Do you have some books lying around that have reached the last chapter of their time with you? Well, If you’re looking to pass some of your gently used books on to deserving organizations, and you’re located in Vancouver, here you can find where, when and how to donate your books!
Books For Me!
Donation Type: Drop off, book drive
Location: 3547 West 26th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6S 1N6
Hours: Email them before dropping off, they don’t accept walk-ins
Type of Books Accepted: Children’s books, baby books
Website: Books For Me Vancouver
How to Donate
Books For Me! generally require donors to hold specialized book drives, but they will also accept donations of large quantities of books if they’re in “excellent” condition.
If you have a good few boxes of kids’ books to donate, or if you want to help collect even more and hold a book drive, we recommend reaching out to them via their email: booksformevancouver@gmail.com
Why We Love Books For Me!
This literacy charity inserts themselves directly in the Vancouver community, bringing books to elementary schools and allowing children to build their own libraries by choosing books they’d like to read. The charity also runs programs at neighborhood houses and community centres across the city.
This is a great service for kids who maybe don’t have the access to books that they should.
Hosting a book drive can also be a great way to help contribute to this awesome cause.
Vancouver General Hospital Thrift Store
Donation Type: Drop off
[Primary] Location: 2535 E. Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V5C 2H6
Hours: 11am-4pm Mon-Sat
Type of Books Accepted: Most types of books
Type of Books Not Accepted: Textbooks and encyclopedias
Website: VGH Thrift Store
How to Donate
Just bring your books boxed or bagged up to their location on E. Hastings Street during opening hours.
Why We Love VGH Thrift Store
This is a great example of book donations benefiting a community. The VGH Thrift Store will use profits from selling items at the store to purchase important machines to help both the hospital and patients, such as wheelchairs for the rehab centre, and emergency clothing for patients.
Friends of Vancouver Public Library
Donation Type: Drop off (up to 3 full boxes at a time)
Store Location: book’mark, The Library Store, 350 West Georgia St.
Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-5:30pm; Sat 10am-4pm
Type of Books Accepted: Any English or French language books in good condition
Type of Books Not Accepted: Magazines, textbooks, encyclopedias, foreign language books besides English and French, spiral bound books
Website: Friends of VPL
How to Donate
Bring your books in reusable bags or boxes to the Friends bookstore at the main library. There is a 3 box limit, but there is no limit for donating to the annual book drive, which is generally held at the end of summer.
The library states that you can’t drop off at any other locations, so please use the Central Library only!
Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver
Donation Type: Pick up from you
Location: Regular pickups in the Lower Mainland
Type of Books Accepted: Mostly all kinds of books
Type of Books Not Accepted: Magazines and encyclopedias
Website: Book a pick up on their site
How to Donate
Use their scheduling tool to arrange a suitable pick up time for your books. Big Brothers regularly pick up books as well as other items from you directly.
They’ll sell your books in their secondhand stores and raise money for important mentoring and mental health programs.
North Shore Recycling
Donation Type: Drop off
Location: Metrotower III, 4515 Central Boulevard, Burnaby, BC, V5H 0C6
Hours: Mon-Fri 5:30am-6pm, Sat 8am-6pm; Sun 9am-5pm
Type of Books Accepted: Any books in good condition
Website: Metro Vancouver Recycling
How to Donate
This is a great initiative: the North Shore waste and recycling centre actually has bins where you can bring your books and they’ll be redistributed to charities throughout the city. We wish more waste centres had initiatives like this!
Neighbourhood Book Exchanges
Donation Type: Drop off, Trade/exchange
Location: 40+ locations around Vancouver, see the map below
Website: See the map
How to Donate
These book nooks have popped up all over Vancouver, mostly on the East side. This is a really cool map that charts all the locations. Take one, give one!
I hope this has left you with all the information you need to give your books a deserving new home, and happy donating!
Cover Image: Little Free Library in Vancouver, BC by Ksenia Makagonova
Thanks for the very handy site, Tom!