Where to Donate Your Books After You KonMari Your Library

As a book hoarder of the highest order, I always struggle when deciding which books have reached the end of their time with me. It’s purely a matter of space at this point. I physically cannot house all of my current books and still have room for all of the new books I want to read (and also be able to walk across my room). Surely this predicament is familiar to most of you. Fortunately, Marie Kondo, literal angel and tidying sorceress extraordinaire, has given us the tools to make sure our libraries are filled with books that continue to spark joy. Personally, knowing a book will be going to a good home makes it easier for me to part with it. Here’s a list of places for you to donate your books to after you go full Marie Kondo on your library!

Your local library

*gets out megaphone* SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARIES!! Many libraries run book sales as fundraisers and are always looking for great books to add to them. Always check in with your library to see whether they need more books before dropping off a whole bunch.

Schools

Did you know most teachers have to buy all of the books for their classrooms themselves? You can help with that! Also, you’ll be making sure that every book in your school wasn’t written before the year 1950.

Reader to Reader

Fact: 60% of underprivileged children do not own a single book. This makes a well-stocked school library a critical resource hub that is a necessity not a luxury. Reader to Reader serves the nation’s poorest communities, including inner-city schools, Native American Reservations, and poor rural towns, where the need for books is acute.

Operation Paperback

Operation Paperback began in 1999, sending its first shipments to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. They have since shipped 2.2 million books to over 30 locations overseas. In addition to overseas locations, Operation Paperback provides books to wounded warrior programs and veterans hospitals located within the United States, as well as USO centers at US Airport transit points. In 2012, they also added a new program that offers a free shipment of books to any military family.

BetterWorldBooks

Better World Books collects and sells new and used books online, matching each purchase with a book donation. Each sale generates funds for literacy and education initiatives in the UK, US, and around the world. Since its launch in 2003, Better World Books has raised more than $27 million for libraries and literacy, donated over 26 million books, and reused or recycled over 300 million books.

Goodwill

When you donate your new and gently used books to Goodwill, they sell them in their stores and use the money they make to fund valuable employment training and job placement services for people in your community. Buying used books from Goodwill is also a great way to support them!