Reuse and resale
Sort books for a specific donation recipient
Recipients take different books, and their rules change. Get the current requirements from the recipient first, then sort your books into accepted, not accepted and unsure, with a plan for each pile.
A text to start with
I want to donate books to [recipient]. Their current requirements, copied from [where], are: [accepted categories, condition rules, quantity limits, drop-off rules]. My books include [groups such as paperbacks, textbooks, children's titles, damaged copies]. Propose sorting groups and tell me which ones I must confirm with the recipient before I bring them.
Example request. Change the details to fit your situation.Book sorting sheet
Recipient: [ ] Where I found their requirements, and date checked: [ ] Accepted categories they list: [ ] Condition rules they list: [ ] Quantity or box limit: [ ] Drop-off or pickup rule: [ ] Book group: [ ] Approximate count: [ ] Condition of this group: [ ] Fits an accepted category: [yes / no / unsure] Question to confirm with the recipient: [ ] Their answer and date: [ ] Alternative route if not accepted: [ ] Box label: [ ] Final destination for this group: [ ]
Assumptions to avoid
Do not assume a recipient takes every book or every edition. Textbooks, encyclopedias, older editions, water-damaged copies and books with writing or loose pages may be limited, so check this recipient's own rules instead of guessing. Confirm that the requirements you pasted are current, since a page you saved earlier may be out of date. The draft should not promise acceptance on the recipient's behalf. Every book should land in one group, including those headed for another route.
Ask another agent to check the result
Compare my sorting groups with the recipient's stated requirements. Name every group I treated as accepted without confirmation, every outdated edition or damaged book I assumed they take, and every group with no alternative route.
Confirm, then bring only what fits
Send the recipient your short list of unsure groups and wait for their answer. Pack the confirmed pile separately, respect any stated limit, and label the box by category. For the rest, choose another route, such as a different organization or a recycling option, and note it beside each group so no stack is left without a plan.