How to Get Books for Free! (Almost)

Greetings!

If you are like most schools, you can always use more books even when the budget has run out. Here are a few ways to add books to your library.

1. Start a Birthday Book Club. Invite students, teachers, or parents to add a book to the library in honor of their birthday. Put a bookplate inside the front cover stating who donated the book. Families can choose a book of their choice or one from your wish list. Don’t have a wish list? Go to

2. Amazon.com and make a wish list. This way all the books donated are books that will be useful to your library and you won’t get books that are not appropriate. Whenever you see a book that you would like for the library put it on your Amazon wish list. Also consider putting DVDs or videos or other media you want for the school on the list, too. Making the list is free and doesn’t require you to purchase from Amazon. I have a wish list for Rogers Adventist School and actually get a few books from it each year. I also copy the list into a Word document, cut and paste until my list is what I want and take it to a local bookstore so I am also supporting the local economy.

3. Donations are accepted. I accept all books donated to the library. I mention to the person who has brought the books that we are happy to look over them. If we find some that we decide not to put in the library, would it be OK with them if we put them in a classroom or on our sell shelf? They are usually just glad to get rid of them and it has not been a problem. Then I can cull, shelve, or donate as I wish.

4. Hosting a Scholastic Book Fair is a great way to add books to your library. The books are priced low and parents can buy books and stock up for Christmas, birthdays, presents, or summer reading. The school or library gets a good portion of the profits, too. This is a project that a parent committee can do. If you don’t want to host a book fair, then you can. .

5. Visit a Scholastic warehouse and stock up on their sales. You will likely have to sort through a lot of stuff that you don’t want, but you will also find some wonderful treasures. Think about buying classroom sets, or even just multiple copies of books that you think will be popular.

6. Visit used bookstores and keep your eyes open for good buys there, too. Many will keep a tab for you and if you take your own books (or donated ones that you don’t want to use at your school) you can build up some credit and have it ready when you see something you want.

I hope you find one or more of these ways useful to you. Let me know of other ways you have acquired books for your library or school.

Have a great week and a wonderful time during spring vacation.
Audrey