In our small town, there are two or three Nursing homes and 2 Assisted Living facilities. The duplicate books we have are channeled to activity centers at these facilities for the elderly to read or be read aloud by volunteers.
They are very appreciative of these and we feel we are helping the community by recycling these books. If the books are in bad shape, they are paper recycled.
When our budget was cut significantly we take our duplicate books or those books which do not meet our selection policy to Half Price Books. The added cash helps us purchase books there in the store or use for other Library needs.
We may keep them to replace lost, damaged or worn copies or sell them or take them to the CSLA swap table or take them to the public library for their Friends to sell or take them to Goodwill. A local church was torched and lost their library, so many of the copies which are in good condition are being given to them when they are ready.
We pass duplicate paperback titles to another local church that is involved in a prison ministry for women. They are very appreciate of these books. Duplicate hardbacks are passed on to other churches that are starting up their libraries. In previous years, we utilized duplicates by trading them at the local second hand book store for titles needed.
You could give them to those reaching out to people in mobile home parks, apartments, and even those doing Backyard Bible Clubs. They can give the books to the children/adults or even start their own library! If their is a smaller church in your association with a library you could help them too. Maybe your local hospital would let you give them out there.
I have found a close church starting a library that I can give duplicates to. In fact, I encourage some duplicate donations so that I can pass them along. I live in Bellevue, WA and the church I donate to is fro the Tacoma area. Sometimes, they come here to collect the books and other times, I take them down. It's a 40 minute drive one way. I hope this helps.
Pat Neumann
Carol Mellott > Patricia D. NeumannJuly 13, 2009 10:18
We are blessed to have a woman in our church who has a book ministry at the local hospital so we give her many of our duplicates and she passes them on. You can always pass them on to your local public libraries for their booksales. I have found some great books this way for my personal collection. I know there are some ministries that take books so it all depends on how much time you want to spend on passing them on.
Replies
They are very appreciative of these and we feel we are helping the community by recycling these books. If the books are in bad shape, they are paper recycled.
I have found a close church starting a library that I can give duplicates to. In fact, I encourage some duplicate donations so that I can pass them along. I live in Bellevue, WA and the church I donate to is fro the Tacoma area. Sometimes, they come here to collect the books and other times, I take them down. It's a 40 minute drive one way. I hope this helps.
Pat Neumann
Carol