What do you do with books when you've finished reading them?

Discussion in Books, eBooks & Audio Books started by WitchyPop • Mar 8, 2013.

  1. WitchyPop

    WitchyPopMember

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    I am in a book club and every year we collect unwanted books from our members. After they've been sorted into who they would be suitable for, we donate them to any organisation that would like them e.g. nursing homes, men and women's shelters, rehab centres and The Salvation Army. It's isn't a huge job but is a great way to clear out your cupboards (and make room for more books!) but more importantly gives people in need the joy of reading.
    Just thought I would pass this on to give other avid readers an idea.
     
  2. ACSAPA

    ACSAPAWell-Known Member

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    I donate them to my local public library and they sell them in their Sale Room to raise money for the library.
    Or I trade them in at the used bookstore for credit toward buying other books. I like your idea of donating them directly to rehab centers where people can use and enjoy them. I'll look into places in my community that might need books. Thank you for sharing.
     
  3. Linky

    LinkyExpert

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    We donate used books to various charities, schools, libraries, hospitals and/or old age homes. It is a great way to keep the books circulating. That book you enjoyed so much can be enjoyed by someone else.
     
  4. Parker

    ParkerWell-Known Member

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    I also donate my used books to the public library. They sell the donated books for much needed funds for the library. It's a great way to support my local library.
     
  5. Pat

    PatWell-Known Member

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    I purchase books from the library and return them to the library when I have finished reading them so that they can be sold again. I also donate books to the goodwill store.

    My daughter has a hair salon at a home for the aged, she take books to the salon to share with her clients.
     
  6. vpresson

    vpressonWell-Known Member

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    I usually give my books away to friends or family that want to read them or donate them to good will or a local library or I sell them online
     
  7. WitchyPop

    WitchyPopMember

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    It's great to see that other people recycle their books too and help their community at the same time!
     
  8. mrsgeedee

    mrsgeedeeActive Member

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    I still have my books here on my book shelves. I'm still not ready to give them all away or donate them. I let friends borrow them though. But when they return it, I put it back to their respective shelves. It's a collection for me. At the moment, I don't want to give it away yet.
     
  9. Anna Blush

    Anna BlushActive Member

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    I think that based off of these responses I will definitely start considering to give them to a Goodwill or a charity that is near me. That sounds like a really good way to give back to the community and to keep the amazing novels circling around. I hope I can get my family to do this as well. We have been piling books up in the attics closet for years now. I think it is finally time to let them go.Haha.
     
  10. Parker

    ParkerWell-Known Member

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    I have stopped loaning books to friends unless I'm ready to let them good. It must be my friends, but I never get my books back!
     
  11. marvelz

    marvelzActive Member

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    That's a very good thing to do for other people. Nice job!

    I always keep my old books, even though I don't read them again for a while, I do always get around to picking them up again and reading them at least one more time. We do have a lot of old books lying about in the loft somewhere stored in cardboard boxes but I won't be doing a clean out for a while, yet. There is just too much stuff to get through. When I do, though, I'll keep in mind about donating them to local places like nursing homes, shelters and other places.
     
  12. MakingCents

    MakingCentsActive Member

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    Some books that I know I won't read again I donate to the church rummage sale every year or sell to half-priced books. Others that are series I collect or books I may read again then I keep them and put them on my bookshelf in my room.
     
  13. Ryder13

    Ryder13Active Member

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    If I decide that after reading the book I do not have a permanent place for it on my shelves then most of the time I donate to my library, which I love and use on a weekly basis. The library here sells it for a small bit of money. I feel too that I am supporting my library in a small way and recycling the book.
    I have downsized the library over the past few years. Just got too big for the space I had. I regret not keeping a few of those downsized books, I have to say.
    Ryder13
     
  14. Sandra Piddock

    Sandra PiddockExpert

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    Here in Spain, there are a lot of book exchanges, where you take in a sued book, pay 1 Euro and come away with a different, good quality used book. Some book exchanges are run for charity, and others as a business, and I'm happy to support local initiatives. I seem to have rather a lot at the moment, so I'll probably sell them at the next car boot sale I do. Occasionally, I get a book that I know I'll want to read again, and I'll keep it, but I recycle nearly all of my fiction books in one way or another.
     
  15. Bloomatic

    BloomaticActive Member

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    Each book is a little gem. I really enjoy my books, even books that have been read several times. I must admit that I am jealous of those pages and I don't like lend them. However, whenever I find the opportunity, I donate books to a small neighborhood library or institution of similar characteristics. My library is small, but those shelves with books mean a lot to me ... Each book is a cornerstone of my symbolic capital. Give a book is to give a piece of existence. :)
     
  16. melovesengland

    melovesenglandMember

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    We also donate it or sometimes pass it to our friends who wants to read the book. We also give it to charity that our local supermarkets are raising.
     
  17. WitchyPop

    WitchyPopMember

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    I must admit I do have some books that I won't part with because they mean too much to me -usually because someone I love gave them to me but sometimes just because the story touched me in someway.
     
  18. ChanellG

    ChanellGActive Member

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    When I'm done with a book it goes on the shelf, lol. The whole point in buying them as opposed to borrowing them from a library is so I can have them. If I don't like a book I may donate it to one of the charities that runs a thrift store or give it to someone who has expressed an interest in wanting to read it. If I really like a book I know more than likely I'll read it again at some point in time.
     
  19. skyby7

    skyby7New Member

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    I put it on my bookshelf, I buy books so I can have them, I keep an organized bookshelf, I dream of having a library one day.

    Sometimes I lend some to friends but I'm very uneasy with lending them because I precariously take care of my books and stuff I own.
     
  20. Libragirl67

    Libragirl67Active Member

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    I usually keep all of the books I have read. I have book shelves in our living room as well as in my bedroom and my kids bedroom. I am glad I got In the habit of saving them. As my eldest son got older he became a real book lover just like me. So he has begun reading all my old Stephen King books and other horror and sci-fi books.

    On occasion we have sold a few of our books when our shelves get to crowded. We tend to sell them at garage sales. And some we give away to friends who are also avid readers. And then we do give to the salvation army at times as well. I really I'm grateful to all the people who donate books to charities such as this. Because I am on a fixed budget. And if it were not for the Salvation army and other thrift stores. I would not be able to afford to buy books. I do go to the library at times. But to own your own book makes it more convienent.