You can donate books at many local and national organizations, and the best choice depends on whether you want them resold for charity, given directly to readers, or reused in the community.

Fast local options

These are the easiest “drive up and drop off” choices in most cities.

  • Thrift charities such as Goodwill and The Salvation Army , which resell books to fund job training, addiction recovery, and other social programs.
  • Local charity shops (for example, Oxfam book and charity shops in the UK) that use book sales to support anti-poverty work and community projects.
  • Public libraries, which may add recent titles to their collection or sell them at used-book sales to raise funds; always call ahead to check what they accept.

Give directly to readers

If you want your books to go straight into people’s hands, these are strong options.

  • Little Free Library boxes in neighborhoods, where anyone can “take a book, share a book”; there are now over 200,000 registered boxes in 128 countries.
  • Local schools, shelters, community centers, or retirement homes that accept age-appropriate books to stock small libraries or reading rooms (often especially interested in children’s and large-print titles).
  • Specialized literacy nonprofits such as Kids Need to Read or Reader to Reader that focus on underserved schools and communities and often seek gently used children’s or educational books.

Special-purpose donations

Some organizations focus on particular groups or kinds of books.

  • Prison book programs and groups like Books Through Bars, which send requested books to people who are incarcerated.
  • Military-focused programs such as Books for Soldiers / Operation Paperback, which ship used books to deployed troops, veterans, and military families.
  • Book resellers with donation programs, such as Better World Books, which place drop boxes in many areas and use sale profits to fund literacy initiatives worldwide.

How to find places “near me”

Because options vary a lot by city, it helps to do a quick local check.

  • Search maps or local listings for phrases like “book donation,” “charity shop,” “thrift store,” or “Little Free Library” along with your town name.
  • Check your city website or local Facebook/Reddit groups; people often share up-to-date spots that are actively accepting books.

Tips before you donate

Making a quick plan ensures your books actually get used and not recycled.

  • Donate clean, gently used books with no mold, heavy damage, or extensive writing (unless an organization explicitly allows it).
  • Check age and type limits: many groups prefer books published in roughly the last 10–20 years and may not accept encyclopedias, old textbooks, or magazines.
  • Call or email first if you have many boxes so the organization can confirm they have space and need for your particular mix of titles.

If you share your country or city and roughly what kinds of books you have (kids’ books, textbooks, novels, etc.), a more tailored list of nearby options can be suggested.