We accept books and media in clean, reusable condition. Items should have no mold, strong odors, water damage, missing pages, excessive writing, or heavy wear. Books4Cause may decline items at drop-off or pickup.
Not sure about a particular item? Call us at (800) 570-3698 before bringing it in.
Books we accept
- Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry
Good condition - Children’s books
Good condition; no library discards - Introductory textbooks
Published within the last 10 years - Academic books
Graduate-level and classic academic titles welcome, even older editions - Coffee-table books
Good condition - Comic books
Good condition - Foreign-language books
Spanish and English books accepted; other languages accepted if they are language-learning materials - Encyclopedias
Complete sets published within the last 20 years
Other materials we accept
School supplies & educational games
New or gently used and complete.
CDs, DVDs & vinyl records
Clean and playable, with no major scratches or damage.
VHS tapes, video games & collectibles
Used items are welcome if they are clean and in usable or saleable condition.
Magazines
Most magazines in good condition are accepted. We do not accept National Geographic magazines or journals.
We do not accept: National Geographic magazines, journals, library discards, or books with mold, strong odors, water damage, missing pages, pest damage, or heavy wear.
Ready to donate?
Donate up to 10 boxes at Avondale or Uptown. Bring larger donations to our Lincolnwood warehouse, or request a free pickup for collections of 250 or more books that meet our pickup requirements.