# old textbooks **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 9, 2003, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-textbooks/187147 "2003-07-09T02:28:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lillith\_Fair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@Lillith\_Fair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lillith_Fair)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-textbooks/187147/1 "2003-07-09T02:28:51Z")
Is there anything I can do with old textbooks except putting out for the trash? They are mostly accounting books from the early 90’s, so much of the information would be out-of-date. It just seems criminal to throw away books. ---
**Author:** ![jesleigh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@jesleigh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jesleigh)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-textbooks/187147/2 "2003-07-09T02:37:56Z")
Well, we have a hole in the floor (old ulitility room, we had the washing machine in it), and we put a dresser over it and put my 8th grade pre-algerba book over it. Other than that, I can be of no help ---
**Author:** ![hyacinth690](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e79b87/32.png) [@hyacinth690](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hyacinth690)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-textbooks/187147/3 "2003-07-09T04:16:01Z")
One word: Origami! Hard-core book collectors might be interested. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-textbooks/187147/4 "2003-07-09T05:56:47Z")
Give your local library a call and see if they’d be interested. If anything, they may be able to tell you about any organizations which may have a use for them, like adult education. Even if some of the info is outdated, I’m sure the basic principals are still valid. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-textbooks/187147/5 "2003-07-09T06:03:28Z")
An old science textbook is pretty much useless. You might get some use out of a history text. Math texts would have the longest shelf life I imagine. ---
**Author:** ![straykat23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@straykat23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straykat23)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-textbooks/187147/6 "2003-07-09T06:05:40Z")
About 2-3 years ago there was an organization in NoCal that was sending textbooks to China (books of any vintage) for use in schools there. I phoned the organization’s 800 number and found that the books had to be delivered or mailed to an address at the Port of Oakland. Funds and time prevented this, so I simply donated the books to a local charity. I’ve since heard that there are similar drives to send textbooks to Third World countries. It might take a little research, but am sure that there are groups out there that would welcome them. ---
**Author:** ![Lillith\_Fair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@Lillith\_Fair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lillith_Fair)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-textbooks/187147/7 "2003-07-10T03:59:22Z")
Thanks for your suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-textbooks/187147/8 "2003-07-11T13:27:00Z")
I’d be interested in any history books you may have. 🙂