OK I’m moving in to smaller digs which means I have to get rid of lots and lots of books. It was hard enough to figure out which to purge, but now I have five boxes worth (and not even finished) that I’m not sure what to do with. Is it worth it to try and ebay them? Sell them to a used bookstore? Give them to a library? What about Half.com? Or should I just toss them in a dumpster?
Opinions? They aren’t first editions or anything - just a motley mix of paperbacks, textbooks and scattered hardbacks in varying conditions from great to crappy. But I hate to just throw them away. It offends both my penny-pinching and book-loving sensibilities.
Many urban areas have book banks to which you can donate unwanted books. The books are then distributed to prisons, nursing homes, shelters, and other places where they can be appreciated anew. If you don’t know whether your area has a book bank or not, you might ask a local used book dealer. I worked in a used bookstore for several years, and most of our overflow went to a book bank.
You know, it is funny how attached people get to books, I once saw this great art book on sale for cheap. I bought two so that I could keep one complete and I would use the other for crafty type stuff and cut it up. I couldnt bring myself to cut it though, so now I just have two.
Agreed. NEVER EVER EVER EVER throw them away. Someone, somewhere, will want them. (Hell, stick them as a job lot on eBay, buyer collects, and you’ll probably get a small amount for them.)
Well renumeration would be nice (notice I said my penny pinching sensibilities were being offended too). So if it’s possible to make money I want to try that first. Has anyone actually made money here from old books?
If all else fails, find a local library. I donate all of my excess-to-needs books to the locla private library, where they are sold by Friends of the Library to help defray costs.
Bookcrossing is fun, I’ve released quite a few books over the years. For large scale culling I take them to the retirement community where my Pop spent his last days. A beautiful place, but the library was sadly lacking. They take book and VHS tape donations, and books-on-tape are especially welcome.
I second this suggestion. I recently gave a few boxes of books (many were duplicates) to a local library. I went to their sale and wound up buying more than I had given them.
I have to say that the book crossing idea sounds cool.
I think used book stores are the simplest way to make a little money off of them. Don’t have to go to the trouble of posting, packaging, etc.
Call several stores ahead to see what times they have someone available to buy books. Expect that they will not take all your books, they may only take a fraction, but hey, free money!
THEN, take the remainder to the next used book store, and so on, until you get bored or tired.
My experience is that they will usually take some and never take all.
But just because one used book store isn’t interested doesn’t mean the next one won’t be.
THEN, for the leftovers, call the library (or check website) and find out where and when they receive donated books. They may have certain standards too, since they usually sell them at annual sales as a fundraiser. Like no Reader’s Digest Condensed books, or nothing with the cover ripped off.
Then your last pathetic nobody-wanted-them books can go to the thrift store.
But never throw them away!
P.S. Don’t take store credit for your books. Sure, you get more “money” that way, but you’re trying to get less books!
I just put up some books for sale on Amazon Marketplace just weeks ago. Sold two text books since. Got 70 bucks for one, 50 for another. I was going to give mine away, but decided I liked money more.
