FAQs

What kind of books do you accept as donations?

The most important thing we look for when accepting donated books is condition. Since the books we donate need to last a long time for our partners, we do not accept damaged books. This includes books with liquid damage, evidence of pests (cobwebs, insect shells, etc.), books with mold or mildew, and books with ripped pages and/or torn spines. We also do not accept religious books, Reader’s Digest Condensed books, magazines, encyclopedias, or reference books that are published after 2010. You can find a full list of our donation guidelines on the “Give Books” page under “Support Us”.

Why don’t you accept encyclopedias?

Encyclopedias were an excellent source of information when they were printed. However, they are intended to be used as reference material, and unfortunately information within them became outdated rapidly. Encyclopedia sets from the 60s, 70s, etc. are no longer useful for research or education. Countries have different names and borders, medical terminology and treatments have changed, new scientific studies have been published, the global economy has changed significantly, and so on. Although some of the information in old encyclopedias may still be correct, many of our partners have extremely limited access to other books or the internet, meaning they may have no way to determine which facts are out of date. We believe that everyone who wants to learn deserves to do so with the most current materials possible to give them the best chance at advancing their education, and we act on this belief by only sending books that are current and relevant to today’s world.

Why don’t you accept religious books?

International Book Project is a secular organization. We do not send religious books of any kind to maintain neutral attitudes toward all religions. Additionally, having certain religious materials in certain regions can be dangerous or even illegal, so we avoid sending them to keep our partners safe.

Why don’t you accept Reader’s Digest Condensed books?

Reader’s Digest Condensed books are typically classics that have been abridged, meaning they have been shortened and simplified from the original text. They are also typically hardcover and quite heavy, meaning they take up a lot of space in the boxes we use to ship. We are lucky to receive more than enough unabridged classics from our donors to send them to every partner who needs/wants them. Because of this, we do not send the heavier abridged versions, which take up more space while providing a less academically rigorous reading experience for students.

Why don’t you send magazines/CDs/books on tape/DVDs/cassette tapes?

International Book Project only sends physical books to our partners to promote literacy and provide access to books in places that may not otherwise have them. Magazines, CDs, DVDs, etc., do not support this mission.

Why do I have to make an appointment to donate more than three boxes of books?

International Book Project owns a relatively small warehouse on a street with limited parking. To make your donation experience as smooth as possible, we ask that you call ahead so we can make sure that there won’t be any large deliveries when you are trying to donate. We also use the head’s up to make space for your donation in our warehouse so that the unloading process is as quick and easy as possible for you!

I am located in a U.S. territory, but not a U.S. state. Which application do I fill out to request books?

If your organization is located in a U.S. territory (i.e, Guam, Puerto Rico), you need to fill out an International Shipment Application.

My organization cannot afford to cover shipping costs. Can we still apply?

Of course! Please do not be discouraged from applying for financial reasons. If your application is approved, we will work with you to figure out what is best for your organization.

I submitted an application a month ago and haven’t heard back. Was my application denied?

Not necessarily. We receive many applications, and simply may not have had time to process it yet. If you have not received a reply within 3 months of applying, we were not able to process your application. If your application was not accepted, we encourage you to reapply.

I made a mistake on my application/my organization’s circumstances have changed and I need to update the information.

If you made a mistake or need to change any of the information, please reach out to stacie@intlbookproject.org for assistance.

Do I get to choose what books will be shipped to my organization?

Yes and no. We will curate your shipment based on the needs outlined in your application (i.e, we need YA fiction, children’s books, medical textbooks), but we cannot guarantee specific titles.

Are the books new or used?

All of our books are donated. The vast majority of them are gently used. We do not ship books with ripped pages, broken spines, or liquid damage.