Where to Donate Books
Donate books to a worthy cause and open up a world of possibilities to someone in need.  Books inspire our imaginations and broaden our perspective.  They educate and enrich.  For many, however, books are a luxury they cannot afford.  If you're looking for a good home for your used books, consider the options listed here.

Organizations are listed alphabetically.  The order of listing does not indicate any sort of hierarchy.  

Check Before You Donate
If you decide to donate books to a specific charity that collects and distributes books to those in need, please contact the charity beforehand to make sure they have a use for the specific types of books you wish to donate.  Charities operate on limited budgets and are often understaffed.  Receiving books they cannot use wastes valuable man hours in sorting and redistributing.  It also uses up much needed storage space.  ​
When you donate your books to Better World Books, they are resold, donated to charity or recycled.  They offer over 8 million titles on their website, and for every book they sell, they donate a book to charity. 

​Donation boxes are available in Texas and most states east of the Mississippi (excluding much of New England).  If you don't live near a donation box, log onto their website and request a pre-paid shipping label which they will email to you.    
As with shoes, clothes, and toys, children outgrow their books.  If your kids have lost interest in some of their old favorites, you may want to donate books to Bookends.  They collect children’s books in good condition for distribution to schools and youth organizations in need. 
Books for Africa is dedicated to promoting literacy in Africa.  Since 1988 they have shipped 24 million books to 46 African nations.  They happily accept book donations.  If you prefer to have a more global impact, Books for Africa may be the place for you to donate books.  ​
“Books Through Bars distributes quality reading material to individual prisoners in the Mid-Atlantic region, prison libraries across the country, and halfway houses throughout the greater Philadelphia area”.  They ask that you email them with a list of books you wish to donate before mailing your books as there are some types of books they can’t use.  ​
Darien Book Aid meets specific requests for books from Peace Corps volunteers, schools, and libraries around the world.  You can find a list of books they need and books they can’t use on their website.  You can also view their Amazon.com wishlist.  They ask that you contact them for prior approval before donating books.  ​
Discover Books is dedicated to keeping books out of landfills.  They collect and resell books, donate books to those in need, or recycle used books which are beyond salvaging.   Read about how they determine which books go where on their “How it Works” page.  Collection boxes and curbside pick-up are available in eight states.  ​
IBP provides books to schools, libraries and other organizations in the United States and locations throughout the developing world.  Books are sorted upon receipt and those deemed inappropriate to send overseas are sold in their thrift shop.  Proceeds from book sales are used to fund book requests.  They particularly need children’s books.  You can find instructions for mailing books on their website. ​
Books collected by Operation Paperback benefit deployed soldiers, veterans, and military families.  You can register online to become a volunteer shipper.  Input genres you have on hand, and their system will provide you with an address where your books are needed.  ​
The Prison Book Program, based in Boston, provides books to prison libraries in numerous states.  See their page titled "Other Books to Prisoners Programs" for a more extensive list of options.  Also on their website you will find a list of books they need and books they don't need. ​
Project Smile collects new and previously owned stuffed animals, small toys, children's reading books, and new coloring books/crayons to give to police officers, fire fighters and paramedics who distribute them to children in traumatic situations.  They require most of the donations they receive to be new, but they do accept used children's books in good condition. 

Additional Local Resources for Donating Books

Hospitals
Donate books to a local hospital and help patients pass the long hours more enjoyably.  Many hospitals have a lending library somewhere on the premises where patients and visitors can borrow books.  A member of my family read a half dozen books during a recent hospital stay, all of which were obtained through the hospital’s lending library. Children's books can be donated directly to the pediatric wing of the hospital.  Check with your local hospital to find out if they accept book donations.

Nursing Homes or Assisted Living Facilities

Check with your local nursing home or adult care facility to see if they maintain a lending library for residents.  If so, they may be happy to have you donate books to help increase their selection.

Classrooms/Classroom Teachers

School budgets always seem to be insufficient to provide all the resources teachers would like for their classrooms, and oddly enough reading books are things that teachers frequently have to provide for their students. If you have children's literature or young adult literature that your children have outgrown, try contacting a local school or teacher to find out if they would be interested in your books. 
As you can see, there are many options available to donate books.  A little effort to find a good fit will ensure that everyone benefits from the exchange. 

Disclaimer
The appearance of an organization on this list does not constitute a recommendation on my part, nor do I represent any of these organizations in any way. To contact organizations listed here directly, simply click on the organization's name to link to their website. ​
Last updated April 1, 2019.
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