# I'm giving away books--advice sought **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 3, 2007, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379 "2007-03-03T01:06:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/1 "2007-03-03T01:06:52Z")
My sister dumped hundreds of romance novels in my lap (not literally) and I want to divest myself of them. The majority are Regencies, but there are also chick-lits, basic Harlequins, those thick ones with all the sex in them, etc. The local library said they’d take some, but I couldn’t gauge how interested they really were. Is this just more work for the librarians, or is it worth something to the libraries? The local nursing home also said they’d take some, but again, are they just taking pity on me? I’m talking hundreds of books. I also have a number of mysteries I can throw on the pile, and there could be assorted other books. (Our household is drowning in paper!) I have no idea what’s a reasonable number to dump on a nursing home and don’t want them regretting the day they heard my name. Ideally, I’d like them to go where they are wanted instead of becoming someone else’s headache. Advice, suggestions, ideas, thoughts, curses, and requests all gratefully received. ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/2 "2007-03-03T01:13:05Z")
[QUOTE=jsgoddess] The local library said they’d take some, but I couldn’t gauge how interested they really were. Is this just more work for the librarians, or is it worth something to the libraries? [/quote] Ask them how many they want. > [@](#): > > The local nursing home also said they’d take some, but again, are they just taking pity on me? I doubt it. Why would they? > [@](#): > > I have no idea what’s a reasonable number to dump on a nursing home Ask them how many they’d like. If they say ‘all of them’ tell them that you have ‘hundreds’. I suspect they might have or take part in a fund-raiser garage sale or something and so will sell them then to raise money. Or maybe they have a lot of people who really would like to read them. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/3 "2007-03-03T01:13:33Z")
Do you have a Half-Price Books out your way? That way you can get some credit to buy more books! Out here we donate large numbers to the Planned Parenthood Book Sale and several libraries that take them to sell as fundraisers rather than putting them on the shelves. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/4 "2007-03-03T01:14:48Z")
I go to a lot of used book stores and book sales. I have noticed that Romance novels are always the cheapest. At one place I go where paperbacks are $1 and hardcovers are $2 and up and kids books are a dime. Romance Novels are 1 thin penny. I would guess they are hard to give away and could be considered a burden as you are already experiencing. If even a nursing home is disinterested in the lot, I think it might be very hard for you to offload them all. I think you are lucky the library will take any. It probably is not worth their time. Can you try another Seniors place. This seems like your best bet. Do you have any nearby senior communities with community centers. They almost always have a small common library for the members. They are very good about taking books in good condition around here. Jim ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/5 "2007-03-03T01:19:42Z")
Romances go to retirement homes. Mysteries can be given to the nearest Veteran’s Hospital, as well as the retirement village. Spread the wealth around. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/6 "2007-03-03T01:26:34Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] Romances go to retirement homes. Mysteries can be given to the nearest Veteran’s Hospital, as well as the retirement village. Spread the wealth around. [/QUOTE] I’d be happy to! 😃 You know for certain that romances are a good bet at retirement homes/nursing homes? I’m asking because I’m trying to get all these books organized and ready to go–either to places that can use them or into storage–and none of the people I need to talk to are in on the weekends (and I wasn’t expecting to do it this weekend but my plans changed). ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/7 "2007-03-03T01:27:40Z")
Libraries often have book sales–mine does every week and romances are a good percentage of the stock–so they regard them as booksale fodder. All those romances probably won’t end up on the shelves of the library, they’ll be sold and the cash used to buy new books or fund programs. ('Course, some of them might; our head librarian won’t buy romances at all, since the budget is so tight. We just put some of the donations out on the shelves for a while.) ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/8 "2007-03-03T01:30:32Z")
[QUOTE=dangermom] Libraries often have book sales–mine does every week and romances are a good percentage of the stock–so they regard them as booksale fodder. All those romances probably won’t end up on the shelves of the library, they’ll be sold and the cash used to buy new books or fund programs. [/QUOTE] Our library sells paperbacks for ten cents each. I don’t even know if it would be worth the librarians’ time to put them out. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/9 "2007-03-03T01:32:39Z")
So, I would divide up your books: give the Chicklit and any novels by the following authors to the library. They are top selling romance authors whose books have a good chance of circulating: Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick/Jayne Castle May Jo Putney Linda Howard Jennifer Cruise Susan Elizabeth Phillips Nora Roberts/ J.D. Robb Julie Garwood Sandra Brown Diana Gabaldon Take the serial Harlequin types and give those to the retirement home. They’re tamer, shorter and _most likely_ more to their tastes. They have such a short shelf life that a library is unlikely to circulate these (they only remain in print about 6 weeks and are pretty disposable as books go). Anything NOT romance, such as Mysteries, SF, Westerns, Military, Thriller, Horror, etc., I suggest [www.booksforsoldiers.com](http://www.booksforsoldiers.com) ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/10 "2007-03-03T01:38:23Z")
[QUOTE=Hello Again] So, I would divide up your books: give the Chicklit and any novels by the following authors to the library. They are top selling romance authors whose books have a good chance of circulating: Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick/Jayne Castle May Jo Putney Linda Howard Jennifer Cruise Susan Elizabeth Phillips Nora Roberts/ J.D. Robb Julie Garwood Sandra Brown Diana Gabaldon [/quote] There are definitely some of these authors in the stacks. I remember seeing Amanda Quick, Jennifer Crusie, and Julie Garwood. > [@](#): > > Take the serial Harlequin types and give those to the retirement home. They’re tamer, shorter and _most likely_ more to their tastes. They have such a short shelf life that a library is unlikely to circulate these (they only remain in print about 6 weeks and are pretty disposable as books go). Thanks for that tip. > [@](#): > > Anything NOT romance, such as Mysteries, SF, Westerns, Military, Thriller, Horror, etc., I suggest [www.booksforsoldiers.com](http://www.booksforsoldiers.com) Cool! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Blue-Sighted\_Shadow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecae2f/32.png) [@The\_Blue-Sighted\_Shadow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Blue-Sighted_Shadow)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/11 "2007-03-03T05:32:07Z")
Also, there are used bookstores that specialize in romances. They won’t necessarily take everything, and usually only offer store credit, but you want to get rid of them anyway, right? It might be worth Googling to see if there’s one close by. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/12 "2007-03-03T11:56:54Z")
I got a pile of them from my aunt (my dad’s sister…silly me to think that she would have like literary tastes with my dad). I threw them out. However…that doesn’t answer your question. Do you live somewhere where you can set them on tables on a Saturday morning and “garage sale” them? I know they’re insanely popular. I have a friend that stops at every sale that has books. You could probably dump 75% of them without ever leaving home. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/13 "2007-03-03T12:03:35Z")
Why are people suggesting only romance books to the retirement home? You think the people there aren’t interested in other types of books? If I don’t read romance novels now, why would I start when I move into a retirement home? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/14 "2007-03-03T12:33:25Z")
[QUOTE=Frank] Why are people suggesting only romance books to the retirement home? You think the people there aren’t interested in other types of books? If I don’t read romance novels now, why would I start when I move into a retirement home? [/QUOTE] So what, am I chopped liver? [QUOTE=3rd reply] Can you try another Seniors place. This seems like your best bet. Do you have any nearby senior communities with community centers. They almost always have a small common library for the members. \*\*They are very good about taking books in good condition \*\* around here. [/QUOTE] As in any books or what you said. 😉 Jim ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/15 "2007-03-03T13:33:06Z")
[QUOTE=Frank] Why are people suggesting only romance books to the retirement home? You think the people there aren’t interested in other types of books? If I don’t read romance novels now, why would I start when I move into a retirement home? [/QUOTE] Well, you might not, but Aunt Matilda who read them all her married life and misses Uncle Joe might. Remember that retirement homes are not necessarily havens of elitism whose residents would never lay a finger on a romance novel 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/16 "2007-03-03T13:37:12Z")
[QUOTE=Quiddity Glomfuster] Well, you might not, but Aunt Matilda who read them all her married life and misses Uncle Joe might. Remember that retirement homes are not necessarily havens of elitism whose residents would never lay a finger on a romance novel 😛 [/QUOTE] Well, no, of course not. Certainly there will be people who want to read them. Just as certainly, there will be people who don’t and would appreciate a nice mystery. I’m just saying: include the mysteries and whatnot in the giveaway to the retirement home. **What Exit?** , you’re not chopped liver; you’re a Yankees fan who probably worships at the shrine of Jeffrey Meier. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/17 "2007-03-03T14:36:51Z")
Also see Post #6, where I commented that the mysteries go to both places. But given the usual relative life-spans of men and women, most retirement villages/homes are weighted female. ---
**Author:** ![2pelo\_honey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/ecb155/32.png) [@2pelo\_honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2pelo_honey)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2007, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/18 "2007-03-03T17:38:06Z")
How about expanding beyond nursing and sr centers, and looking for sr living complexes, assisted or not? ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2007, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/19 "2007-03-04T03:03:11Z")
i’m recommending [www.operationpaperback.org](http://www.operationpaperback.org) there you can get a good matchup with genre and author. sometimes someone does request " warrior woman" books, chickfit, romance, even harlequin blazes. i sent out 2 boxes of “warrior woman” books this week. with so many deployments there are addresses galore. there are quite a few needy readers in tents, boats, ships, and bases. ---
**Author:** ![Malienation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Malienation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malienation)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2007, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379/20 "2007-03-04T04:38:56Z")
Try [Freecycle](http://www.freecycle.org/). There appears to be about 100 groups in Ohio. Also, consider literacy organizations. You know, the groups that teach adults to read (“see spot run” gets kinda old). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-away-books-advice-sought/394379.md?page=2)