What do I do with my books?

[Rhone]

I'm moving on Saturday, and being only 1 year removed from grad school, I have a ton of books in my apartment. Even though I don't use them anymore, I hadn't given them much thought over the last year, but now that I'm packing up and imagining lugging boxes and boxes of them to my new place, they're starting to feel like a problem.

I want to get rid of them, but I feel really bad about throwing away books, and I'd like to make that a last resort. How I can give them away so they go to some good use? I live in a highrise apartment building in the suburbs, no large student population around here. The books are fairly specialized, and the average person on the street is not going to be interested in 90% of them. I also don't own a car.

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated, OOT.

[amplify]

Feel free to send them all to me.

[guids]

what kind of books? make a list give them to OOT, or let us give you some cash if there is interest.

[By-Tor]

...but I hear this is frowned upon these days...

[Guthrie]

If you had more time, or could move them temporarily, then half.com is the answer.

Last time I moved I was in a similar position. I simply can't throw away a book, and I refuse to sell them for 25 cents a box to a used book store that's going to make a ton of money on them.

I sold hundreds of books on half.com, some for more than I paid for them, especially specialized ones. Fiction doesn't bring much.

The ones that had no substantial value I grouped up and sold on eBay. One woman was thrilled to buy a partial set of classics (the rest were lost in a flood), for $10 for her non-profit organization.

[Rhone]

for half.com, don't you wind up having to deal with dozens of little transactions...each person wanting to buy just one book? that sounds like a major pain in the ass.

[Metal_Rat]

I'd say e-bay but since I've never used it, I suggest Amazon.com.

If you don't mind going to the post office a lot, spend a couple of hours and post them on Amazon. I've sold a lot of stuff there.

Note that some of your books will only sell for a few dollars so be prepared to only make a few bucks for some books.

[Empty_House]

Or find a Half Priced Books location and they will buy every single thing you bring in.

[ilya]

Shops like the Strand and Powell's buy collections, I bet you could sell them the whole lot online. You'll get totally shafted of course but it'll be quick and the books will survive.

You could try calling local libraries and convincing them that it's worth their time to come pick up your collection (since you don't have a car).