Donate Books

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I go to donate my books and other items? 
• Please bring donations of books to front desk at the library during open hours
• For assistance with larger donations, you may have to contact the Friends of the Library. Contact information can be provided by calling the library.

How much can I claim as a charitable donation? 
• WPL does not determine the value of the donation. Receipts can be provided specifying how many paperbacks and hardbacks were donated.

What happens to the items I donate? 
• Depending on the quality and condition of the donated items, they will go to the Friends of the Library annual book sale; sent to Thrift.com for the benefit of the FOL; added to the general collection of the library; or sent to recycling.

Guidelines for accepting gift items

WPL accepts:
• Hardcover and paperback books in good condition.  
• Commercially published media (DVDs, CDs, and video games) 

WPL cannot accept:
• Damaged books with broken bindings, missing pages, soiled, musty, moldy, with smoke or water damage, or with excessive writing in the text
• Clearly outdated materials (see below for guidelines)
• Toys, games, puzzles, artwork
• Magazines (bound or unbound) older than current, periodicals
• Condensed books (Reader’s Digest)
• Professional journals
• Encyclopedias
• Non-commercially produced media
• Workbooks or study guides that are partially or wholly filled in
• Boxes that have been moved directly from long term storage to the library. The library cannot accept boxes of books that have not been properly inspected by the donor.
• Large quantities of books that are not in boxes or containers; WPL cannot accept loose material. 
• Computer programs

WPL accepts certain materials within specified limits:
• Medical and financial advice books (less than 5 years old)
• Travel guidebooks (less than 3 years old)
• Computer manuals (less than 5 years old)
• Textbooks (less than 10 years old)
• Test preparation guides (less than 5 years old)
• Juvenile non-fiction (less than 5 years old)