Book Donation Guide
How to Donate Textbooks in the Chicago Suburbs
Textbooks are the books everyone gets stuck with: libraries won't shelve them, and they're too heavy to keep moving apartment to apartment. But they don't have to go to waste. Some go to students at well below bookstore prices, and others are donated to readers in communities that need them.
Who accepts textbook donations near me?
Knowledge Exchange accepts textbooks across the Chicago suburbs, every subject and any edition, by free home pickup (3+ boxes, mixed with other books is fine) or free drop-off at 11111 Franklin Ave., Franklin Park, IL 60131. Most libraries and charity shops refuse textbooks, so a book-specialist service is usually the only good destination.
Are old edition textbooks worth donating?
Yes. Recent editions are sold to students at a fraction of bookstore prices, which is real relief on one of school's biggest costs. Older editions do their best work as reference copies in underserved communities, and at minimum become responsibly recycled paper instead of landfill. You don't need to check editions before donating; our sorters do that.
What about medical, law, and STEM textbooks?
Especially welcome. These are the categories students ask for most, and heavy hardcover science texts are exactly what donation bins can't handle. Pack them in small boxes (they hit 50 lbs fast) and schedule a pickup.
Can I donate workbooks, study guides, and test-prep books?
Yes, if unmarked or lightly marked. Heavily filled-in workbooks should go in curbside recycling instead. AP/SAT/GRE prep books from the last few years move quickly to new students.
What's the greenest way to get rid of textbooks?
Donation first, recycling second, landfill never. One pickup keeps an average of 25 books per box in circulation or in the paper stream, and textbooks are the heaviest offenders in landfill book waste because so many institutions refuse them.
Have 3 boxes or more?
See your neighborhood's pickup dates, free across the Chicago suburbs.