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 5/29/25)
High Priority Genres
Black / African history / biography (especially revolutionary—e.g., Black Panthers)
Business: investing / real estate / grant writing / how to start a business
Vocational: trucking / electrical / automotive / HVAC / plumbing / welding
Role playing games: Pathfinder / Warhammer / Dungeons & Dragons (D&D)
Law: criminal / civil procedure / rules of court / tort law
Weekly planner / address book
World almanac
Genre fiction: romance / mafia / erotica
Cars / trucks / motorcycles / ATVs / dirt bikes
Fill-in puzzles: word search / sudoku / crossword
Physician’s desk reference / “pill book” / DSM-5 / dictionary of psychology
Self help: general / inspirational / addiction (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)
Language instruction: Spanish / Arabic / Hebrew
Art instruction: drawing / painting / tattooing
Bible / Noble Quran / Torah
Yoga / meditation
True crime
Humor / jokes
Paganism / Wicca
Occult / supernatural
Astrology / tarot / crystals / palmistry
African / Latin American / Indigenous religion / spirituality
Sports: wrestling / boxing / martial arts / American football
Science: astronomy / technology / quantum physics / anatomy
Music: bio / history / mags / hip hop / metal / rock and roll
Conspiracy theories / secret societies / UFO
Magazines: sports / business / celebrities / video games / “gentlemen’s” / outdoors / automobiles
Books in Spanish: business / vocational “trades” / religion / self-help / genre fiction. WE HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH NOVELS 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 / fantasy (WOW!)
Egyptology (WOW!)
Plays (theater)
Children’s and young adult
General fiction (non-genre fiction)
LSAT / SAT / GRE test prep
Books specifically for women
Parenting
Politics
Academic writing / journals
Books We Could Use More Of
High school math: algebra / geometry
Art books (full page / color images please!)
LGBTQIA+: books for gay men
Comic books / graphic novels / manga
Judaism / Islam / Christianity
Mythology / urban legends / folk tales
Crochet / origami / card making
GED test prep
Coloring
Fiction: thriller / mystery / horror / westerns / urban fiction (“hood books”)