What books do we take?
Everything. We are the Helga Hufflepuff of bookstores; we will take “the rest.”
We are often asked what books we will accept, as donations. Since we work with children, people often assume we need children’s books, and yes, of course we do. But we are selling the books, as well as giving them away, so we will take any book in saleable condition. Would you be proud to own the book? Would you give it to someone that you loved? Then we will be happy to offer it to our customers, both in person and online.
We often receive requests for specific materials. “Do you have hardback books, fifty or sixty of them, that demonstrate toxic masculinity?” someone asked me one day. In fact, earlier that day, I had just received a gift from a blushing feminist, of her mother’s mid-century marriage manuals. She had assumed no one would want them, but just as in romance, there is a reader for every book and a book for every reader. Our most lucrative book sale so far has been about an extremely obscure skin condition; our first sale was about President McKinley And His World.
Admittedly, there are some books that just won’t sell. In that case, if a book does not sell and is not taken as a gift, we typically direct it to local artists who make art out of the pages. You can check out our Pinterest board for examples of that sort of thing. National Geographic’s ink is particularly prized by crafters, and artists love to upcycle vintage children’s books. If you’d like to join us for a book art activity, check our events calendar and RSVP.
There is one sort of book that we simply can’t hold onto, and that is the moldy book. Moldy books are contagious and spread their fatal infection to their friends. Moldy books, we quarantine and discard. I apologize. But I am a bookseller, Jim, not a magician, and I cannot cure a book that is dying of mold.
For inquiries about donation of non-moldy books, board games, vinyl, DVDs, or CDs, contact [email protected]. If you have made an in-kind donation, fill out this form to receive a tax letter.