Dealing with old books

[Raguleader]

So, let's say I have a large number of useless, unmarketable books (we'll call them "Old college textbooks that the book store wouldn't buy back"), I took them to Half Price Books, who said they couldn't take most of them, and the few they could take, they could only take for a rather small price, I don't imagine the library would find most of the books very interesting, so what does that leave me in terms of what to do with these? I could dump them all in a dumpster, but that doesn't seem right to me somehow, but I can't really keep lugging them around either.

So Dopers, what should I do with these things?

[Rushgeekgirl]

I take mine to Goodwill.

[Yllaria]

Most libraries have "Friends of the Library" booksales to turn over donated books that they don't choose to place on the shelves. So they could conceivably get some benefit out of books they aren't interested in.

Also amazon.com will let you sell used books through them. You might hit is lucky with one or two. If you can't sell them there, they're definitly give aways.

If you do the amazon thing, remember to mail them media mail. Even then, the postage stipend might not cover the actual cost of postage. Take that into account when setting the price.

Good Luck.

[slortar]

Getting. Rid. Of. Old....books? Individually, these words make sense...

[LateComer]

Do you live near a University? At the end of every semester here, they collect books for Africa.

[don't ask]

I give books I read to people I think will enjoy them. If I don't know anyone but they are good books anyway I give them to a library. Failing those criteria - no one I know will enjoy it, it isn't very good - I leave it on a train seat.

[Logan 5]

Oh man! Hold on to them and become a superhero whose powers include quickly flinging hardcover textbooks at your foes with the catchphrase "That'll learn ya!"

Or hollow them out and keep your stash in there. Better yet sell them as stash boxes!

Also that couch with the broken leg...


Hmmm, not much help am I?

Donate them to a charity, a garage sale, a high school library or make art!