Looking To Donate Used Books? Donate Locally At Your Neighborhood Little Free Library

If you are like me, and you have kids or are just an avid reader, you have a lot of books either on your shelf collecting dust or in a crate. With the start of the new year, we all want to get more organized and get rid of unwanted stuff. So what do you do with all those read books? Donate them. 

Like the Albany Public Library, most public libraries will accept gently used books. The Albany Public Library has partnered with Better World Books to help collect and resell the books, in which the APL receives a portion of the sales to go back to the library. Book donation bins are located at the Delaware and Pine Hills branches in the Albany area. 

One idea that I have seen on social media is the Little Free Libraries. Little Free Library is a 501 nonprofit organization that promotes neighborhood book exchanges, usually in a public bookcase. More than 90,000 general book exchanges are registered with the organization and branded as Little Free Libraries.

So I had to see if these cute little bookcases were in our area!  I went to the webpage, Little Free Library Map, put in my zip code for Clifton Park, and wow, was I surprised. There are 12 within my zip code! Saratoga has 13 locations. You can search by city, near me, city/state/province/region, country Steward's Name/Library Name, or Charter Number.

If you do not see a Little Free Library near you, you can set one up just by following the five easy steps laid out on their webpage. I think this is such a great idea to promote reading!