Charity Shops Very Picky

[bainbrig]

Or at least round here they are (fairly affluent NW London suburb).

Won’t take this, don’t want that... Books? Only if they’re in as-new condition(!)

When I think of the poverty in the world, this actually makes me weep.

Or is it different where you live?

BB

[bainbrig]

Woofgang.

Fair comment.

1. Local freebooters, as I said, tend to be car-boot sellers, rather than people in need. I'd rather help the latter than line the pockets of the former, but I see your point.

2. Sale? Well, that might involve more social interaction than my curmugeonly self is used to - I'd rather give things away!

3. I only buy books these days when they're not available as ebooks, so rarely.

4. Books for compost? I would rather eat them myself than send my collection of English poetry to be composted under a motorway.

But points taken...

BB

[ubasses]

Have you tried Oxfam, in some towns they have shops that are books only.
If you use this link you will find your nearest book shop.
https://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/shop-finder.
They also have Wastesaver, which is a centre which sorts anything and everything, the good stuff is taken out for sale in shops or their on line shop. After that stuff is sent to Senegal to raise funds out there, most of the rest is recycled and made into other things. Finally the non recyclable is sent to a plant to produce energy.
https://www.oxfam.org.uk/donate/donate-goods/what-happens-to-your-donation/wastesaver

[bainbrig]

Thanks ubasses, and no, haven't tried the Wastesaver.

(Local Oxfam book shop in Pinner, not far from here, takes nearly-new books only - anything without a dust jacket goes out the back into a skip. Shocking.)

But I'll check that link!

[bainbrig]

Maybe my partner had a bad experience with a snooty volunteer at Pinner, as the main Oxfam website is far more welcoming and accepting of all manner of goods!

We'll try again, as we have several Oxfam shops locally.

BB

[dannyk13]

Whenever I have anything for the local charity shop (BHF) I always ring first and ask if the goods are acceptable.Saves a lot of wasted time.

[woofgang]

BB it seems to me you need to decide what your priority is....if its decluttering then who cares who gets it so long as it doesn't end up in landfill? If car booting freecycled stuff keeps someone off benefits isn't that a good thing? A book is just a thing. If you don't want it and nobody else does then why shouldn't the cotton and wood that made it go back to the earth where it came from?

[bainbrig]

Woofgang - you and I might not get on, after all.

I show you a copy of Essay on Man, printed in about 1745, and you show me a bundle of wool and cotton? Lummy.

Or a Complete Works of Thomas Hardy, which nurtured and taught me about language more than 50 years ago.

Just books?

Books, languages, are part of the civilising process.

Turn your back on them at all our peril.

BB

[tamborine]

Charity shop here take all fabrics, cheapy clothes sent to less affluent shops to sell at 99p ea. unsaleable fabrics sold by weight (£2 stuffed bin bag) to ragman. Kids plastics, car seats pushchairs binned. Beware prosecution thefts from bin (cctv)!

[woofgang]

I don't turn my back on books and have my own collection. Nothing valuable but I treasure them. Your 1745 book probably has monetary value and therefore would be of use to the charity. Thomas Hardy's complete works are free on Kindle so unless your copy has monetary value which could then be used for charitable purposes then if no one wants it, then yes its just a bundle of wood and cotton.
Its one of my rants. Books are THINGS and things are for use. If nobody wants or values a thing then why not recycle it, compost it or otherwise use it. Use things; love people.
Oh and my own treasured books? when I am dead or can no longer use them then they will be given away if anyone wants them, or sold if they have value and disposed of if they don't. Because they are things....just things.

[woofgang]

PS I meant to add Don't confuse the physical book with its contents!

[tamborine]

I prefer books as theyre battery free. Sell them on www or free to jumble sales.

[MargoTester]

National Trust will take second hand books (in good condition) for re-sale.
Some charity shop will take bags marked RAGS which they can sell on

[bainbrig]

Woofgang: yes, we are singing from the same hymn sheet (or would be if I did...)

I totally agree about 'things' - Attachment, my Buddhism tells me, is one of the greatest curses of humans, and you're right, although to me my Hardy is priceless, out there it is valueless.

BB