I want advice on how to get rid of paper book collection?

Gwen Morse · 02-01-2011, 10:33 AM

A family member is moving overseas and has to get rid of most possessions (due to shipping costs). This includes a large, multi-thousand book collection (presently stored in an attic and basement). The collection has been whittled down to about 100 books as "keepers".

No one wants to be responsible for selling them one by one via Amazon/Ebay/etc. The local library no longer takes "Donations".

A local used book store will pick through them and pay some small amount for each book they take. However, they're already advising they'll be very picky and so probably won't take many books (maybe a couple hundred at most). They simply don't have the space for any more at once.

What to do with the rest? I had thought maybe donating some to a hospital reading room might be good, but they're not going to want a few thousand books.

Are there any charities or other facilities that will take a large popular book collection (includes explicit romance, action, spy novels)? I discussed it with the priest in our local church (for future fund-raising), he said we'd have to sort out anything 'mature' before they'd consider it. Then, after we dropped them all off we'd have to be prepared to pick them back up if they decided they didn't want them after all.

The best option would be someone who might send a truck out to pick up the boxes (like they do with clothing drives), but we could arrange to drive the boxes to them if we have to. It will just involve several trips.

It's winter and everything is covered in 3+ feet of snow, so a yard sale isn't an option.

The primary goal is to avoid them going in a rented dumpster (so anyone who will take them off our hands for free would be good). However, if there is an option to make a small amount of money (anyone buy books by weight or something?), my cash-strapped relative wouldn't be opposed to making a few pennies....

SleepyBob · 02-01-2011, 10:40 AM

In my experience, Half-Price Books will accept anything, and pay you a pittance for a small fraction of them. I think you'd have to bring them in, though.

DixieGal · 02-01-2011, 10:44 AM

MOVING SALE! Specify thousands of books in the ad.

queentess · 02-01-2011, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SleepyBob

In my experience, Half-Price Books will accept anything, and pay you a pittance for a small fraction of them. I think you'd have to bring them in, though.

My local Half-Price Books has refused some books before, but they tend to take almost any title. It's based upon whether or not they think the title will resell, so popularity plays a large part in their decision.

I've also dropped books off at Goodwill and Salvation Army before.

And this probably isn't something you'd be interested in, given your volume, but there's BookCrossing where you can leave books at different places and mark it on the website, then you get to watch that book travel.

queentess · 02-01-2011, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

MOVING SALE! Specify thousands of books in the ad.

Also a great idea. Craigslist is your friend. Make sure you state "you pick up".

ProfCrash · 02-01-2011, 11:00 AM

Check with local homeless shelters or even religious groups that might have connections with local shelters. Check with the local schools and see if they could use them.

I am reasonably certain that a hosptial would be thrilled to have the collection. Heck, check with a nearby prison. Who knows, maybe there are inmates who are interested in reading and bettering themselves. Or see if there is a local literacy group.

BookishDreamer · 02-01-2011, 11:02 AM

Know any local art teachers or mixed media artists? I doubt they'd take a huge quantity, but might be interested in a box or two to tear apart and use in collages or for altered book projects.

Dreamer

Anke Wehner · 02-01-2011, 11:05 AM

Put a small ad in a local newspaper? "boxes of books, cheap, only if you take a whole box". Our regularly has stuff like "boxes of flea-market articles"

For just getting rid of them without throwing away, you could also try http://www.freecycle.org/

queentess · 02-01-2011, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I am reasonably certain that a hosptial would be thrilled to have the collection. Heck, check with a nearby prison. Who knows, maybe there are inmates who are interested in reading and bettering themselves. Or see if there is a local literacy group.

Hospitals are touchy about used items. Depending on the age of the books, there's a mold/mildew issue. They're pretty strict about what they'll allow near people who are, say, healing from surgery.

I can't think of anything better than craigslist. We've gotten rid of bookshelves, a heavy tv, an old couch and boxes of children's clothes just by asking people to pick them up. (Which is good, as we had no easy way to get rid of some of the larger items.) Say they're free, say they're $5 or $10 per box, doesn't matter. Just be prepared for people to pick through the boxes trying to find stuff they want. But at least you're not doing the hard work then

ProfCrash · 02-01-2011, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by queentess

Hospitals are touchy about used items. Depending on the age of the books, there's a mold/mildew issue. They're pretty strict about what they'll allow near people who are, say, healing from surgery.

I can't think of anything better than craigslist. We've gotten rid of bookshelves, a heavy tv, an old couch and boxes of children's clothes just by asking people to pick them up. (Which is good, as we had no easy way to get rid of some of the larger items.) Say they're free, say they're $5 or $10 per box, doesn't matter. Just be prepared for people to pick through the boxes trying to find stuff they want. But at least you're not doing the hard work then

True that.

The problem with Craigs list is that there is no possible tax write off. If the books can be donated some place there is a tax write off. Salvation Army probably will pick up books.

CrayWolf · 02-01-2011, 11:20 AM

Salvation Army refuses service to people who aren't Christian and straight. Goodwill helps anyone who needs it. I prefer to donate to Goodwill. They'll almost certainly take your books, and they'll give you a receipt for tax purposes if you ask.

BoiseShan · 02-01-2011, 11:22 AM

Schools & jails?

I know some jails won't take hardbacks (they can be used as body armour!!!) but they may be able to direct you to half-way houses and the like.

DixieGal · 02-01-2011, 11:27 AM

When I cleared out all of my books, I knew that it would be worth more than the IRS would allow without verification. I took a couple of clear photos of the collection. Then I used the ISBN number to find the used book value, so that I could document the donation in a nice simple table. The task is not too onerous. Especially if you can make a party of it with some pizza and friends.

kbrand · 02-01-2011, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Heck, check with a nearby prison. Who knows, maybe there are inmates who are interested in reading and bettering themselves. Or see if there is a local literacy group.

This is where mine went. Same circumstance, moved overseas had to get rid of stuff. We doubled the local correction facility's library size...they would be thrilled with the donation, and it is a tax write off.

kbrand · 02-01-2011, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrayWolf

Salvation Army refuses service to people who aren't Christian and straight. Goodwill helps anyone who needs it. I prefer to donate to Goodwill. They'll almost certainly take your books, and they'll give you a receipt for tax purposes if you ask.

WHAT? so you have to enter the store with a sign that reads "I am a straight Christian"? come on.....

02-01-2011, 10:33 AM	#1
Gwen Morse Addict Posts: 254 Karma: 59872 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: New York, USA Device: Kindle 3 (wifi) + nokia n900 tablet phone	I want advice on how to get rid of paper book collection? A family member is moving overseas and has to get rid of most possessions (due to shipping costs). This includes a large, multi-thousand book collection (presently stored in an attic and basement). The collection has been whittled down to about 100 books as "keepers". No one wants to be responsible for selling them one by one via Amazon/Ebay/etc. The local library no longer takes "Donations". A local used book store will pick through them and pay some small amount for each book they take. However, they're already advising they'll be very picky and so probably won't take many books (maybe a couple hundred at most). They simply don't have the space for any more at once. What to do with the rest? I had thought maybe donating some to a hospital reading room might be good, but they're not going to want a few thousand books. Are there any charities or other facilities that will take a large popular book collection (includes explicit romance, action, spy novels)? I discussed it with the priest in our local church (for future fund-raising), he said we'd have to sort out anything 'mature' before they'd consider it. Then, after we dropped them all off we'd have to be prepared to pick them back up if they decided they didn't want them after all. The best option would be someone who might send a truck out to pick up the boxes (like they do with clothing drives), but we could arrange to drive the boxes to them if we have to. It will just involve several trips. It's winter and everything is covered in 3+ feet of snow, so a yard sale isn't an option. The primary goal is to avoid them going in a rented dumpster (so anyone who will take them off our hands for free would be good). However, if there is an option to make a small amount of money (anyone buy books by weight or something?), my cash-strapped relative wouldn't be opposed to making a few pennies....

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02-01-2011, 10:40 AM	#2
SleepyBob Evangelist Posts: 426 Karma: 8522810 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Wisconsin, USA Device: Kindle PW3	In my experience, Half-Price Books will accept anything, and pay you a pittance for a small fraction of them. I think you'd have to bring them in, though.

02-01-2011, 10:44 AM	#3
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	MOVING SALE! Specify thousands of books in the ad.

02-01-2011, 11:00 AM	#6
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	Check with local homeless shelters or even religious groups that might have connections with local shelters. Check with the local schools and see if they could use them. I am reasonably certain that a hosptial would be thrilled to have the collection. Heck, check with a nearby prison. Who knows, maybe there are inmates who are interested in reading and bettering themselves. Or see if there is a local literacy group.

02-01-2011, 11:02 AM	#7
BookishDreamer Cultural Artist Posts: 1,128 Karma: 12829 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Georgia Device: Sony 505, Kindle 2	Know any local art teachers or mixed media artists? I doubt they'd take a huge quantity, but might be interested in a box or two to tear apart and use in collages or for altered book projects. Dreamer

02-01-2011, 11:05 AM	#8
Anke Wehner Addict Posts: 249 Karma: 177956 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Germany Device: PRS-650	Put a small ad in a local newspaper? "boxes of books, cheap, only if you take a whole box". Our regularly has stuff like "boxes of flea-market articles" For just getting rid of them without throwing away, you could also try http://www.freecycle.org/

02-01-2011, 11:20 AM	#11
CrayWolf Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 2654 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New Jersey Device: Kindle3 Wifi	Salvation Army refuses service to people who aren't Christian and straight. Goodwill helps anyone who needs it. I prefer to donate to Goodwill. They'll almost certainly take your books, and they'll give you a receipt for tax purposes if you ask.

02-01-2011, 11:22 AM	#12
BoiseShan Connoisseur Posts: 89 Karma: 14598 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle	Schools & jails? I know some jails won't take hardbacks (they can be used as body armour!!!) but they may be able to direct you to half-way houses and the like.

02-01-2011, 11:27 AM	#13
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	When I cleared out all of my books, I knew that it would be worth more than the IRS would allow without verification. I took a couple of clear photos of the collection. Then I used the ISBN number to find the used book value, so that I could document the donation in a nice simple table. The task is not too onerous. Especially if you can make a party of it with some pizza and friends.

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