Ways to Get Rid of Library Discards and Donations

This past October, on the Wisconsin Public Library email listserv (subscribe to the listserv here), there was a conversation thread on ways to get rid of library discards and patron donations. I found the suggestions from this conversation both helpful and creative. Below is my compilation of the suggestions. Thank you to all who shared their ideas!

Do you have a suggestion not included below? Go ahead and share your ideas in the comments section!

Photo by Veroniki Thetis Chelioti on Unsplash

Dispose of the books via select recycling centers or the trash

• Don’t feel bad putting materials in the trash if the material is outdated, inaccurate, or in bad physical condition. 
• Check if recycling centers near you accept books. You will likely need to bring the books directly to the recycling center. For example, the Madison Recycling Center accepts books. 

Use the materials in your library

• Put the materials on a cart in the library foyer with a FREE sign
• Use as a “trick-or-read” giveaway around Halloween 
• Give out the books as prizes
• Have an ongoing sale shelf in the library
• Have a few large books sales throughout the year

Exchange the books for a monetary return

• Baker & Taylor Sustainable Shelves Program
• In the email conversation, there were comments that this program is time intensive for library staff, and the library does not get much money from the program.
• BetterWorldBooks’ Discards & Donations program
• Sharehouse Goods—based in Milwaukee, WI 

Donate the books to other organizations

• Childcare centers
• Prisons
• Nursing homes
• Assisted living homes
• Adult day care centers
• Little Free Libraries around your community 
• Ask if your local food pantry wants to have a “free books” area for their patrons.
• Ask if your local laundromat wants to have a “free books” area for their patrons.
• Ask if your local high school or college art departments want library materials to use for art/sculpture material (especially your outdated reference material and large, thick books).
• Wisconsin Books to Prisoners program 
• There are drop-off sites in Madison and Milwaukee. The books must be softcover. Nonfiction and fiction are welcomed. The program does not accept books with highlighting, underlining, stains, or marks of any kind; you may need to contact the organization to confirm, but you may only be able to give patron donations in good condition and not weeded library materials.

Note—To prevent people returning weeded library materials to the library because they think the materials are still in the library’s collection, mark up the materials well. You can use a marker to cross out the barcode label, other library stickers, and any place your library name is stamped on the book. You can also use a “discard” stamp on the book, like this stamp here.