Donating and recycling unwanted books
Give readable books another life and check the right route for damaged or unsaleable copies.
Make two small piles
Separate readable, complete books from mouldy, water-damaged or heavily torn copies. Check between pages for personal notes, photographs, cash and documents before handing them over.
Arrange a useful donation
Ask a charity shop, community book exchange or recipient what it currently wants. A school or library may not accept unsolicited books. Describe specialist titles and large collections first, and keep books dry during transport.
Check bound-book acceptance
Binding materials mean books can have a different route from newspapers and loose paper. Use a book-specific collection or an accepting recycling centre. Do not assume you should remove covers or tear out pages: ask the receiving scheme.
Plan a large clear-out
Use manageable boxes and label the contents. If one organisation can take only a few, arrange another route for the remainder. Do not leave boxes outside a full book bank.
See moving-house clear-outs and clearing a home after a death for organising larger collections.
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