10+ Ways To Responsibly Sell, Donate, Recycle Old Books

Every household is filled with books, either textbooks or comics, or any other category.

With passing time, the count of extra books only keeps increasing in number. But the fact is, we don’t know what to do with those books?

There comes a point of time where you feel you need to get away with the extra number of books that you have already read.

Well, some of you might think that you can just throw them away and your job is done.

What if I tell you that you have a better way to deal with those extra books on your shelf? Yes! A better way is none other than to recycle books.

Pin For Later

What first comes to your mind when you think of what to do with old books? In all fair chance, you will think of donating such books.

Yes, that is a good option but there is an equally good other option too.

That is I have come up with this article today. My aim is to give my readers various ideas on how to dispose of books when it’s time to part ways with them.

Without any further delay, let’s get started with our learnings.

Where To Donate Old Books?

There are very many ways to recycle books that you no longer need. The first option would be to donate used books.

But, some of you might not be aware of the right ways in which you can responsibly get rid of your old books.

I will be discussing some of the points for you under this subheading.

Donate To Family Or Friends

This is a great option to deal with your used books. You can ask out your friends and family members if they would like to have your used books.

There is a high chance that you can share your books among all other members who are close to you.

Moreover, the feeling that you get when a friend or family thank you for the book is a rewarding experience.

Most importantly, if you are looking to recycle old textbooks, this might be a great option for you to pick.

Donate To A Free Library

I am sure about the fact that almost all localities might have a free library for their residents.

You can take up the opportunity to donate your books for the betterment of the community as a whole.

After all, who does not love reading? Almost all of us reading this piece at the moment.

Also, you can pick a book for yourself too from the free library alongside the donation process.

Donate To A Local Library

If your locality has a library that is willing to take up donations, you can opt to donate it to them. However, not all libraries believe in such donations.

Also, some are strict with their rules of donation.

Nevertheless, if you find a local establishment that accepts used books with open arms, that would be a great way to recycle old books for the greater good.

Donate To A Local Prison

Many prisons have the facility of reading rooms for their prisoners who mostly seek adult books on fiction.

You can utilize the opportunity if you have a lot of used books on adult fiction.

All you need to do is look for a local prison and contact them regarding their book donation policy and you can well go about with this option.

Donate To Local Literacy Programs

If you are in the youth phase of your life, you must be taking the responsibility of educating the ones who don’t have opportunities for schooling.

Many literacy programs and camps are held every year in different local regions.

Such programs are a great opportunity where you can make your greatest contribution by donating books for the right purpose.

How To Get Rid Of Old Books By Selling Them?

If you do not want to donate used books, selling them is a good option. But again, you might be thinking about where to sell them the right way?

Well, no worries, I have quite a good amount of options for you that you might like if you are wanting to sell your old books.

Sell At Local Second-Hand Stores

Many second-hand book stores are looking for sellers who can offer them used books at half rates. For them, you can be a great seller.

However, such stores mostly look for old books that are a most recent purchase and are in good condition.

Some of such stores offer instant cash whereas, some might even want to go for an exchange offer. You can do what suits you and the buyer best.

Sell Books Online

This is one option that all can think of but most people miss out on the thought. Internet today is a great platform for selling anything you wish to.

All that you need to do is find the right platform that allows you the offer you are looking for.

Many websites are in search of people who want to sell used books. It is a great way for you to find the right price for the resale of your old books.

Sell on Amazon or eBay

If you do not want to take any risk in trying out different platforms, you can opt for the most known selling e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and eBay.  

You can open a reseller account and check out the resale prices of your old books on these platforms.

The only problem with eBay is the shipping, other than that, selling used books can work to your advantage.

Social Media Marketplace

I am sure you might not be shocked to hear that you can sell your old books on platforms like Facebook.

It offers communities that connect with the same interest at hand.

You can join reseller groups and post pictures of your books with all other requirements.

Any person willing to take up the offer will contact you and that’s how you can very easily get your job done without having to run from one place to the other.

Other Alternatives

Now that we have known about the two most common ways in which you can do away with your old books, you might be thinking if there are any more options you have.

Well, let me tell you, that old books can be used in very many ways other than just donating or selling them.

After donating or selling some of the books from your shelf, if you still have some other remaining, here I have some interesting options for you to take a look at.

Reuse Old Books As Craft Items

Most of you might not be aware, but this is one way you can reuse your torn books that cannot be donated or sold anywhere.

You can choose to make gift tags using those books or can even craft envelopes and use them in desired places.

The utility of your old books never goes down. It is one way or other you can use it if you know the right way. Any sort of craft that you are good at can be done using old books.

Even if you are not aware of how to go about things, look for some options on the internet. I am sure you would find many interesting ideas for crafts.

Old Books Can Be Used For Decoration Purposes

This is one way you can keep your books to yourself but in a way that no one can ever think of. Some of us are a fan of certain books and we don’t want to either donate or sale them.

But, what to do in such a situation? As a heading in itself says, you can use old books for decoration purposes.

For example, in a kid’s room, old comics, etc may be used to craft out something in the walls or furniture.

Conclusion

I am sure you might have learned a lot from this piece of the article today. A huge pile of unnecessary books is something we see in most households.

But there has always been confusion on what is to be done with those old piles of books.

Most of us don’t prefer to throw away such old books into the dustbin. Well, when we have so many different ways to responsibly deal with such used books, why should we just put them in the dustbin?

With that, the ultimate goal of the article is accomplished and now you know where to go when you want to dispose of old books.

You have enough choices to make from the list I have made for you.

Whether you want to donate to the right place or you want to sell old books in the right place, all options are open for you.

No matter what condition your old books are in, you can do something or the other with them.

You no longer need to worry about the extra books that filled your homes.