The Book Donation Map of America
Scroll using the map, or use our city selector, to find the nearest organization that accepts book donations near you.
Physical Location
Book Bin/Drop Off
Pick Up
Donating a book is so much more than getting rid of unwanted clutter. A book has the ability to help transform someone’s life. That’s why we created this map, to help promote these amazing local organizations that help bring communities together through the power of reading.
We’ve included a variety of organizations, from nonprofits that specifically collect books to serve their community, to libraries, to local-owned, secondhand bookstores.
Noticed a charity or bookstore, or even a city that’s not on there? Please email us at localbookdonations@gmail.com; we’re always happy to add more!
The Donation Key Explained
Physical Location (Bricks and Mortar)
You are able to take your books and physically hand them to someone, either in a shop or warehouse. We advise checking that organization’s website for opening times.
Book Bin/Drop Off
Many organizations have “book bins” or locations where you can “drop off” your books. While some book bins are there 24/7, please note that other bins may be situated in a shopping mall/local business. Other organizations request you call or email them (see their website on their listing above) to arrange a time to drop off at their facility.
Pick Up
Some organizations will actually come to your address and pick up your boxes of books themselves. Please contact them directly to arrange a pick up time.
Find Convenient Places to Donate Books Near You
At Local Book Donations, our goal is simple: we want to encourage you to donate used books locally. We aim to help keep books in the community, save unnecessary waste and shipping, and most importantly, shine a spotlight on local organizations who can benefit from your old books!
We felt a simple map that highlighted locations near you would be the best way to solve the problem. We like to think it’s super easy to use, too! Just navigate by moving around the map, or select your city from the drop down menu and we’ll show you everywhere to donate in that vicinity. You can click on the various organizations to see donation details, and check out their website to see if their cause is something that fits with you, too.
We feature nonprofits, literacy charities, libraries, and used bookstores where you can exchange your books. America is a nation of the great novel, and the more books we can save and pass on, the richer everyone will be.
Best Places to Donate Books Nationwide
If your town isn’t on the map, first – let us know if there are any great organizations we’ve left off! Below we’ve listed some well-known organizations that have branches nationwide or allow you to donate by shipping books to their address.
Operation Paperback
Operation paperback allows you to donate with a personal touch, sending the books out to their new recipients yourself. Operation Paperback is remarkable for their impressive mission statement alone: since 1999 it has sent over 2.2 million books to veterans, serving US military, and their families at home.
Books Through Bars
Books Through Bars is a non-profit that provides books to adults who are in prison. It can be one of the best places if you have books in categories that are in high demand, including many genres of fiction, and also reference books, how-to and self help.
Kids Need to Read
If you’re looking for one of the places to donate books aimed at children, then Kids Need to Read is a fantastic choice, as they make sure the books go straight into the hands of underprivileged kids via donations to schools and community programs. It is perfect for books that are in ‘like new’ condition, and which are suitable for children – check the website for further details on what is considered an appropriate donation.
Bookmooch
Bookmooch is one of the most rewarding places to donate books, because it also allows you to get a book in return if you want it for every book you donate. This makes Bookmooch one of our best places where you can donate children’s books, allowing you to donate books your child has grown out of and receive new books they want instead, as well as also enabling you to donate kids’ books to charities that Bookmooch provides books to.
Paperback Swap
Join Paperback Swap and you can list the books you’d like to donate, and someone who wants them will request to have them sent to them. You then get points you can use to receive used books you want yourself (though you don’t have to use these if you’d rather just clear out your old books!)
Title Trader
Title Trader is another of the interesting new places to donate your old books where you can receive the books you want back via a points system. These can be good if you want your books to go to somebody who wants your specific titles, and also want to have the option to get different books to replace the ones you no longer want. Recycling books in this way gets more use out of every book, and also helps people who can’t afford all the new books they want to gain access to more books.