Blog Post

Setting Your Books Free

Jason BoogMar 1 2024

I moved from one coast to another more than 10 years ago, and I had to make some of the most brutal literary decisions of my entire life. We had to ship our belongings for thousands of miles, and I knew I couldn’t bring my entire book collection. I would never throw away a book, so I had to find ways to help my beloved tomes find new readers. My local bookstore took some of them, but I ended up donating most of my books to my library and a thrift shop. It took years for my bookshelves to recover from this traumatic move. Thankfully, I live in a house of readers and every room is now filled with well-loved books (like "Before the Coffee Gets Cold," which I give away regularly). I don’t have any plans to move or give away books anytime soon, but these are tough decisions readers have to make every day.

Great places to donate your books

Hundreds of nonprofits around the country will help you find new homes for your books when you move, downsize, or reorganize. I have a few suggestions for places to find new homes for your book.

Your local library

I've donated tons of books to my local library over the years, just check with your local librarian for details like these. Even if you don't have books, it's great to get involved at your local library!

Operation Paperback

You can also donate books to members of our military with nonprofits like this one.

The Children's Book Project

This organization helps kids around the country discover more books.

Prison Book Program

I think books to prisoner programs are absolutely vital. I try to support them whenever possible.

Little Free Library

Many neighborhoods have one of these mini-libraries where you can exchange one of your already books. Maybe you have a in your community?

Keep reading on Fable

The Fable app is built for social reading, with tools for sharing highlights, comments, insights, links, pictures, and videos as you set measurable reading goals. With our platform, you can host every aspect of an online discussion at a single destination to reach readers and build safe online communities regardless of location or time zone.

Start your own book club today!

You can also explore thousands of book lists on Fable, decoding your personal taste with our guided recommendations. It’s easy to make your own list as well!

Make a great book list.

Just finished reading a book and have the urge to share your thoughts with the world? It’s time to write your review and highlight your favorite sentences! You can also import your Goodreads reviews to your Fable account.

Rate and review your favorite books!

By Jason Boog

Jason Boog is a writer living in Los Angeles and part of the editorial team at Fable. OR Books published "The Deep End: The Literary Scene During the Great Depression and Today," his book about how different writers survived the Great Depression. Simon & Schuster’s Touchstone imprint published "Born Reading: Bringing Up Bookworms in a Digital Age," his handbook about how to raise kids who love to read. His work has appeared in The Believer, The Awl, Salon, NPR Books, The Los Angeles Review of Books, Peace Corps Writers, and other outlets. He was the West Coast correspondent for Publishers Weekly.