Book Donations

Frequently Asked Questions about Book Donations

What happens to the items that I donate?

Some donated items will end up on library shelves, but most of your donations are used in these ways:

  • Sold in the Friends of the Library’s book sale. The Friends use the money raised to pay for library events, materials, improvements, and services. Used as prizes for summer reading programs and other events.
  • Given to an organization which reuses items we can’t use.

Can I get a receipt for the items that I donate?

If you would like a receipt, you can request one at the front desk.

What kinds of items do you like to receive?

We are happy to receive items in good condition, in particular:

  • Current and former bestsellers in excellent condition—both fiction and nonfiction
  • Classics in good condition
  • Fiction paperbacks in like‐new condition
  • Children’s titles in good condition
  • DVDs—purchased, not copied

What kind of items can’t you use?

We don’t accept:

  • Magazines
  • Encyclopedias
  • Reader’s Digest Condensed books
  • Items in poor condition—mildew odor, yellowed or missing pages, broken bindings
  • Textbooks
  • Travel books more than three years old
  • Dated nonfiction
  • VHS videotapes
  • Cassette tapes
  • Medical or legal references more than three years old.
  • Audiobooks

We have found that these items don’t sell well in our book sales.

How, and when, can I donate books?

  • We accept book donations throughout the year. We have book sale carts throughout the library that are refilled weekly.
  • Book donations can be brought to the staff office.  Due to space limitations we ask that you bring no more than 3 boxes of books at any one time.