What should I do with worthless books?

elsmandino

Hello.


I am having a bit of a clean out at the moment and going through lots of old books that have accumulated over the years.


I have been checking everything with a few apps on my phone (Webuyandbooks, Zapper and Ziffit) and about 20% are actually worth something - most are a few pence but some surprisingly more than that.


The problem is that the 80% are truly worthless (i.e. on the basis that non of the abovementioned apps attribute them any value) and I was wondering what I should do with them.


Is there anywhere I might donate them?


I really want to avoid taking them to the tip, if possible, as it just seems wrong, somehow - not only because I will be chucking out some old university books that originally cost well over £50.00 but even the cheapy fiction ones seem to deserve better than being pulped.

EachPenny

elsmandino wrote: »

Is there anywhere I might donate them?

I really want to avoid taking them to the tip, if possible, as it just seems wrong, somehow - not only because I will be chucking out some old university books that originally cost well over £50.00 but even the cheapy fiction ones seem to deserve better than being pulped.

You could try your local library, lots of them have book sales to raise funds (especially if volunteer run).


The other option is a site like Freecycle, especially for the university ones.

missile

Several places near me have free book exchange. Try your local community centre, church etc.

silvercar

Offer them on Facebook local groups.

MovingForwards

Charity shops

pollypenny

Share them out among charity shops. If you are in a city, choose one in a student area.

Ted_Bloke

Yes take them to the charity shop, I have taken a number to Oxfam. Take them to a shop where they are likely to find a good home e.g. for more academic books, the right area as was suggested.

The only trouble was when I go there I see books on sale that I think I need to read. And this is very tempting because you think, yes, no, and in favour of yes is they are very cheap, and if I don't get it now I will never see that book again. And I'm sorry about more than one book that I missed at the time and will never see again. Whereas if I had got them could always have given them away again after extracting the juice.

vansboy

Charity shops, as they will either sell or send for paper recycling.


Main loss by doing this, is to the author doesn't get his royalties, when the shop re-sell his/her work.


VB

kerri_gt

My first stop would be Freegle / Freecycle but even if you do end up taking them for recycling at the tip and they are pulped, they are still going on to become something else of use. Your uni books got you through uni, and if they are recycled into something else, they'll still go on being useful just in a different guise.

scottishblondie

Charity shops. If you live near a uni there may be an Oxfam book shop that will gladly take the academic texts. Otherwise try your local Freecycle I expect someone would take them.

Hoploz

Individuals can sell on Amazon, Not sure what the procedure is but might be worth looking into if houre keen for them to be re-used rather than recycled. Presumably the book is already for sale and you'd be added as another seller at x price.