Donate Books
Our work wouldn’t be possible without book donations! If you’d like to help keep our shelves full, you have two options: you can buy books for our library on highly requested topics or donate books you already have.
Because we have limited shelving space, we cannot accept all book donations. Please read on to learn more about what types of donations we can accept.
Please review the topics we currently need below. We will accept books on topics other than these on a case-by-case basis.
We are currently accepting book drives on a limited basis! We have been really busy sending out loads of books lately and are running out of many subjects. If you would like to host a book drive at your school, workplace, or social space, please contact us to find out how to start!
We accept books only in new, good, or lightly used condition. Please do not donate a book to us that you would not gift to a loved one.
We do not accept hardcover books. Many prisons do not accept them and they are expensive to mail.
Please donate books in a box or bag that you do not need returned to you.
Buy Books for Our Library
All titles on our Bookshop.org wishlist are in demand all the time!
If you want to purchase books from our wishlist, they can be shipped to us at 4722 Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19143. By ordering from Bookshop.org, you will also be supporting small booksellers. Thank you!
In addition to our general Bookshop.org wishlist, we currently have specific book wishlists by topic on ThriftBooks:
Donate Books You Already Have
Please contact us before donating books that are NOT on our wishlist!
Our needs are always changing and our storage space is limited. Contact us at donations@booksthroughbars.org before donating to ensure that your donation fits our current needs and to arrange a convenient donation time.
In your email, please specify in writing (not pictures, please):
Approximately how many books you intend to donate
The condition of the books and whether they are hardcover or paperback
The subject matter/genre of the books
Our Current Book Needs
(last updated 2/8/26)
High Priority Genres
Manga
Adult coloring
Weekly planner / address book / journal
Tattoos / tattooing / flash designs
Genre fiction: fantasy / paranormal romance / thriller / westerns / urban fiction (“hood books”) / mafia / erotica
Cars / trucks / motorcycles / ATVs / dirt bikes
Music biography: hip hop / rock & roll
Business: investing / real estate / grant writing / how to start a business
Vocational: trucking / electrical / automotive / HVAC / plumbing / welding
Video games / tabletop role playing games
Sports: wrestling / boxing / martial arts / American football / basketball
Law: criminal / civil procedure / rules of court / law dictionary
Fill-in puzzles: word search / sudoku / crossword
Crochet / origami / calligraphy
Drawing instruction (pen / pencil techniques preferable!)
Addiction self help (NA / AA, secular if possible, please!)
Off-grid / homesteading / wilderness survival skills / camping / RV / boating
Equipment-free exercise (emphasis on building muscle, NOT weight loss)
High school science
Language instruction: Spanish / Arabic / Hebrew / German / French / Italian / Japanese / American sign language
(other languages accepted too!)Study Bible (Christian)
Islam / Noble Quran
Paganism / Wicca / occult / supernatural
Astrology / tarot / crystals / palmistry
Conspiracy theories / secret societies / UFO
Voodoo / Hoodoo / Santeria / Palo / Rasta / Yoruba / other Afro-Latin / Caribbean religions
Magazines: sports / business / celebrities / video games / “gentlemen’s” / outdoors / automobiles / fashion / tattoos
Books in Spanish: business / vocational “trades” / religion / self-help / popular or genre fiction / WE HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH LITERARY FICTION IN SPANISH!
Books We DON’T Need
Hardcover books
Computer / law / investing / resource guides older than 5 years
Books on secular subjects with religious tone / content
(e.g., “God’s plan for your finances” or “Bible word search”)
Books advocating sexism, homophobia, or white supremacy
Books with notes / underlining / mold / stains
Heavily warped / worn / torn / yellowed books
Books We Have More Than Enough Of Right Now
Sci-fi (WOW!)
Egyptology (WOW!)
Plays (theater)
Children’s and young adult
LSAT / SAT / GRE test prep
Parenting
Politics
Sociology
Academic writing / journals
Books specifically for women
Books We Could Use More Of
Dictionary / thesaurus
High school math
Comic books / graphic novels
Mythology / urban legends / folk tales
Gardening / landscaping
Cooking / baking
True crime
Poetry
LARGE PRINT: Bible / dictionary / puzzles // popular authors / genres: James Patterson / Lee Child / Stephen King / Colleen Hoover / Freida McFadden / Nora Roberts // westerns / romance