Recycle and Donate — Books

Ok, we know there are still a few holdouts who like the look, feel and smell of a real book. But once you’ve experienced the lightness and ease of electronic book readers, it’s really hard to go back to the real thing. The convenience of having hundreds of books, magazines and newspapers in a single device? Never mind that a couple of them also hold connection to the Internet, movies, television and games. I mean, who cares about a library? 

Okay, I know Smart Structures care more than any other type about their books. And even though you’d think tactile and sensing types like Classics and Funs would be more into the physical smell and feel of a book, their practical natures will often embrace the ease and commonsense of e-readers before the big picture types.

So far, it’s those Smarts and Organics who have the most trouble making the switch. Organics have such important and lovely memories associated with their books and often times think of them as friends, while the Smarts see them as a visual representation of their intelligence and the breadth of their intellectual competence.

But, unless those books are hardcover? Ugh. Get rid of them. (Or make your Smart Structure spouse store them in a basement, attic or storage facility…at least the paperbacks!!) If you are blessed to be not be living with a biblioholic, then here’s where to put them: 

1. Donate. Your local library, churches, daycare centers, schools, etc.  are all great places for donating your books. There are also organizations, like Better World Books, who pay for shipping and use your books for worldwide literacy projects. Got Books will pick up your book donations and even work with you to create fundraising projects. Definitely worth checking out. The Children’s Book Projects helps disadvantage kids learn how to read.

2. Recycle. When it comes to paperbacks? It’s really the best thing you can do. Book Destruction recycles books into new paper. Green Earth Book Recyclers works with Book Destruction to collect used textbooks from college students for recycling.

3. Sell. Much easier to do in the age of the Internet. Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and eBay’s Half.com all let you sell your books directly to a buyer. You pay for shipping. Blue Rectangle, We Buy Your Books, and Powell’s among others will buy your books directly from you.

4. Book swaps. Both Kelly and I are introverts and while we think that books take up much too much coveted space in New York City, unless it’s a clothing swap we’re just not that into it. But there are plenty of you extroverted book lovers out there so here are some sites that can help get you started. Bookins, Book Crossing, and Paperback Swap.