What do you do with your old books?

Question

I tend to donate my paperbacks to charity.But if I buy expensive hardbacks, they are read and left on the shelf for years.Surely, it's greener to have paperbacks, they are cheaper to make and we are more likely to recylce them.Your views please?

Some smashing ideas there, I haven't heard of a used book store here in the UK.Is it and American idea?

Answer 1

Actually, if you think about it, its greener to make a hardback. It lasts through a whole lot more readings and can be recycled as well. I reread my hardbacks and give them away when I'm done with them - usually to the library, but sometimes just to friends who want to read them.

Answer 2

I take all my old books to the used book store and I use the credit to buy more books there. If the used book store won't take them then the next stop is the local library, they either put the books on the shelf or they have books sales to raise money for the library a few times a year...

It must an american thing though in a decent size town it sure to make money. They buy books give you credit for like 2/3 of what they can resell it for or they give cash for 1/2 of what they can sell it for, it's pretty cool. Great way to recycle books.

Answer 3

I donate all of my books eventually -- even the hardcover ones. Like you, I tend to keep the hardcover books on shelves for years -- but mostly, they are there because they are 'pretty' books and really an accessory in my decor. When you donate to local libraries, many times the books are not shelved there; they are used for book sales from time-to-time to raise funds to purchase more books. I'm not sure if your paperback theory is true though -- it seems to me that a hardcover book is passed along and 'recycled' person to person, therefore it has a longer life before it finally hits the landfill. Hmmm...kind of six of one, half a dozen of the other I guess...I find that if paperbacks look too dog-eared or they smell like cigarettes, I'm not interested in bringing them into my house -- too scuzzola! (Remember the Seinfield episode when George brought a large book volume into the mens room of the book store? Eeegads - gross!)

Answer 4

I donate them to the public library so others can enjoy.

Paperbacks are not as environmental friendly as hardbacks because more have to be printed since they do not last too long when read/used frequently. Hardbacks generally last many, many years.

Answer 5

In that a paperback is closer to a "disposable" book, I guess I disagree. - - - Or I can see both sides, at least. Paperbacks ARE in essence recycled more. But they are ephemeral and thus more likely to wind up in a landfill than a fine collectible book.

So I feel that collectible books are pretty green, and more green than paperbacks, thought about in this way.

Answer 6

I often recycle books by donating them to the library or to a twice-yearly yard sale held by a charity I support. Other books stay around forever, especially if they prove useful to me for research. Others are just so enjoyable that I like to revisit them from time to time.

My home has always resembled the library anyway! :-)

Answer 7

We have a place in my town called the book exchange. Its a place where you take your books and other people take their books. It costs $2 to purchase a new book but if you bring a book with you then it only cost $1. Its a huge place. There are tons of books to choose from.

Answer 8

I keep most of them unless I don't read them at all and I don't plan on it. Then I donate them. I usually end up reading most of my books i have on the shelves many times.

Answer 9

I keep the ones that I think I will read again or that I'd like to save for my kids. Otherwise I "Bookcrossing" them, which is a really cool concept!

Answer 10

Donate them to a library.