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Book Donations

Support Our Project with Book Donations

 

Our work relies on generous book donations to continue. We are always in need of quality used books, and as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, your donation is tax-deductible. We welcome donations of new or gently used books from individuals, publishers, and booksellers.

Drop off Donated Books

Donate Books to the Claremont Forum Bookshop

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Location:

Claremont Forum Bookshop

586 W. 1st St., Claremont, CA 91711

(Located on the first floor inside the Packing House)

 

After-Hours Donation Drop-Off:

For your convenience, donations can be dropped off in the underground parking at the Packing House. The basement parking garage is accessible from 1st Street and Cornell Ave.

586 W. 1st St., Claremont, CA

 

Donation Guidelines:

We accept small donations inside the store during our business hours. For larger donations (more than one box of books), please leave them outside our basement storage facility. Feel free to call us if you need assistance or further details.

Need Assistance with Your Donation?

We offer dollies and are happy to help you unload your car. Simply call us at (909) 626-3066 before your arrival, and we’ll be ready to assist you.

 

Request a Donation Receipt:

 

If you need a receipt, please don’t hesitate to ask. Forgot to request one? No problem! Email us at mckenna@claremontforum.org, and we’ll send it to you promptly.

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We do not facilitate home "pick-ups" or any form of removal - everything MUST be dropped in our underground donation area

Books We Need

We’re always looking for a variety of books to support our project. Please ensure all donations are bagged or boxed. We prefer paperback books, as this is allowed in all the prisons we support.

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Fiction & Nonfiction Categories

 

  • Spanish-Language Books: Fiction and nonfiction

  • LGBTQ+ Affirming Books: Both fiction and nonfiction

  • African American & Native American Fiction and nonfiction

  • Memoirs: Current celebrities and important public figures

  • New or Gently Used Fiction: Especially titles published within the last 10 years

  • Manga & Comics

  • Westerns

  • Science Fiction & Fantasy

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Books in Other Languages

 

  • Spanish or Southeast Asian Languages

  • Language Dictionaries & Grammar Books: Especially Spanish and ASL

Crafts & Hobbies

 

  • Art Books of Any Kind

  • Crafts: Crocheting, knitting, and more

  • Games & Sports

  • Coloring Books

  • Puzzle Books: Crossword puzzles, word searches, Sudoku

 

Educational & Trade Skills

 

  • Trade Skills: Auto mechanics, electrical work, CDL licensing, carpentry, etc.

  • Self-Help

  • Books on Sexual Abuse, Trauma, & Addiction

  • Reference Books: Paperback almanacs, dictionaries, thesauri, atlases

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ANY collectibles!

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  • Rare and hard-to-find physical media

  • DVDs, Vinyl, CDs

  • Vintage Sci/Fi, Fantasy, Horror, True Crime

  • Special editions, collector's editions, or signed books

  • Puzzles and games, as long as they are complete

Email mckenna@claremontforum.org for anything particular!

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Books We Cannot Accept

Thank you for considering donating to support our nonprofit! To ensure your contributions best meet the needs of our community, here are some updated guidelines about the types of things we can and cannot accept:

We Will Not Accept:

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  •    Damaged Books: Broken bindings, missing pages, soiled, musty, moldy, or books with writing, highlighting, etc.

  •    Propaganda: Religious or political books and pamphlets

  •    Hate Speech: Books promoting racist, violent, misogynistic, or homophobic ideologies

  •    Mass-Market Romance & Mystery: (e.g., Harlequin Romances)

  •    Outdated Materials: Computer or science books that are no longer relevant (e.g., “Someday, man will walk on the moon!” or      “Getting Started with a Radio Shack TRS-80”)

  •    Encyclopedias

  •    Magazines: We only accept National Geographic - Furthermore, we CANNOT accept ANYTHING that was sent through mail, even if name, address, etc is torn off or redacted

  •    Books on Cassette

  •    VHS Tapes

  •    Books from the 1970s-1990s: Most hardcovers and paperbacks from this period are not needed unless they are classics or special editions. Some paperback fiction is acceptable, but even that can be hit or miss.

  • Textbooks; Exceptions: Paperback textbooks in good condition, textbooks published within the past 7 years (2018 and newer), educational or literary texts (e.g., Charles Dickens in the Modern World, 8th Edition), and vintage books related to psychology, philosophy, or science

  • Coffee Table Books unless they feature art

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CURRENTLY OVERSTOCKED ITEMS:

We currently have an abundance of the following items and do not need more at this time:

  • Hardcover Religion - Particularly hardcover Christianity titles.

  • History and Memoir; Military history titles are especially overstocked.

  • Mass Market Paperback Series such as ones by James Patterson, Lee Child, or Nora Roberts 

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

  • By donating books that align with our needs, you’re ensuring we have space and resources to focus on materials that serve our mission and community. Your support is invaluable, and we’re so grateful for your understanding and generosity.

  • For questions about specific items, feel free to contact us directly at mckenna@claremontforum.org. Thank you for helping us spread the joy of reading and learning!

Other Donation Options

The Prison Library Project is always grateful for book donations! We are honored by the generosity of our community, and we could not do our work without your support. Occasionally, our staff is trying to keep up with processing donations and may ask you to delay your donation for a week or two. If you have very large donations, older books, or donations that are primarily hardcover, consider donating to other organizations.

 

Here are some other places where you can donate your books locally. We recommend you call first before bringing  your books into any location.

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Friends of the Claremont Library

208 Harvard Ave, Claremont, CA, 91711

(909) 621-4902

 

Friends of the Upland Library

460 N. Euclid Avenue, Upland, CA 91786

(909) 931-4100

 

Economy Shop

325 1st Street, Claremont, CA 91711

(909) 626-7334

 

ACTS Thrift Store 

232 East Foothill Blvd. Pomona, CA 91767

(909) 491-3199

 

Goodwill Southern California Boutique & Donation Center

1760 W. Foothill Blvd., Upland, CA 91786

(909) 204-4462

 

Upland Discovery Shop

1236 West Foothill Blvd., Upland, CA 91786

(909) 981-7466

 

510 Books & Media

Book & Media Pick-Up Service Available

748 E Bonita Ave, Suite 205, Pomona, CA, 

(626) 400-9294


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Assistance League of the Foothill Communities Thrift Shop

8555 Archibald Ave, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730

(909) 484-7853

 

Anthesis Thrift Store

4669 Holt Blvd, Montclair, CA 91763

(909) 399-5601

 

Freecycle 

Freecycle.org

Give your friends and neighbors a chance to take your books.

 

Cal State San Bernardino

5500 University Pkwy, San Bernardino, Ca 92407

(909) 537-5090

 

**We recommend you call first before bringing  your books into any location.**

 

Have just a few books to donate? Check out the Little Free Libraries around town!  Littlefreelibrary.org

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