Quick Verdict
Donate books in usable condition (clean, no mold, no missing pages) to your local library's Friends of the Library book sale, Goodwill, Habitat ReStore, or a local thrift shop. Powell's Books in Portland buys used books outright for store credit or cash. Better World Books ships from labeled collection bins at many Oregon libraries and retailers. Textbooks are hardest — sell current editions on ABE Books or BookScouter, donate older editions to thrift stores, and pulp the ones no one wants. Moldy, water-damaged, or smoke-damaged books are not donatable; they go to curbside mixed paper recycling in Oregon.
Books feel emotionally heavy. They are not. A hardcover novel is mostly paper, glue, and cloth. It recycles cleanly. But donation extends its life, and Oregon has a surprisingly good network of book-loving nonprofits that take them.
Why Donate Instead of Trash
Three reasons:
- Value. A book in good condition is worth 25 cents to $5 to a used-book buyer. Millions of dollars per year flow through the Oregon used-book economy.
- Library funding. Friends of the Library sales fund branch programs that public budgets do not cover.
- Environmental simplicity. Donating extends the use phase; pulping wastes the forestry and printing energy invested in the book.
Not donating is fine too — curbside mixed paper recycling will accept damaged books in most Oregon jurisdictions.
Oregon Donation Options
1. Friends of the Library
Every major Oregon library system runs a Friends group that sells donated books to fund library programs:
- Multnomah County Library — Friends of Multnomah County Library (Portland)
- Washington County Cooperative Library Services (Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard)
- Clackamas County Library District
- Salem Public Library
- Eugene Public Library — Friends of the Eugene Public Library
- Corvallis-Benton County Public Library
- Deschutes Public Library (Bend, Redmond)
- Jackson County Library Services (Medford, Ashland)
Call before dropping a large volume — most have donation hours and size limits. Some host big twice-a-year sales where donations are especially welcome.
2. Goodwill Industries of the Columbia Willamette
Over 40 Goodwill donation centers across Oregon and SW Washington accept books at the donation door. Goodwill routes unsellable books to pulp recycling.
3. Habitat for Humanity ReStores
Many Oregon ReStores (Portland, Eugene, Salem, Corvallis, Bend, Medford) accept books along with furniture and building materials.
4. Powell's Books (Portland)
Powell's buys used books outright. Bring them to the Burnside or Cedar Hills Crossing store. They offer store credit or cash. Powell's is selective — general fiction in demand, textbooks in current edition, children's books in good shape.
5. Used Bookstores Statewide
Independent used bookstores in Eugene (Smith Family Bookstore, J. Michaels), Salem (Escape Fiction), Corvallis (Book Bin), Bend (Dudley's Bookshop Cafe, Roundabout Books), and Medford buy selected used books. Call ahead.
6. Better World Books
Better World Books collection bins are at many Oregon locations including some libraries, college campuses, and retailers. They ship books for resale and donate profits to literacy programs.
7. School Book Drives
Oregon schools, literacy programs, and adult education centers run periodic book drives. Good destinations for children's books and easy readers.
8. Little Free Libraries
Neighborhood Little Free Library boxes take a handful of books at a time. Great for individual books, not for a whole estate library.
9. Specialized Niches
- Books to Prisoners (Portland) — accepts paperback and hardcover donations for incarcerated readers in Oregon and beyond.
- Ronald McDonald House, hospitals, shelters — often accept children's books.
- Retirement communities and senior centers — large-print books and mystery/romance paperbacks welcome.
Textbook-Specific Paths
Textbooks age poorly — a 2010 edition is worth near zero. Current-edition textbooks retain value:
- Sell online: ABE Books, BookScouter, Chegg, Amazon Trade-In.
- Campus bookstores: Oregon State, University of Oregon, PSU, Willamette, Lewis & Clark buyback weeks happen around finals. Check dates.
- Donate older editions: thrift stores for general use, or Books to Prisoners.
- Pulp the rest: water-damaged, outdated, or undonatable — curbside recycling.
Step-by-Step Preparation
- Sort by donate / sell / recycle. Walk through with three boxes.
- Inspect for condition. No mold, no water damage, no smoke smell, no missing pages, no heavy highlighting.
- Wipe covers. A quick microfiber pass improves first impression at donation.
- Remove bookmarks, notes, old receipts from between pages.
- Pack tightly in boxes. Book boxes (smaller, like bankers' boxes) avoid back injury — never fill a large moving box with books.
- Label boxes "Books" and ideally "Fiction" / "Non-Fiction" / "Children's" / "Textbooks" to speed intake.
- Call ahead for large donations (more than 5 boxes). Some accepters can pick up from home.
Cost Expectations
Industry Baseline Range
| Option | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Library / thrift / ReStore drop | Free |
| Powell's walk-in sell | Free (earns credit or cash) |
| Better World Books drop bin | Free |
| Online sales commission | 15% - 60% of sale price |
| Campus bookstore buyback | Market-driven, varies widely |
| Junk removal (estate library, 30+ boxes) | Bundled with cleanout labor |
| Curbside paper recycling (damaged) | Free with trash service |
These figures reflect published industry averages. Current market pricing varies significantly and actual quotes may fall well outside these ranges based on site-specific conditions, material costs, and project complexity.
Current Market Reality
Free is realistic for normal donation. The cost of moving books yourself is underrated — a full estate library might be 3,000+ volumes weighing over a ton. Junk removal earns its fee there.
Special Cases
Estate Libraries
Inherited book collections often include rare or valuable items mixed with everyday reading. Before donating the whole lot, have a used bookseller or estate auctioneer assess. Powell's does estate consultations in the Portland area.
Encyclopedias and Reference Sets
World Book, Britannica, and similar encyclopedias are hard to donate — thrift stores rarely take them, libraries do not want them. Pulp recycling is usually the realistic end.
Religious Texts
Bibles, Quarans, Torahs, and other sacred texts are often placed with religious organizations for dignified handling rather than pulped.
Magazines and Journals
Most donation points do not want magazines. Curbside paper recycling takes them.
VHS, DVDs, CDs
Separate media paths. DVDs and CDs to thrift or disc disposal. VHS is separate too.
Children's Books
Children's books in usable shape are in high demand. Donate to schools, Head Start programs, pediatricians' offices, or Ronald McDonald House. See where to donate kids toys for related children's donation paths.
When to Call a Pro
Call a professional junk removal service when:
- You are clearing an estate library with thousands of volumes
- You have moldy, smoke-damaged, or water-damaged books that cannot be donated
- You are combining book removal with furniture, appliances, and general cleanout
- You cannot physically move the books yourself
Otesse junk removal handles estate libraries across Oregon. We sort donatable books from pulp-only, deliver to Goodwill or Friends of the Library groups, and recycle the rest.
FAQ
Can I put books in curbside recycling? Hardcover book covers (cloth-bound) can be problematic. Many Oregon jurisdictions prefer you tear off the hardcover and recycle the pages. Paperbacks go directly in mixed paper.
Are textbooks recyclable? Yes. Glossy paper with high-gloss coatings is the only part that varies by facility. Most Oregon mixed paper programs accept textbooks whole.
What about water-damaged books? Water damage brings mold risk. Bag separately and recycle as paper, not donate.
Can I sell first editions? Yes, through specialty used booksellers or auction houses. Powell's Rare Books division in Portland handles high-value items.
Do libraries really want my donations? Many do, through Friends of the Library sales. Always call — a small branch may decline while a central sale welcomes boxes.
Next Step
For a moving box or two of everyday reading, drop at your nearest Friends of the Library bin or Goodwill. For a whole library you cannot physically move, or an estate library with potentially valuable items, contact Otesse. We handle sorting, donation delivery, and cleanup in one pass.