We used to have a nearby Better World Books bin, but no more.
No local used book stores or thrift stores, and some are handy mass-market paperback books. No regular post office, so we have to pay extra to ship anything. No accessible public transportation to reach less local places.
Is there a local library you can contact, to see if they’re interested? Even if they don’t want them for themselves, they might be able to sell any in good condition to raise funds.
Another option would be to contact the local school board.
is there a Little Library near you, maybe? if so, you could just leave them there for others to enjoy.
Put them in baskets and leave them on your neighbors’ doorsteps. If they complain, tell them you celebrate May Day in your own way.
Thank you for your advice.
A lot of these are specialist books, so I don’t think leaving them out or putting them on people’s doorsteps will help.
The “local” library is 4 miles away, and on the other side of an impassible highway.
The Little Free Library site is full of animation, and relies on an animated zooming map, with an animated zooming tutorial video… All if these are among my migraine triggers.
There’s a store that will purchase books back. My local Borders will. There’s another store locally, too, that buys them. If they are academic books, I think there are specialty academic book buy back sites.
I had put some of my games as “for trade” on Boardgamegeek. Which doesn’t really help with clutter as much as “for sale.”
There’s a local Barnes & Noble. I don’t know if they buy books. If they do, that would help. A few are in good condition.
Wait… how do you still have a Borders?
Errr…Books a Million
How do you still have a Books A Million?
I dunno. Was surprised to find it here when I moved here.
I’m finding myself faced with a similar problem, only I have what would amount to an entire roomful of them, many of them old Harlequin romances and Gothic romances (I don’t know if I’ve already gotten rid of the Barbara Cartlands, but there’s still scads of Emilie Lorings). And that’s just TWO genres, and it doesn’t even cover the hardcovers!
I’m considering just putting the mass-markets into the recycling bin. I don’t know what your situation is like re municipal recycling but that may be an option for you.
I have a couple thousand books in my apartment, taking up three large floor to ceiling bookshelves. Books are nice, but enough is enough.
The nearest Little Free Library is miles away and in a really out of the way place. Besides, those are really only good for divesting oneself of a couple books, not a couple hundred. I need a special service for this, preferably one that would pay me for the books. And yes, I know used books are practically worthless, especially if they aren’t even in English.
I don’t know how many others need a good home. But I can’t fit 2 shelves in my backpack, so I don’t have any reason to sort through more until I sort out these ones.
Apparently there was a community garage sale today. I only found out after it ended.
It feels like heresy to say it out loud, but I think this is a perfectly valid option. Life is short, and if you don’t have the time or resources to find others who might want to read them, then recycling is OK in my book.
If it makes you feel any better, consider that libraries, used book stores, and thrift stores all do the same thing. So even if you donate your books to a worthy org, there’s still a good chance that at least some of them will go straight into the recycle bin, anyways.
Plus, I’ve not smelled them yet myself, but they may well be beyond that yummy-musty smell old books have and into revolting-musty. Recycling then is the only option, but AFTER I take the covers off and use them in a collage!
My condo has a bookshelf for exchanges in the recycling room. Every once in a while some of the retired folks in the building clear up the older offerings and bring them to a local hospital.
Don’t forget hospitals when you’re looking at donation options. Being sick is dead boring.
Oh! Got ya.
I miss my local Borders… every time I drive past the place where it used to be, I has a little sad… It’s a chain pet store now. 