I've got a couple boxes of paperbacks that my wife and I have read and have no use for nor any place to put them. They are all fairly new and have only been read once....what can I do besides throw them out??? I don't want to sell them individually on Half.com or eBay.

__________________
-Tim K

Licensed PA Real Estate Salesperson

MILES & GENERALIS, INC. GO REAL ESTATE
20 N. 3rd St.
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215-928-0221 (office)
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Have you called the Friends of the Free Library?

A great suggestion. IIRC, I think you live near Society Hill/Queen Village, TimK. You could stop at the Independence Branch of the Free Library (7th St. between Chestnut and Market) and donate your books there (or at any other branch). I've donated at Independence Branch a few times before. If they already have a copy or two of the book at that location, they'll make sure yours gets sent to a branch that could use a copy of the book. They'll give you a receipt for your donation too.

I knew they took books but didn't know whether they took paperbacks. I guess I'll have to lug them down there some day this week!

__________________
-Tim K

Licensed PA Real Estate Salesperson

MILES & GENERALIS, INC. GO REAL ESTATE
20 N. 3rd St.
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215-928-0221 (office)
215-928-0584 (fax)

www.PhillyLoftHouse.com : Loft-style living in a single-family home

www.LoftOn12th.com : A REAL loft in Center City

There's a used bookstore at the Mt. Airy (R7) train station. I've brought in used books there a couple of times. For most books you don't get money in return (the place is already so jam packed with books the guy physically has almost no room for any more), but he'll take the books and let you pick up some new ones for free in return.

I'm sure there are other used bookstores that'll do similar things, including some that might give a nominal cash amount for all or some of your books.

You can also call local nursing homes or hospitals and donate them to their lounge areas or sitting rooms.There's a place in Mt. Laurel called Paperback Exchange that will buy them for store credit, I believe.

When I lived in a condo, we had a book swap basket near the mailboxes. People were pretty good about taking and placing books in there.

In Boston, near the Government Center T-stop, there is an unofficial bookswap along one of the walls. It is a nook in the bricks where commuters leave books they have finished and pick-up books others have left. It might be cool to have something like that for Septa at say Suburban Station.

Is there a school library that needs them?

a quick update to my previous post, in case anyone may have gone back and read it...when I was at the Independence Branch of the Free Library a couple days ago, they had a sign posted on the door saying that they have temporarily stopped taking book donations. They are directing all donations to the Friends of the Free Library, located on 20th Street right near the Central Library. It might be worth calling your neighborhood branch before lugging your book donation over there!

just leave them in a public space ... bus stop, train station, or on the bus or train itself.

If you want to do this in a more organized manner ... http://www.bookcrossing.com

It's Where's George for books!

There is a non-profit bookstore on the 1400 block of West Susquehanna Avenue, near Temple University, that sells used books. It is call Treehouse Books. They conduct outreach to neighborhood kids and families, collect books for all ages, and sell all books for under $10 each. They especially look for books of interest to African American and Hispanic readers.