Donating Books & Media

Answering all your questions about donating to Friends of Cragin.
Green vinyl sticker showing hands holding an open book below a heart.
Friends of Cragin Donation Bin

Donating Books & Media to Friends of Cragin Memorial Library

You can donate used books and media (CDs, DVDs, etc.) to Friends of Cragin Memorial Library two ways:

  1. Drop off items in the donation bin outside the Library with the green logo at any time. Please note that only one or two items can be inserted at a time.
  2. Drop off single items or bags/boxes of items inside the Library when it is open. Ask Library staff to borrow a hand cart if you need it. Neither Library staff nor Friends volunteers can unload from a vehicle, nor can they pick up donations from a donor.
  3. If you need a receipt for your donation for tax purposes, please ask a Library staff member for a donation receipt form. Note that IRS rules do not allow the Library or Friends to assign value to the donated items. Please see this guide from Goodwill for typical values for most kinds of donated items.

What happens to my donations?

  1. Volunteers sort through all donations. Some items are given to the Library for the collection. Most items are sold at Library book sales or at the “Book Shoppe” located near the upstairs new book area or on the blue elephant in the children’s department. Funds from book sales are used to support Library programs for all ages or for special projects.
  2. Several non-profit organizations pick up many leftover items from the book sales to serve their clients, including students and prisoners.
  3. Donations to Friends of Cragin generate funds that stay in the community, providing programs for all ages.

What shouldn’t I donate?

  1. Moldy or mildewed items cannot be sold and are hazardous for human volunteers and for the books in the Library! Please dispose of them in your trash.
  2. Chewed, heavily ripped, smelly, or stained items should be disposed of in your trash.
  3. Materials that are falling apart should be disposed of in your trash.
  4. Please do not donate VHS tapes--these should be disposed of in your trash.
  5. By law, personal recordings of media on disc or tape cannot be resold. Please dispose of them in your trash.
  6. Clothing, personal items, furniture, etc. Please don't donate things that aren't books or media!