Which Books Can You Donate? A Quick Check Before You Pack
The simple test for any book is this: if it’s readable and someone could happily pick it up tomorrow, we’ll take it. Most of what people clear off their shelves passes easily. Here is what our free doorstep book collection takes, the few things we can’t, and why.
Books
Paperbacks and hardbacks.
Children’s books
Picture books to teen reads.
DVDs
Films and box sets.
CDs
Albums and music.
Welcome in your boxes
Books we collect
We aim to rehome as many books as possible so others can give them a second life. We’re happy to take both fiction and non-fiction, including:
- Paperbacks
- Hardbacks
- Fiction and novels
- Non-fiction
- Cookbooks
- Reference books
- Academic textbooks
- Whole household book collections
You can put these in with your books too:
Children’s books
Picture books, early readers and the stories your children have outgrown. We regularly give children’s books to The Children’s Book Project. More on donating children’s books.
DVDs and films
Films, box sets and series on DVD, packed in with your books.
CDs and music
Albums and music on CD can go in the same box or bag.
Please leave out
Things we can’t take, and why
There are only a few, and each has a reason. We only collect things another person can use. Anything that can’t be reused costs money to get rid of, and that money should be going to charity.
Magazines and comics
We aren’t able to rehome them, so they would only cost money to dispose of.
Instead: pass them to a friend or neighbour, or put them in your council paper recycling.
VHS and cassette tapes
Few people still have a machine to play them on, so we can’t find them new homes.
Instead: offer them to friends or family, or ask your local household recycling centre what it takes.
Records and record players
We don’t collect vinyl records or the players for them.
Instead: someone you know who still plays records may be glad of them.
Bookshelves and CD or DVD racks
These count as furniture, and we don’t collect furniture of any kind. Our drivers take only what they can carry on their own.
Instead: offer them to a neighbour, or ask your council about a bulky item collection.
Wet, mouldy or damaged books
Books with water damage, mould or missing pages can’t be read again. Damp books can also spread mould to everything packed with them.
Instead: check what your council paper recycling accepts.
The full list of everything we can and can’t collect is on what we collect.
Before you pack
Is it good enough to donate?
Books should be in good, new-like condition, and not marked, stamped or drawn in. Run through these four questions:
Is it readable?
The text is clear, with no scribbles, highlighting or stamps.
Is it dry?
No water damage, no warped pages and no mould.
Are all the pages there?
No missing or loose pages, and the cover is still on.
Would you give it to a friend?
If yes, it’s ready to go.
Books are heavy, so pack them in tied bags or boxes a driver can lift on their own. Smaller boxes work best. If you have more than 20 bags or boxes, tell us when you book so we can make sure the van has room.
We can only collect from homes. We can’t collect from schools, libraries or charity shops.
Unsure about one book? Leave it out. One damp book can spoil a whole box of good ones.
Past reading?
What about books we can’t take?
Please don’t put them in your donation boxes, but please don’t put them in the bin either. A book with a scribbled page may still be loved by a neighbour, a friend or a local book swap. Books that are too far gone to read can often go in your council paper recycling. Check your council’s website to see what it accepts. What happens to books that are thrown away is on why old books shouldn’t go in the bin.
Ready to pack? Our step-by-step guide, how to donate your books, covers booking, packing and the day itself. You can also read what happens to your books once we’ve collected them.
Ready to donate your books?
It’s free, you don’t need to be at home, and you choose the charity your donation supports.