| Promote reading in your community, reduce clutter | | | | donated reading material for the military. |
| around your home and your contribution of waste to | | | | * Trading in at the used bookstore is one of our |
| the landfill, save a buck and benefit a charity while | | | | favorite past-times. It feels good to support a local |
| you are at it. Just how are you supposed to do all | | | | store that focuses on 'reuse'. The trouble is our shelf |
| this? Well, it is actually quite simple. Go through your | | | | is filled once again when we return with bundles of |
| closets and bookshelves and look for all the used | | | | 'new' books to read! |
| books and magazines that you no longer read. | | | | * Get involved in exchange loops with friends, family |
| Families that have moved repeatedly know the curse | | | | or co-workers. By doing this, we have found |
| of hoarding is best avoided if at all possible. Moving | | | | ourselves exposed to all sorts of subjects and writing |
| literally hundreds of pounds of them certainly | | | | styles that we may not have picked up ourselves. |
| prompted us to systematically read our books once | | | | * Using the Key Words "Book Swap" in a search |
| each and then decide whether it was a "keeper" or | | | | engine reveals many places online where one can |
| not. | | | | trade used books. |
| Management of used books and magazines is a very | | | | * Leave a box of books near your door for guests |
| environmental and community conscious thing for | | | | to riffle through and have their pick. This way you |
| people to participate in. Extending the life of books | | | | don't have to remember to trot out the box when |
| and magazines is easily accomplished by taping the | | | | people are visiting. |
| binding and edges of the covers. This repairs any | | | | * Donate to any fund raising event held by schools, |
| damages, prevents wear and tear, and increases the | | | | churches or non-profit groups. |
| value because it is nicer looking. | | | | * Sell, or give away in a garage sale. We always |
| There are many options for you to consider for used | | | | offer free stuff when we have a garage sale. One |
| books and magazines: | | | | day we set out a box of magazines, thinking we |
| * Donating to any library is a good idea. Even well | | | | would be lucky to see half of them off. One of the |
| read publications are appreciated. If they do not | | | | first bargain hunters happily scooped up the entire |
| make it to the library bookshelf, they will be sold in | | | | box. She couldn't believe her luck. |
| their annual fund-raising book sale. There are many | | | | * Many waiting rooms (doctor, lawyer, accountant |
| kinds of libraries to consider aside from public ones - | | | | and banking offices) and staff lunchrooms accept |
| including church libraries, retirement home libraries, | | | | donated reading materials. |
| coffee shops and mobile libraries. | | | | * Consider hospitals - their patients have to do |
| * Consider participating in Book Crossing - a charming | | | | something healthier than staring at a TV. |
| way to encourage reading and create a connection | | | | * A Local Literacy program. |
| with the community. This program requests that | | | | * Coffee shops are another great place to try. |
| people register their used book, place an informative | | | | * Shelters for the poor or disadvantaged, Women's |
| label on it and leave it at a common destination place | | | | shelters and missions are other places to consider for |
| (i.e. bus stop). Individuals that pick up the book visit | | | | your donations. There are a number of less-privileged |
| the website and describe where they found it and | | | | areas (i.e. Africa) that are hungry for our used school |
| where they decided to leave it for the next person | | | | and university books in particular. In keeping with this |
| to read. It can be quite interesting to see how far | | | | topic, using the key words 'book donation' in a search |
| the book travels! | | | | engine turns up pages of places to donate to. |
| * The Operation Paperback Organization accepts | | | | |