Today, we’ll discuss one of the most popular ways of decluttering: giving your old books a new life by donating them to other people and organizations. This post will be helpful if you have a few (or many reads) you want to get rid of in bulk without a hassle.

We already covered New York when we discussed the best places to sell books in the area. Today, we’ll focus on the local organizations and online resources that accept book donations in New York City and surrounding areas.

There are numerous organizations and places where you can donate books that will be put to good use, whether these are libraries, charities, hospitals, local non-governmental organizations, or local educational programs and homeschooling groups. In this guide, we prepared two lists—one with local places and another with online alternatives—that will help you find the perfect place and a new home for your old copies.

1. Local Places to Donate Books in New York
2. Online Alternatives for Donating Books
3. FAQs
   • What types of books can I donate?
   • Can I donate textbooks?
   • Do I need to organize my titles?
   • How do I donate books in NYC?
   • Are there book donation centers in Staten Island or Brooklyn?
   • Is there a tax benefit for donating books in NYC?
4. How to Sell Your Books in NY: An Alternative to Donating

Local Places to Donate Books in New York

We’ll start with the list of the organizations and stores that accept book donations.

Housing Works Bookstore Café

Address: 126 Crosby St, New York, NY 10012
Website: Housing Works Bookstore Café

Housing Works is a nonprofit that provides services to those affected by HIV/AIDS. They fight to “create the change needed to end the AIDS epidemic and homelessness crisis.” The organization accepts various donations, but their bookstore café welcomes books in good salable condition (even those prior to publication advanced reader copies), which are sold to raise funds for their programs.

They do not accept items in poor condition, with markings or excessive wear, damaged by water or mildew, or missing pages, textbooks, encyclopedias, etc. They can refuse any donations that do not meet their standards. You can bring your donations into the bookstore from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends. For more information, please contact them in advance.

The New York Public Library (NYPL)

Address: Various locations across NYC
Website: NYPL

Currently, The New York Public Library doesn’t accept book donations until further notice. However, they make exceptions for specific titles: “For donations of rare books, manuscripts, and other unique material to the Research Libraries, please send an email to gifts@nypl.org.” Contact them in advance regarding your request.

The Strand

Address: 828 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
Website: Strand

We already covered the Strand—a “Legendary Home of 18 Miles of Books” and the largest (and oldest remaining) used/antiquarian book store in NYC—when we discussed book-selling options in New York, and in this review, we couldn’t but mention it, too.

Famous for its vast collection of books, we know they have a buyback program, so you can definitely offer to sell your books to them. However, it’s unclear whether they accept book donations. We encourage you to contact the store and inquire about their donation options.

Greenlight Bookstore

Address: 686 Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Website: Greenlight Bookstore

Greenlight Bookstore is an independent bookstore in Brooklyn. While it accepts donation requests from local schools and nonprofit organizations, we’re not sure about its donation policy.

You can ask them directly by sending an email to info@greenlightbookstore.com or visiting in person.

The Brooklyn Public Library

Address: Various locations across Brooklyn, NY
Website: The Brooklyn Public Library

The Brooklyn Public Library “no longer accepts donations of books and other materials from the public for its collections at its neighborhood libraries.” However, they accept financial donations if you want to help them raise funds for various library programs.

Books Through Bars

Address: 123 Columbia St, Brooklyn, NY
Website: Books Through Bars

Books Through Bars is an “all volunteer-run group that sends free, donated books to incarcerated people across the nation!” They collect books for incarcerated individuals in New York state. They focus on providing educational resources, novels, and self-help books.

Donations can be dropped off at various locations in NYC or mailed. Please keep in mind that they don’t accept hardcovers and don’t make pick-ups. Your used English dictionaries, Spanish/English dictionaries, and thesauruses will be most welcome. The full list of accepted titles can be found on their website.

The Salvation Army—Greater New York Division

Address: Various locations in New York
Website: The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army in NYC, as well as other locations across the country, accepts donations of books, clothing, appliances, and other goods. You can check the full list on their website.

To get the details about the process, call your local donation center. They sell donated stuff in thrift stores and use funds to support community services and various programs.

Reading Reflections

Address: New York City, Woodbury, and Stony Brook
Website: Reading Reflections

“Reading Reflections saw the tremendous need for books both locally and in impoverished areas globally, so had to step in.” They accept donations of children’s and young adult books, which they further distribute to schools, organizations, and social workers in need, both in New York and overseas.

You can make a donation through drop-off locations. For larger donations,  schedule a pick-up.

Staten Island Libraries—Todt Hill-Westerleigh Library

Address: 2550 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10314

The Todt Hill-Westerleigh Library is one of the branches of The New York Public Library. You can also contact them to inquire about the possibility of book donations in the area. If they don’t do it, check out other Staten Island locations.

Reach Out and Read NYC

Address: Pick up from you
Website: Reach Out and Read NYC

Reach Out and Read NYC is part of a nationwide initiative that introduces books to children during pediatric visits. They accept donations of baby and children’s literature and distribute it further to families at pediatric offices. If you have something to donate, simply fill out the online form on their website to schedule a pick-up.

East Village Books NYC

Address: 99 Saint Marks Place between First Ave. & Ave. A, NY
Website: East Village Books NYC

We’ve already covered this store when we listed the places for buyback in NY. This shop also accepts donations: “If you would like to donate books, perhaps because a librarian at one of the New York Public Library branches referred you, we can work with you on this.”

They are specifically interested in art and photography books, philosophy, mathematics, religion, occult, esoterica, new age, counter-culture, left/radical, critical theory, music, literary fiction, and a long list of other titles. Make sure you send photos of your literature (spines) to eastvillagebooksny@aol.com before you come in person.

Westsider Rare & Used Books Inc.

Address: 2246 Broadway, New York, NY, 1002
Website: Westsider Rare & Used Books

This store buys books back for cash or store credit and also accepts donations. If you’re willing to give away your old copies of fiction for free, contact the owner. However, keep in mind that they don’t accept textbooks, travel guides, Dummies Guides, encyclopedias, Reader’s Digests, Time Life, or magazines.

Also, if you have damaged or annotated books, you might better send them to recycling right away. To get more details, call them or bring your items in after 12 p.m.

ReLIT NY

Address: New York, NY

ReLIT NY (Read, Recycle, Repeat Literature In Transit) is a reading and recycling program that brings free books to New York’s commuters.

They leave all sorts of free literature at major subway stations so that everyone can read them. Apparently, donating is easy with ReLIT: you can simply leave your used books at their stand at subway stations.

The Book Fairies

Address: 70 N Main St, Freeport, NY 11520
Website: The Book Fairies

The Book Fairies is a charitable organization dedicated to spreading the joy of reading by collecting and distributing literature to those in need. They accept a wide range of books, including children’s literature, fiction, cookbooks, and textbooks (up to 10 years old).

They also offer pick-up services for larger donations in Long Island and Eastern Queens. Check their map of drop-off locations to find the closest to you.

The Book Cellar

Address: 1465 York Ave, New York, NY 10075
Website: The Book Cellar NYC

The Book Cellar is managed by the Friends of the Webster Library. It’s a nice used bookstore with a great selection of titles for all ages, from children’s readers to classics, comics, and modern fiction and nonfiction. They accept book donations; however, make sure your copies are in very good condition—hardcovers with dust jackets, no yellowed pages, underlining, or writing inside.

Also, be ready to take home everything that they refuse to accept, as they don’t dispose of books themselves. If this happens, you can prepare by reading our guide on recycling books and textbooks.

Room to Grow

Address: South Bronx Family Center: 424 East 147th Street, Floor 5, Bronx, NY 10455
Website: Room to Grow

This nonprofit organization helps low-income families with young children. They accept donations of baby, toddler, board, and picture books in English and Spanish. To donate, you can drop off items at their Bronx location.

Schedule a drop-off meeting, mail them to the provided address, or request a pick-up (keep in mind that it’s not free: there’s a $100 charge).

Online Alternatives for Donating Books

Apart from the local places in the New York area, there are also organizations that accept literature countywide. We’ve already given you a list of places where you can donate used books in the U.S. Here are just a few you can use locally.

Better World Books

Website: Better World Books

Better World Books doesn’t need an introduction. The organization accepts book donations via boxes across the U.S. and uses them to promote literacy. Then, books are sold online, and a portion of the funds goes to support various initiatives. Check their website for more information.

Book Mooch

Website: Book Mooch

This is a global book exchange system and a community-driven website that allows you to exchange used books. So, you sort of give them away for free, but the process is a bit different, and you’re in a win-win situation. You send your books to others, and in return, you earn points to request books.

Give Back Box

Website: Give Back Box

Give Back Box allows you to donate books to various charities by shipping boxes. In your case, you can give away a box of your unwanted books. You go to their website, choose a charity, fill a box with books, and send it for free. “Your boxed donations can now be dropped off at

any Kohl’s location using your smartphone and a QR code.”

World Literacy Foundation

Website: World Literacy Foundation

Finally, The World Literacy Foundation offers that you “Donate today and open a world of possibilities for a child.” You can send them your old copies that will find their way to schools, libraries, and children in need around the world.

FAQs

1. What types of books can I donate?

Most bookstores and organizations accept gently used books in good condition. Children’s books, fiction, and non-fiction are always welcome.

2. Can I donate textbooks?

While many places accept all sorts of books, some organizations may have specific needs or restrictions and do not take in textbooks, encyclopedias, or very old or worn books. Also, avoid donating damaged, moldy, or heavily underlined items.

3. Do I need to organize my titles?

You can organize your books by genre or size to help the receiving party sort and distribute them more easily, making the donation process smoother.

4. How do I donate books in NYC?

As we’ve mentioned earlier, you can either visit the many stores, libraries, or drop-off locations around the city yourself, or mail your books, or schedule a pick-up. For each specific case, check each organization’s guidelines and working hours.

5. Are there book donation centers in Staten Island or Brooklyn?

Sure. Staton Island has 13 New York Public Library locations. There’s also the Brooklyn Public Library. And there are plenty of charities across these areas that accept books.

6. Is there a tax benefit for donating books in NYC?

Most organizations provide tax receipts for donations, which can be claimed on your taxes. IRS Publication 526 (2023), Charitable Contributions, states that “Generally, you can deduct contributions of money or property you make to, or for the use of, a qualified organization.” and “You can deduct your contributions only if you make them to a qualified organization.”

So, if you donate books to an organization that fits this description, you can qualify for a tax deduction. However, please note that this is not a piece of legal advice, and you need to consult your tax specialist for a comprehensive answer.

How to Sell Your Books in NY: An Alternative to Donating

If you aren’t ready to part with your used books for free, you can sell them to thrift bookstores and online platforms with buyback programs.

You can always go to BookScouter to find the best offers all in one place. It’s a great price comparison platform to sell, buy, and rent used books. It’s a convenient buyback resource finder as it offers comparisons of prices from different vendors (30+) and can be used both by users who sell their books from time to time and seasoned scouts (you can check our  BookScouter Pro Tools review to get all the details).

If you’re looking to make a bit of money from your old textbooks, educational materials, or even trade paperbacks you no longer need, BookScouter should be on your list of resources.

We  also recommend checking out our previous articles about the best local buyback places and online resources in Atlanta, Ashburn, Denver, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Diego, Boston, and Seattle.