Am I being unreasonable where books are concerned?

I’m the opposite in my attitude and not just with books, if I’ve not used it for s year then out it goes. I’ve not regretted it with anything but I do have a bit of an exception with books-if I want to read again or swap with s friend out they go, if charity shops don’t want them then a couple of large chain shop branches take them and sell for charity. We also have a local market stall than buys, sells and exchanges books

My daughter donated a lot of her books to the local school, they were more than happy to take them as each class has their own little library

I could cry over the amount of books I’ve had to throw out this morning. Most were classics.
Other local charity shops didn’t want them and we are very restricted on space. Together with that we are inundated with donations. Some donation bags had to be put outside ( at back of shop) so that we didn’t block fire exit.

I absolutely agree with you! There is an online site called Ziffit where you can sell books - haven’t used it myself but was recommended. You download their app, scan in the book code and it gives you a value. then it gives you a prepaid label and you can send them off.

I am hoping to immigrate to Finland and have lot of books in Finnish language but don’t know what to do with them as don’t want to through them to bin or take them with me. Any ideas how I can find who would want them

I'm sure that's true. But I have felt trapped over the last 2 years...going through my mother's stuff. Still wondering what to do with 3 bin bags full of thread. I don't have children either but I do think there is something in the idea of Swedish Death Cleaning where people start whittling down their possessions after the age of 50.

I buy children's books on Ebay. My daughter is partially sighted and I read and record them for her onto cassettes. Some books are quite expensive. If you decide to sell yours on Ebay, please pm me. I am always on the look out for stories about school days.

Finnrock

I am hoping to immigrate to Finland and have lot of books in Finnish language but don’t know what to do with them as don’t want to through them to bin or take them with me. Any ideas how I can find who would want them

After my stepfather died, we found a lot of books in Russian and we found that Hull University were interested in having and using them so we delivered the books to them one day.
Maybe you could find a University that has a need for Finnish books?

There’s also a site called ziffit.co.uk

You could think about your local women's aid group. Children's and adult books may be useful.
A local parent and toddler group?
Our local Tesco sells second hand books, you put money in a charity tin. They normally accept donations as far as I know.
It would be a shame for books to go to landfill.

Tesco take books and donate the donations people give when the take any books to their local charities, which works very well here.

The trouble is that mine were published in the fifties and would not appeal to modern youngsters.A pity because there is a breadth of vocabulary not found in books written today.

I used Freecycle to get rid of loads of books. Was amazed at how many responses I received. There’s someone out there who will want them.

Our local B&Q have a charity book table and the charity shops take them too. What about a car boot sale or a stall at your local market if it's cheap enough. Our local park has a drop off place for used books, it's like a large bird house and people can take any they want. It's a great idea, I've used it myself.

Abe Books website will tell you if your books have any value - you never know.
I have been decluttering and have found the voluntary organisation called Freegle invaluable. You post your offers of items including books and see if anyone will take them - no money changes hands. There is a similar organisation called Freecycle plus Gumtree have a similar option on their website. Some National Trust properties have second-hand bookshops and I have donated to them as well. I hate to dump anything that someone else may be able to use.

I would never let a book go to the skip I often look on Amazon and Ebay at children's books, I'm looking for one in particular which is made especially difficult as i dont know either the name of the book or the author. I did see something online once where someone found a book on a wall, inside was a note to the finder saying they hoped they would enjoy reading it. Releasing a book to the wild. You could try that in areas parens and children would frequent if you reallyneed the space. Better than just throwing them away. bookcrossing.com/

I take my used books to various charity shops and they are always well received. Is there another one in the locality you could try?
We also have second hand books for sale in Morrisons supermarket and in almost all village churches we have visited.
National Trust houses too, think that’s been mentioned. The village hall too!
A box by front gate a good idea!
Or just put them back in their boxes and keep them! They are yours after all!

Just fyi- I have a lovely children’s book that I used to read with my children. A friend of my daughter’s asked to borrow it- her kids loved it and I considered giving it to her but thought I would check online if it was possible buy her a new one. i found that it has been out of print for some years and secondhand copies are worth over £100, even in “used” condition! So definitely worth checking! Xx

We're lucky because we live on a development where there is a bookcase, undercover, where we can leave unwanted books. There are children here and the children's books are taken very quickly, as are fiction paperbacks and cookery books.
Otherwise there are a few Oxfam shops that specialise in books.

You may have issues with the company but I always personally pass my old books to the Oxfam group. They have wonderful record and book shops where they sell books at a proportion of their value as new but dedicated to one or other subject - music and/or books. I also regularly buy things there too. You can gifaid your contributions so that when they are sold the charity gets extra money from the Government, I don’t really understand how but it is related to tax.

My local Salvation Army charity shop had a big box of Rupert annuals on sale toda, at £5 each. I was told that they are selling well.
I also found that old Ladybird books fetch a good price, when searching for one on Amazon for my GD.
I always treasured my books, and put paper covers on them all. Being born just pre-war books were hard to get, and cherished. When I moved out of the family home I left my books behind until I was settled in my new home. On returning to collect them I found that my younger sister had thrown them all out. I was devastated. 60 years later it still grieves me.
I certainly wouldn't dump your books. There are plenty of people who would appreciate them, I'm sure.

Dear Niucla97

I know you have had some sensible suggestions so can I offer a silly one?

If you are happy with them in the house then leave them there but be sure to leave a note with your last Will saying you have tucked the details of your private savings in one of the books - the title of which is . . . (tear off the paper here).

I had a sort out of children's books a few months ago. I kept our much loved favourites, put battered books in the recyling box and the rest went to the local primary school to give out to children who often do not have books at home (I warned the head that some of them would not be politically correct these days!).

When I downsized, I used Ziffit and Music Magpie to get rid of books and CDs. Older books with no barcodes may have an ISBN number, which you can type in. Didn't make a lot of money, but the couriers will come to your house to collect them, so it's handy.

You could put them on Freecycle or Facebook marketplace.

One of my neighbours just put out a decorating table in front of the house and let people help themselves to her unwanted books.

Take them to acorns charity shop. They sell lots of old used books. Check for first editions first. Some can be valuable.
I regularly buy my three books from charity shops and usually buy the old style ladybird books, classics as well as picture books for the youngest. I have thousands of books here. I have never ever given any away. I did a literature degree too, so there really is an awful lot. I wish I lived closer to you. I would love to see which titles you have. ?