Do you ever stress about when you’ll finally get around to sorting through those old boxes of books in the garage? Are you running out of storage space and seeking a good home for your childhood stories? The answer is simple: give the gift of literature and donate your used books!

Not only do big foundations often sponsor book drives, but there are also many local organizations that facilitate book donations and literacy programs, including Literacy Link-Leamos, the Ithaca organization, and the Nobelity Project, to name a few.

Literacy Link-Leamos, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting literacy and the love of reading, is just one of the many places to donate your books. Among its other exceptional educational programs, LLL is committed to recycling books for a new generation of readers. Just this month, the organization collected lightly used books to give children at Halloween related events, exclaiming, “Books are Treats!”

Books Thru Bars, one of the Ithaca organization’s donation drives, is another great way to recycle books you’ve outgrown. With the help of volunteers, this community-based organization sends books of all kinds to inmates across the country. While works of fiction are very much appreciated, the Ithaca organization also accepts historical texts and learning tools, such as dictionaries; thus, even your “less exciting” used books are greatly needed.

Yet another example of local book donation services is the Nobelity Project, which sends used books to Kenyan libraries. Hoping to accumulate at least one thousand books for five different Kenyan libraries, the Nobelity Project accepts book for preschool through high school.

Obviously, there are many other organizations committed to promoting literacy and a love of books in both children and adults, so look out for more ways to help out your community and give the gift of reading!