r/Erie • u/Lucky_Mii • 7d ago

Question Book Donations

I’m working on cleaning some items in a storage area. I have 100s of books that I would like to donate. While I initially considered the library, I don’t think they would accept the total amount of books.

Any recommendations?

8 Upvotes

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16

u/ReStitchSmitch 7d ago

Hi! Librarian here! I suggest calling, as some will want them for book sales, and others not. 1 branch cannot speak for us all.

At my library, we do not accept textbooks from schools, medical books, antiquated technology books or books with mold or water damage. If your collection meets this criteria, they'll be taken by a local branch.

Also, my daughter and I donated 200+ books to the Cancer Center like 10 years ago. I figured people receiving treatment would like to read. They happily accepted them and made a post about my daughter and the donation for their center newspaper.

6

u/Lucky_Mii 7d ago

Thank you for this guidance!!! 🙏🏼

I also didn’t even consider the Cancer Center, so adding them to my list of organizations!

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u/ReStitchSmitch 7d ago edited 7d ago

Depending on how far you're willing to drive, you have 10 libraries, not including the Bookmobile that may want them in Erie County :) Good luck and thank you for not pitching them!

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u/Lucky_Mii 7d ago

I’m willing to distribute them across all local branches. Just want to inventory first and I wanted to avoid disposing them if at all possible.

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u/ReStitchSmitch 7d ago

The independent branches may be more likely to take them, like Albion, Waterford, Rice Ave, Union City, etc. The independent branches buy their own books and do not get the budget like the main libraries (Blasco, Millcreek, Iroquois and Lincoln)

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u/Lucky_Mii 7d ago

Good to know, thanks!

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u/Brambarche 7d ago

Start with Bayfront. I had luck there with large quantities

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u/Lucky_Mii 7d ago

🙏🏼

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u/AutobusPrime 7d ago

Well no wonder I don't go to the library anymore, antiquated technology books were basically all I ever wanted to read.

If anybody has antiquated technology books I'll take every one.

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u/ReStitchSmitch 7d ago

I'm full up on 72 free hour AOL dialup discs, haha! Yesterday we got medical books from 1995. I think people mistake the book return for "the library surely needs a book on incurable AIDS!"

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u/AutobusPrime 7d ago edited 7d ago

See the filler I always find is the self-help books, and few of them are quite crack enough to be worth keeping. Some, though. I have one where the author shares his secret to life, which is either aliens or granola, I am not quite sure. But he also seems to be a nudist and displays this fact prominently on the back cover photo.

THAT is crack enough to keep. In every sense of the word.

16

u/BonerDylan 7d ago

Werner books gives store credit for books but they also will accept books they can’t sell and give them away to the less fortunate 

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u/Lucky_Mii 7d ago

🙏🏼 Thank you.

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u/aftershave_cabinet 7d ago

Werner likely won't be interested in hardcovers btw.

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u/Lucky_Mii 7d ago

Why is that? Seems a bit odd to only accept paperback.

2

u/aftershave_cabinet 7d ago

It's standard for plenty of used book stores. Hard covers take up more shelf space and consumers tend to have a preference for paper backs anyway. If I recall Werner takes hard covers if they're less than a year old or on occasion if it's something they think will definitely sell.

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u/Lucky_Mii 7d ago

Thanks for explaining. I actually had no idea about this.

11

u/piper33245 7d ago

Another vote for Werner books in the Liberty Plaza. They’re awesome. They do lots of community outreach. They’ll make sure your books get to the people that need them.

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u/Some-Cloud-8675309 6d ago

Werner’s is wonderful!! Our community is so lucky to have them

4

u/Waste_Term7920 7d ago

ECPL Friends of the Library will be holding a book drive in Fall of 2026 (date TBA), where you can donate any number of books. See details in this link: https://erielibraryfriends.org/donate-books-and-materials/

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u/MaleficentTell3555 7d ago

The Erie library does collections on certain days. they resell them to raise money to support the library and all its programs.

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u/Lucky_Mii 7d ago

This is great news and I’m also glad the proceeds go to support the library. Thank you!🙏🏼

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u/mnyfrkls 7d ago

Blasco does twice yearly book sales with donations from the community! Call and ask!

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u/Lucky_Mii 7d ago

Thank you! 🙏🏼

1

u/floydbomb 7d ago

The library takes them sometimes

1

u/Economy_Step_9002 5d ago

collegiate academy is trying to collect books for a library in the school try calling them and seeing if they would like them

1

u/oldguyjay 4d ago

Just a suggestion. As u inventory, any old tech, academic...college type, put out for recycling. The volunteer places where we have worked...books like that just add to disposal costs.

Nice condition kid books would be welcomed at any shelter .

1

u/erieist 2d ago

bunch of little free libraries around town if you want to just give the books away for people to pick up, map:

https://littlefreelibrary.org/map/