Donating Gently Used Books
You can help give books to children who need them by donating books your child or family member has outgrown! Donate as many or as little children’s books as you’d like! Books can be dropped off during our office hours Monday through Friday from 10am-4pm at 1807 W. Slaughter Ln, Bldg #1, Austin TX 78748. For weekend and after-hour donations, we ask that you use our donation bin.
These are the types of books we can accept!
Yes, Please
The books should be clean, in good condition, free of stickers, and less than 20 years old.
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- Bilingual or Spanish picture books
- Board books
- Picture books
- Elementary chapter books
- Kid’s fiction and non-fiction
- Teen and adult fiction (published in the last ten years)
- Clean and unmarked
- Braille and less familiar languages
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Due to our limited capacity, we cannot accept:
No, Thanks
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- Dirty, dusty, wet, chewed, ripped, bent, folded, highlighted, doodled, or mildewed books.
- Adult books
- Teaching materials
- Library discards
- Textbooks and curriculum materials
- Dictionaries, encyclopedias, or reference books
- Magazines
- Used activity or coloring books
- Books missing covers or pages
- And non-book materials, such as DVDs, CDs, Audio cassettes, and VHS tapes
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Host a Book Drive
You can support our mission in a meaningful way by hosting a children’s book drive! Book drives are a fun and easy way to engage your family, friends, neighbors, or colleagues in a project that greatly benefits Texas children and families.
How to Organize a Book Drive
- Set a goal: Rally your school or company to achieve a meaningful goal! Teach your students or employees about philanthropy and encourage them to share their love of reading with children in disadvantaged areas.
- Pick your dates: Two to four weeks is the perfect time for your book drive. Let everyone know about it through email and social media.
- Set up: Set up collection bins in a high-traffic area. Challenge each other to see who collects the most books! You can create internal competition among grade levels in a school or departments in a corporate office.
- Announce your drive: Signage is everything! Hang posters and take photos of your collection bins or students, staff, or parents donating books. You can download, print, and share these flyers:
- Spread the word: Tag us on social media (@bookspringatx), and we will give you a shout-out! Please email us at communications@bookspring.org with photos and details to be featured in our newsletter or social media!
- Wrap up: Don’t forget to announce to everyone how many books were collected and thank everyone for their participation. Please complete the donation form for your tax receipt. Books can be delivered during our office hours Monday through Friday from 10am-4pm at 1807 W. Slaughter Ln, Bldg #1, Austin TX 78748. For weekend and after-hour donations, we ask that you use our donation bin.
Don’t have time to organize a book drive, or have books to donate that don’t fit our guidelines?
Consider donating to our friends at the Inside Book Project, Austin Public Library Recycled Reads Store, Austin Recycle & Reuse Drop Off, or Goodwill.
NOTE: You and your group have the option to volunteer following the book drive to see the full impact of your donation!