
I have tons of books here. I have never really donated them because I haven't wanted to part with them. It's getting out of control, though, and I need to get rid of some. I would prefer to sell them so hopefully a garage sale this summer will actually happen.
1 person likes this
@patgalca (18391)
• Orangeville, Ontario
31 Jan 16
@maezee I've tried selling on Amazon, unsuccessfully. I only sold one book of the ten I listed and I lost money because of Amazon's shipping charges (too low). On eBay I tell the seller after the "win" what the shipping cost is and do my own invoice. I was thinking of posting groups of books by the same author on ebay. I figured collectors would be more inclined to bid. I never want to not keep books. They will go in a box in storage if I don't want to display them on one of my many book shelf units.
@carlaabt (3504)
• United States
29 Jan 16
We sell them, give them to friends, or drop them off at a thrift store. We buy books a lot more often than we borrow them and my son and I are both big readers. So it's not uncommon for us to get rid of 50+ at a time, and I try to do that every 3 months or so.
1 person likes this
@Shyamalaa (525)
• Udaipur, India
29 Jan 16
We too accumulated a lot of books because we like to buy rather than borrow from libraries. I really like this idea of little free libraries that you mentioned. Unfortunately we don't have places like that where we live.
1 person likes this
@akalinus (43372)
• United States
29 Jan 16
Where I live, there is a free table in the laundromat. I often take books people leave there and often leave others. I exchange books with friends. They give me books and I give them an equal or larger number. Sometimes, I take books to a thrift store I used to volunteer at.
Books are not good unless someone is reading them. I try to do my part.
@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
5 Feb 16
The city i live in has a Friends Of The Library that accepts Large Print and Paperback Books and will even come pick up books when you have a lot to donate. Its great because they sell the books and give money to the library, so there are always new books available to check out at any time. I can even buy books from the Friends Of The Library, so always have something to read and can just box the books and bring them in and the place is open 6 days a week.
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
1 Feb 16
I love the idea of little libraries! We used to have a "free table" in our laundry room, but too much junky stuff turned up on it so no more free table. I usually donate excess bookage to Goodwill. I've heard of people using old books for art projects, but try as I might, (and even though I like the idea) I cannot bring myself to use books in this way, not even the "trash" novels I've come across.
@Telynor (1763)
• United States
15 Feb 16
Some books I keep, others I give away, and I've started giving the ones that I know I won't be reading again to the local library for their fund drives.
