How do you find out where to donate textbooks?

Question

Is there a blanket organization that accepts them?

Answer 1

I would start with the local library, and perhaps second the school system, to see if there is an umbrella organization. But there are good places for them, such as the prison or jail school, or adult education, or even the homeless shelter.

Remember that if you are donating it, the likelihood is that the book is considered obsolete by the regular schools, public or private.

Answer 2

Unfortunately most libaries won't take them which I find a bit off the wall. At any rate, since I don't know where you live, here's what I have found on the Net and hope it helps.
Where Can I Donate or Recycle
Used Books? or,
Books, Books Everywhere...
But None I Want to Keep!
by Deborah A. Walker, October 1997

Have you weeded recently or been the beneficiary of patrons cleaning their basements? Here are some destinations for those books that you can't use but have a lot of life left in them and you can't bear to throw away.

To insure a welcome reception, contact the organization before you drop off books on their doorstep.

Happy donating...

Places to Donate
Thea Chesley
Illinois Department of Correctional School District 428
1301 Concordia Court
P. O. Box 19277
Springfield, IL 62794-9277
[phone] x5721
[e-mail]

There are 31 correctional facilities in Illinois, and each facility has an academic program which accepts donated library materials for teenage to adult reading level. Items most needed include fiction, nonfiction, reference books, textbooks less than 5 years old, illustrated series, current legal textbooks, books in Spanish, self-help books, books on parenting, and literacy materials. This program does not accept National Geographic magazines, religious books, romances, or bound Readers Digest books. Contact Thea Chesley to locate the nearest prison with a library. Items may be shipped Library Rate to the attention of the Library Manager at the chosen institution, or donors may contact the Library Manager for pickup or delivery.

William Lohman
Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)
Illinois Textbook Loan Program
100 N. 1st Street
Springfield, IL 62777
[phone]

ISBE sponsors a textbook relocation program for public and private schools. Interested schools should call in May for a donor form for serviceable textbooks. ISBE compiles a listing from the forms received and, in September, distributes them to schools who need books. Schools who receive books are responsible for paying for their shipping charge.

Sylvia Walter or Linda Broomhead
Pace High School
13818 Western Avenue
Blue Island, IL 60406
[phone]
[phone]

Pace High School is interested in books to supplement their library collection. Arrangements can be made to pick up books from some locations.

Dan Crawford
Newberry Library Book Fair
[phone]

The Book Fair committee will accept books and audiovisual materials throughout the year. They will not accept popular magazines and textbooks. Arrangements can be made to pick up books from some locations.

Bridge to Asia
c/o Follett Campus Resources
2211 West Street
River Grove, IL 60172-1800
[phone]
[phone]
[phone] FAX
[e-mail]
http://www.bridge.org

Bridge to Asia is a nonprofit organization which sends new and used books and journals to schools and universities in China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Mongolia. Materials needed include college, graduate and professional books and journals, dictionaries, encyclopedias, almanacs, atlases, glossaries, thesauruses, test-preparation booklets, maps, and college catalogs. They will also accept maps, charts, sheet music, CD-ROM programs, audiocassettes, conference proceedings, and newsletters. Pack your donations in an envelope or carton and mail by UPS (Library Rate). Donations are tax-deductible.

Have a small number of paperback or hardback fiction books, magazines, videos, and sound recordings to donate? Then consider these organizations or programs:

Adult literacy programs
County or local jails
Day care centers and preschools
Homeless shelters
Hospitals and nursing homes
Salvation Army or Goodwill Industries
Social service agencies or courthouses
Women's shelters
Used book sales sponsored by neighboring public libraries
For additional information about book donations, interlibrary loan ACLS Manual for International Book and Journal Donations, which was published by the American Council of Learned Societies in 1993. It describes the world of book donations and lists the names of all major recipients (SWAN apatid, AMEAMFI99).

Places to Recycle
Wayne Arendt
American Paper Recycling Corp.
301 W. Lake Street
Northlake, IL 60164
[phone]

This corporation accepts textbooks for recycling. The recyclers remove the books' binding and covers and ship the recovered paper to paper mills. The book pages end up as tissue, paper towels, and, if high grade, writing paper.

B & B Books Supply
2218 Park Hill Drive
Highland, IL 62249
[phone]

B & B will pick up books anywhere in the state of Illinois. They accept textbooks and workbooks (that haven't been written in) published in 1987 or later.

Digital Audio Disc Corp.
DADC Recycling Program
300 N. Fruitridge Avenue
Terre Haute, Indiana 47803

DADC helps our environment by recycling old compact discs. They ask that all shipments be prepaid and the responsibility of the sender. They will accept only compact discs and plastic jewel cases, not cardboard containers or other packaging components.

Brian Flood
Flood Brothers Disposal System
4827 W. Harrison
Chicago, IL 60644
[phone]

Flood Brothers will pick up books that have had the covers removed. They serve Chicago's west side and western suburbs.

Paper Sales Dept., Loop Recycling Inc.
or Illinois Recycling Inc.
2401 S. Laflin
Chicago, IL 60608
[phone]

These sister companies accept large quantities of paperback books. Other books will be accepted if the covers are removed. Pickup service depends upon the quality and quantity of books.

Tom Surdyk Mid America Paper Recycling
3865 W. 41st Street
Chicago, IL 60632
[phone]

Mid America recycles books and magazines (with scented advertisements removed). Company would like to preview items prior to acceptance. Pickup of items may be available.

Merrie Stoddard
Russ Edwards
Textbook Recycling
P. O. Box 49
Girard, IL 62640
[phone]
[phone]

This organization will accept book donations of a 1,000-book minimum or 40 boxes of books (20�25 books each). They require one week notice and main floor pickup.

Answer 3

i usualy sell mine back to Textbook411.com , but I think they have a donation program too with 'Books for Africa" or one of those groups, if not just google "books for africa"...I think they do pretty good work

Answer 4

Your local library should take them.