I just read this article about donating used books to prisons, and thought book donnations in general is an excellent topic this time of year, for both new and used books.
First the article about donating used books to prisons provides lists of programs in differrent states for donating used books. What a fantastic idea!
Also there are often local and national programs for new and used book donations for children:
Nationally, Barnes and Noble has bins this time of year where you can deposit a book you just bought for children which will be wrapped and donated at Christmas. I always put in middle grade or YA as there always seems to be a preponderance of learning to read picture books.
Locally in NYC there is a Housing Works Book Store in SoHo where you get a gift card to use in their store when you donate books. I have been known to make that gift card a stocking stuffer for someone with less financial means to buy books.
Also check local senior centers and assisted living or nursing homes. Most have libraries with books residents have all read. Check local indie bookstores and churches and other organizations for programs.
A church in Connecticut colkects donatedbooks and conducts annually one of the largest and most-well- known used book sales on the East Coast - runs for over a week, run by volunteers, and the church has a building on its property (this is a rural church) used as a book warehouse.
I am not forgetting librairies - not all have programs like JoAnne's that have donations, a shop, AND holiday events where books are handed out. Not all accept donated books (NYPL stopped accepting donated books several years before pandemic). But do check what they have.
First the article about donating used books to prisons provides lists of programs in differrent states for donating used books. What a fantastic idea!
Also there are often local and national programs for new and used book donations for children:
Nationally, Barnes and Noble has bins this time of year where you can deposit a book you just bought for children which will be wrapped and donated at Christmas. I always put in middle grade or YA as there always seems to be a preponderance of learning to read picture books.
Locally in NYC there is a Housing Works Book Store in SoHo where you get a gift card to use in their store when you donate books. I have been known to make that gift card a stocking stuffer for someone with less financial means to buy books.
Also check local senior centers and assisted living or nursing homes. Most have libraries with books residents have all read. Check local indie bookstores and churches and other organizations for programs.
A church in Connecticut colkects donatedbooks and conducts annually one of the largest and most-well- known used book sales on the East Coast - runs for over a week, run by volunteers, and the church has a building on its property (this is a rural church) used as a book warehouse.
I am not forgetting librairies - not all have programs like JoAnne's that have donations, a shop, AND holiday events where books are handed out. Not all accept donated books (NYPL stopped accepting donated books several years before pandemic). But do check what they have.