Say, my friends...

[roxy]

What *do* you do with old books?

I'm cleaning out my little work room(again)trying to make more space and I separated out a lot of books. It was *HARD*! There are no used book stores in my area so they're going to the Goodwill. I really should just toss them--no one needs a typography book from the stone ages...I'm hoping someone will take it for the laughs.

I've set the books to the side, close to the door, so that when they migrate back to the bookshelf, they'll have had a little fresh air...NO! Not going back to the bookshelf.

I use my TowelSam icon just because it's pretty. :)

Comments

[bt-kady.livejournal.com]

Do you have a local library? The library where I work has a small area where we sell used books donated to the library, or ones we've weeded from our catalog. You might want to check to see if your library has something like that. Better that than to just throw them away.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's an *excellent* idea! I will look into that!

[bt-kady.livejournal.com]

Always happy to help!

[gingersnap1224.livejournal.com]

You should take them to Goodwill because set dressers and props people are often looking for old obscure books like that.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Oh, I never thought about that!

I kind of thought Goodwill was a book's version of taking Old Yeller to 'live at the farm'..."look thataway, boy, here comes the bus to take you to the farm...*sniff*

[bt-kady.livejournal.com]

That's not a bad idea either. Maybe you can do both, Roxy. Anything that the library may not want could go to Goodwill.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Right? I can probably split the books between the newer and the older ones. I have a ton of gardening books that would be good for the library, and a ton of scenic America books that would suit the Goodwill.

I feel at lot better about getting rid of the books now! :)

[bt-kady.livejournal.com]

Trust me, libraries - if they're like mine - appreciate donations. You may even be able to get paperwork from them for tax purposes, if you have enough you can use when itemizing. Again, just a thought. It'd be up to you to decide on the value.

[meus_venator]

I donated a lot to the local art high school, I had a lot of art books, coffee table ones that honestly, though I loved them dearly, were just boat anchors taking up space. The art students can read them, chop them up for a collage, whatever. And I gave the local library a ton of softcovers.
I'm totally onboard the ePub train. I can't see me opening a softcover again unless it's out of print.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

I hear you--they're lovely but the space!

Oh, my paperbacks...I know I can replace almost all of them but it's so hard!!

[meus_venator]

Go with your gut. I've given away books I ended up going out and rebuying, so only give up the ones you're sure of. Set them in a bag off to the side and if you have any regrets about any of them in a week, a month, dig the ones you want back out. You don't have to do the big purge all at once.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

You understand! :)

[tabaqui]

Oh, man. I can't get rid of 'real' books. I have ones from when i was a kid, my name written in crappy cursive inside the cover.
*clutches them to bosom*

Never give them up!

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

My house is almost literally wall-to wall books, love! Some of them jut have to go--at this age, I just can't see toting a shit-load of books to a smaller place some day. I have to say, Mr. R looked like I'd suggested shooting him on the heart when I suggested down-sizing, lol!

[tabaqui]

Heeeeee. I know the feeling.

Well, but i've gone through and weeded out books in my life. It's hard, but sometimes it has to happen.

[raloria.livejournal.com]

I see someone beat me to the library suggestion. *g*

How about an antique store? I'm always seeing old books in the antique shops I frequent.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

ER, my neighborhood is not exactly antique store friendly, lol! But I am going to look into the hospital thing, as we're very close to a major hospital.

[fufaraw]

Probably not the ancient languages one, but if any seem suitable, you could always donate to the hospital library cart.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

I like that idea very much!

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

I took mine to a variety of charity shops in my area (we have a Lifeline/Wesley, Smith Family, Red Cross, but I won't give to the Salvation Army, screw them). I get a kick out of seeing my old movies and books on their shelves.

When they all got overwhelmed (I have a LOT of books to rehome) I set up a 'bring a book, take a book' at work. Took about a thousand in there over time.

Now that both of these have reached saturation point, I'm inclined to leave them on nice park benches and bus stops and train stations. Feels like abandoning a dog instead of taking it to the pound, but someone will love them, right? Right?

Oh... the guilt...

oh, of course, of course they will!

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

I feel you on the guilt.

[danceswithgary]

I've been slowly paring down my collection and they've all gone to Goodwill. There are some I'll never give up, even if I'll likely never read them again because books are heavy and my arthritic hands complain.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

I've decided that if I haven't reread them in a few years, odds are I won't. So go they must.

[agent-jl36.livejournal.com]

Maybe there are some Little Free Libraries in your part of the world? http://littlefreelibrary.org/ourmap/

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Ah, no, not in my part of the world--though it's a brilliant idea. I'm thinking around here, they'd just set it on fire.