How to Donate Books to the Library: What They Take and What They Refuse

Written by Mustafa Bilgic, Operator Sources checked: September 25, 2026
✓ Last Updated: September 2026 | Checked against official sources by Mustafa Bilgic, Operator

Yes, you can donate books to most public libraries. Bring gently used books in boxes during open hours, and expect most of them to be sold at a Friends of the Library sale rather than added to the shelves. The libraries we checked want small loads you can carry in yourself, turn away items such as encyclopedias, Reader's Digest condensed books, VHS tapes and old textbooks, and will give you a receipt but will not put a dollar value on your books.

Will the library take it?

Pick an item to see what four library donation programs say about it: Sacramento Public Library, the Indy Library Store in Indianapolis, Laramie County Library System and the Friends of Columbus Metropolitan Library.

Choose an item to compare the four libraries.

Which IRS records will you need?

Enter your own estimate of what the books would sell for used. The tool applies the record-keeping thresholds in IRS Publication 526. It is educational information, not tax advice.

Enter the number of books and a value per book.

For comparison, Laramie County Library's Book Sale Room prices hardback books at $2 and softcover books at $1. That is one library's resale price list, not a valuation of your books.

How four library systems handle book donations

Each library runs donations a little differently, but the pattern is the same: small loads, during open hours, in boxes you can carry in yourself.

LibraryWhere and how muchWhere the books goReceipt
Sacramento Public Library (CA)Most branches during open hours, in small boxes or bags you can carry. No home pickup, and staff generally cannot carry boxes in from your car. Large loads go to the Friends warehouse.Some join the collection; most go to the Friends of the Sacramento Public Library for used book salesAcknowledgment form on request; staff cannot value the donation for the IRS
Indianapolis Public Library (IN)Two boxes or fewer at any branch; four boxes or fewer at the Library Services Center. Boxes only, no bags. Pickups cannot currently be scheduled.Sold at Indy Library Store sales to support the Library FoundationReceipt on request; the store is unable to place a monetary value on donated material
Laramie County Library System (WY)Up to two boxes of books per day at the Book Sale Room during library hours; larger donations by appointmentSome join the collection; the rest are sold in the Book Sale Room, and items that do not sell go to ThriftBooksNot stated on the page
Columbus Metropolitan Library (OH)Any library location, in a reasonable size you can bring in without help; contact the Friends for large donationsFriends of the Library sell them at Big Book Sales, the Library Store and every library locationNot stated on the page

Jefferson-Madison Regional Library in Virginia works the same way: you call collection development about books you hope the library will add, and the Friends of the Library collect other used books for their fall and spring book sales.

What libraries usually turn away

Every library we checked says it can decline donations. These are the items most often named in their do-not-accept lists:

  • Books in poor condition. Sacramento lists torn pages, worn covers, yellowed or brittle pages, damaged bindings, dirt and dust, water damage or mildew, and heavy notes or highlighting. The Indy Library Store asks for books free of mold, dust and dirt, and with no artwork a child may have left on the pages.
  • Encyclopedias. Laramie County and the Columbus Friends refuse them, and the Indy Library Store refuses encyclopedia sets more than 3 years old.
  • Older textbooks. Indianapolis stops at three years old, while Laramie County and Columbus accept textbooks up to 10 years old.
  • Reader's Digest condensed books at Indianapolis and Laramie County.
  • Law and medical books. Laramie County and Columbus turn away both, and Indianapolis refuses professional law books.
  • Dated travel and computer books. Laramie County refuses those more than 3 years old, and Columbus takes travel and technology books only within 3 years.
  • VHS tapes and cassettes at all three programs that list media rules: Indianapolis, Laramie County and Columbus.
  • Magazine piles. Columbus takes no magazines or newspapers, Laramie County refuses National Geographic collections, and Indianapolis refuses National Geographic, Consumer Reports and weekly magazines.

Media rules vary the most. The Indy Library Store takes music CDs and vinyl LPs if they play, Columbus takes vinyl and audiobooks on CD but not music CDs, and Laramie County takes DVDs and video games but not CDs or records. Test discs before you pack them.

What happens to the books you donate

Most donated books are sold, not shelved. Sacramento says the majority of donations go to the Friends of the Library for used book sales, and the Friends give the proceeds back to the library for programs and new materials. Items donated there are unconditional and cannot be returned.

The money adds up. In Indianapolis, donated books make up nearly 40 percent of the Indy Library Store's inventory, and the Library Foundation provides nearly $3 million a year to library programs and services. Columbus holds its Big Book Sales twice a year.

If you would rather see your books on the shelf, ask about a local author program. Sacramento lets authors who live in Sacramento County donate one copy of their book to the Local Author collection at the Central Library.

Is a book donation tax deductible?

This section summarizes IRS Publications 526 and 561. It is educational information, not tax or legal advice. For your own return, ask a tax professional.

It can be, if you itemize. The IRS says that to deduct a charitable contribution you generally must itemize deductions on Schedule A. A new deduction for people who do not itemize starts with tax year 2026, but it applies to cash contributions: up to $1,000, or $2,000 for married couples filing jointly. Donated books are not cash.

Check who receives the gift. The IRS counts a state or a political subdivision of a state as a qualified organization when the gift is used solely for public purposes, and charities qualify too. Friends groups are often separate nonprofits; Columbus's Friends of the Library, for example, describes itself as a nonprofit 501(c)(4) organization. You can ask any organization whether it is qualified, or look it up with the IRS search tool at IRS.gov/TEOS.

Value the books yourself. Library staff will not do it: Sacramento says that by law its staff cannot determine a donation's value for IRS purposes, and the Indy Library Store is unable to place a monetary value on donated material. The IRS uses fair market value, the price that would be agreed on between a willing buyer and a willing seller. For books, Publication 561 says value usually comes from comparable sales, and that a very old or very rare book is not necessarily valuable. Condition matters: missing pages, a loose binding, tears or stains greatly lower a book's value.

Keep the right records. Publication 526 sets these thresholds for noncash gifts:

Deduction you claimWhat you need
Less than $250A receipt showing the organization's name and address, the date and place of the gift, and a description of the items. For an unattended drop site, reliable written records instead.
$250 to $500A contemporaneous written acknowledgment from the organization
Over $500 in noncash gifts for the yearForm 8283 attached to your Form 1040 (Section A), plus the acknowledgment
Over $5,000 for a group of similar itemsA qualified appraisal and Form 8283, Section B, signed by the organization

Books count as one group of similar items. The IRS names books in its list of similar items, and it says to add up all items in the group even if you gave them to more than one organization.

Rare, signed or historic books

Do not drop a valuable book in a donation bin. Special collections departments handle these gifts separately. Los Angeles Public Library asks people with a historically significant photo, book, manuscript or other archival material to email its special collections staff first. Gifts it accepts become the library's property and cannot be returned, and the library does not pay for appraisals. It says appraisals should generally be done before you hand the item over.

If you think a collection is worth more than $5,000, that matches the IRS appraisal threshold above, so book the appraiser before you donate.

If the library says no

Columbus's Friends of the Library suggests offering items it cannot take to schools, temporary shelters, community centers, correctional facilities, churches or free stores. Moldy books are a health hazard for the people who sort donations, the Indy Library Store says, so recycle those instead.

You can also give time instead of books. Laramie County's Book Sale Room, for example, is run by volunteers who sort, stock and sell donated materials; see how to volunteer at your library.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I donate books to my local library?

Usually, yes. Most public libraries accept gently used books during open hours and pass most of them to a Friends of the Library sale. Bring a small load: Indianapolis takes two boxes or fewer at any branch, and Laramie County takes up to two boxes a day.

Will the library pick up donated books from my house?

Usually not. Sacramento Public Library staff cannot pick up donations from homes, and the Indy Library Store says it currently cannot schedule pick-ups. Call your library if you have a very large collection.

Is donating books to the library tax deductible?

It can be if you itemize and the receiving organization is qualified. Keep a receipt for a gift under $250, a written acknowledgment for $250 or more, and file Form 8283 when your noncash gifts for the year top $500. The 2026 deduction for non-itemizers covers cash gifts only. This is general information, not tax advice.

How much are my donated books worth?

Library staff cannot tell you; Sacramento says by law they cannot value a donation for IRS purposes. The IRS uses fair market value, what a willing buyer would pay. For comparison, Laramie County Library's Book Sale Room sells hardbacks for $2 and softcovers for $1.

Do libraries take encyclopedias and old textbooks?

Rarely. Laramie County and the Columbus Friends refuse encyclopedias, and Indianapolis refuses encyclopedia sets more than 3 years old. Indianapolis refuses textbooks more than three years old, and Laramie County and Columbus stop at 10 years.

Can I get my books back if the library does not keep them?

No. Sacramento says donated materials are unconditional and non-returnable, and Los Angeles Public Library says accepted gifts become the sole property of the library.

Related Library Guides

Volunteer at Your Library Library vs Bookstore How to Get a Library Card Library Savings Calculator Library of Things 50+ Free Library Resources

Sources

Every rule, fee and figure on this page comes from the official page listed here. We read each one on September 25, 2026. Tax rules are summarized for education only; they are not tax advice.