Outtakes 245

What Do You Do With All Those Books?

By Cait Collins

Walking into Barnes and Noble or any other book store is dangerous for me. It doesn’t take long for me to fill a basket and risk a back injury carrying it to the cash wrap. It’s so easy to spend big because, bottom line, I love books. On my last visit I was asked, “What do you do with all the books after you read them?” It depends on the book.

Some books I want to keep. They are friends that comfort me and make me think. They entertain me. And no matter how many times I read them, I see or learn something new. Some books I keep not only because I enjoy them, but because they are signed by writer friends. Some offer great information and look so good on my book shelves. But then there are volumes that I enjoy, but realize I won’t read them again. So at some point, I remove them from the shelves to boxes and I share them with others.

Right now I’m in the middle of the “Great Book Shelf Clean Out”. I’ve filled about six boxes and a couple of stacks waiting for boxes. Once everything is packed, I deliver them to the public library. They are used for their book sales. Friends of the Library book sales are fund raisers for local libraries. Or in areas where there are no libraries, used books can provide a new source of reading materials. Nursing homes, shelters, rehab facilities, and possibly hospitals are also areas that could benefit from donations. And if you want to make or save a little money, take your used books to used book stores. Some offer cash, others give you credit for future purchases. No matter where you donate, others benefit from the contributions. If one person picks up a book and becomes engrossed in the adventure, then the donation has served its purpose.

If you’re like me, there’s no way you could toss a good book into the trash. There’s only so much room on the shelves, so something has to give. Yes, that’s it give your books to someone or some organization that could make good use of them. Everyone deserves the chance for an adventure.

Tags: Barnes and Noble; Libraries; Nursing Homes; Rehab Facilities; Hospitals; Autographed book; Used Book Stores; Cait Collins; Wordsmithsix.com