Uses For Old Kids Books

[Josiegirl]

I have at least 3 medium size boxes of books that I brought to recycle yesterday; hoping they'd just let people look through and take some/recycle the rest. But they said I had to take the covers off the hardcover books. So I brought them all back home.
Do you guys have any ingenious ideas of what to do with cast-off books? Could be anything at all, decorative, projects, places to get rid of them. I could have dcks practice their scissor skills but am afraid of what they might end up doing at home with their own books.
Worst scenario is I will take the covers off. I feel like I'm committing a sin tearing apart books but I am overloaded and am sick of storing books we never ever use anymore. Some are ok condition, others not so much.

[Cat Herder]

I donated a couple hundred to local teachers for their classroom libraries (all age and grade appropriate). They have to fund these out of their own pockets. They were so excited, one cried. I had no idea it would be that big a deal to them. Especially the newer ones.

Nursing homes and Senior centers would be my second choice.

I also buy old books on ebay from time to time.

[Mike]

What about second hand stores, used book stores, or list them free somewhere and somebody will be happy to get them.

[lovemykidstoo]

I would check with the schools. Our school recently had a donation drive and they collected them all and gave them to kids in another area that were not able to buy books for themselves. It was great!

Edited to add that sometimes local police stations or fire departments may know of a place too due to people that lose their homes from fire or are displaced due to domestic situations.

[Josiegirl]

I'll have to take another look through them but a lot of them are not really in good enough condition to give to classrooms, etc.. I've made alphabet books by cutting up magazines before, maybe it's time to do something like that again.

Hmm, maybe Freecycle though.....
Thanks all!!

[flying_babyb]

I'll have to take another look through them but a lot of them are not really in good enough condition to give to classrooms, etc.. I've made alphabet books by cutting up magazines before, maybe it's time to do something like that again.

Hmm, maybe Freecycle though.....
Thanks all!!

depending on the teacher, they may love having books, even if there not great. When I started most of my classroom books looked bad and were repaired. Yes they still looked not great but they were readable and worked till I could replace them.

[mamamanda]

We have a local rescue mission here, domestic violence shelter, women's shelter, etc. They would take them to have on hand for the kids who come through these places. They might give away the nicer ones & just have the others on hand for kids to flip through? Do you have any places like that in your area?

[Josiegirl]

We have a local rescue mission here, domestic violence shelter, women's shelter, etc. They would take them to have on hand for the kids who come through these places. They might give away the nicer ones & just have the others on hand for kids to flip through? Do you have any places like that in your area?

I live in a small town and know of no place like that. But I do have a dcm who works for the department of labor, maybe she can point me in a direction that could use them. I know she's dealt with families that need all kinds of things Thanks!

[redmaple]

Some old ones I cut up and turn into felt board stories.

[Josiegirl]

Some old ones I cut up and turn into felt board stories.

That's a good idea! Thanks!