Wake County Public Libraries offers books donated or removed from the collection for purchase through Thriftbooks.com. Previously, WCPL sponsored an annual in person book sale, but this proved to be an ineffective and inefficient way to make these materials available to the community. Specifically, the cost to store the books all year, to transport the books to the venue and to staff the sale resulted in more expenditures than revenue for the library. By contracting with a secondary vendor, WCPL is able to make the materials available to customers more quickly and available 24/7. With this arrangement, WCPL incurs no cost and shares the profits from books sold with Thriftbooks.com.
What can I donate?
We accept donations of used books, audio books on CD, and DVDs only.
How will my donations be used?
Due to the costs and labor involved with making books ready for public use, the donated books that we receive are not added to the library's collection. But by selling the items to a secondary online vendor, these donations help our library system gain additional funding for new library books!
What condition should the items be in?
We thank you for giving us gently used books in good condition, with no signs of mold or smoke damage.
How and where can I donate?
Our libraries have limited space to accept donations, so all items are transported to our Library Administration Building for processing. If you have multiple boxes of donations, please consider a direct delivery:
Library Administration Building, 4020 Carya Drive, Raleigh 27610
Drop-off hours are Monday-Friday 9am-4pm.
Is my donation tax deductible?
Indeed it is! We will supply a tax donation letter when you drop off your donation.
What if I accidentally donate something valuable?
To keep up with volume, all gift books are sorted and moved to their next destination within 1-2 business days. We do not keep an inventory of donated books. Please recheck your boxes before donating to ensure you are not donating any family heirlooms!
May I donate in memory of a friend or loved one?
One of the most thoughtful ways to remember a friend or loved one is by making a memorial monetary donation to your public library. A financial donation allows us to purchase a book that is a lasting tribute and will benefit readers in the community for many years.
Acknowledgment of this contribution will be made by mail to the person you designate and a bookplate denoting the memorial gift will be placed in the volume.
To discuss your memorial gift, contact Dan Brooks at dan.brooks@wake.gov
May I donate to honor a person or group?
Celebrate the birth of a child, a friend’s birthday or any special occasion with a monetary donation. With your financial donation, the library will purchase a book of special interest to the honoree.
Acknowledgment of this contribution will be made by mail to the person you designate and a bookplate denoting the gift will be placed in the volume.
To discuss your gift to honor an individual or group, contact Dan Brooks at dan.brooks@wake.gov