Is it possible to recycle books in another way besides tossing them in a bin? I hate to throw away books, but I'm moving soon and do not want the clutter. They might have to go in the trash if I don't find a way to get rid of them. Oh ... and I already checked the library - these are older books/novels, and they don't just accept anything at the libraries anymore. Thanks for any suggestions!

Salvation Army, Thrift Stores, put them outside with a sign that says "FREE "

If you have any other libraries (other than the one you checked), don't give up on that one. I donated several boxes of outdated textbooks and other academic reading material to the university library when I left my last job...my library didn't actually need those books BUT they were collecting books to help libraries in third-world countries build their collections (and some of the books were earmarked for replacing books lost following severe flooding at the Colorado State University library. I donated still more books a few years later to a drive to rebuild some of the academic libraries destroyed by hurricane Katrina.

One branch of my local library has "honor paperbacks"...several stacks devoted to older paperback novels (including romance novels) donated by patrons...these books aren't cataloged and anyone can come in and take as many as they like with the stipulation that they return the books (or donate an equivalent number of replacements) at some point!

The "free books" strategy works too...professors often do this with older books they no longer need in their personal library...I can usually find at least one stack like this somewhere in the hallway and it usually disappears within a few days. I did something similar with about 500 paperback romance novels I had before I moved...big box on the curb with the word "Free"...within three days, the box (and everything in it) was gone.

Thrift shops are another good idea...I did this with even more paperback romance novels...but all the ones I found in Denver limited donations of paperbacks to two boxes...I had about 10 boxes so after I donated to a few different shops, I put the rest in the "free to good home" box.

Another possibility is one I hinted at in the first paragraph...libraries may be overcrowded in America but in MANY less-developed countries, they are hungry for books. For illustration purposes only, consider http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/books_bookaid.php ...they collect used Christian books and provide them to bookstores in foreign countries that can't afford to buy new books and sell them for a price the population can afford to pay. If you have any "self-help" books or other Christian reading material in your collection, you can probably find any number of churches in your area that would love to take them off your hands either for their own library or for a mission. When my mom passed away, we donated her entire collection of Christian books to her church...they used them to create a library for members (and guests) that, in 10 years, has grown to nearly 8,000 volumes!

You are not meant to throw books away! :O
You should give them away, maybe to a charity shop or maybe sell them if you can, on the Internet or something.

HAVE YOU TRIED CHECKING WITH NURSING HOME AND THAT SORT OF PLACES. I'VE TOOK MAGAZINES TO SOME BEFORE AND THEY TOOK THEM

I thought you might be interested in this site I found, www.PaperBackSwap.com. It's an online book swapping club for book lovers all over the country. If you want to find out more, just click the link below and it takes you to an interactive demo that explains how things work.

http://www.paperbackswap.com/help/how_to_swap_books.php

Enjoy!

Take them to Goodwill or try to re-sell them at Half Price Books.

Where do you live? I work at a library and we take all kinds of books. We either use them for our library of have a sale for the students to purchase books really cheap. The students love it!!

If you are near me I will be glad to take them off of your hands.

dcoder

I'm not sure about all libraries, but Cobb County Library will take your used books and give you a tax deductable reciept. They sell the used books at a big book sale at Jim R. Miller Park in Marietta every so often and use the money to add/improve computers and add books.