Charity shops pulping or rejecting old books

AndrewJRenko · 10-04-2025 07:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123344928#Comment_123344928

So they incentivise the local manager to do a good job. Seems like a fairly sensible business approach to maximise income for the charity.

Flinty997 · 10-04-2025 07:59PM

We had loads of old books kept, but at some point they just get too old and musty and kids want their own books and are interested in different things.

We took pictures of newer books the kids outgrew and asked the school and library did they want them, and they took the best of them.

Book shop didn't want any and charity shops didn't want books either. Library used to have a swap box.

George White · 10-04-2025 08:42PM

where did the musty books go? Skip? I know a collector of musty books

George White · 10-04-2025 08:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123344804#Comment_123344804

Exactly. But there's a lot of good forgotten fiction and beautifully illustrated books that get dumped. That's what I'm thinking of, not the shite. My school library was full of wonderfu old books from the 70s that heklped shape my obsession with 70s pop culture

Asked around my local charity shops and none of them said they pulp books. Oxfam UK pulp books in UK, but the Irish ones said they distribute books to other shops. I'm somewhat sceptical but i found lots of places esp. indie places heaving with musty books in Bray.

xckjoo · 11-04-2025 09:28AM

Most of the donations charity shops get are literal garbage from people who are cleaning their house. That includes the books. If you've a grá for old books then talk to them and they'd probably be willing to keep them aside for you to go through each week. But you're going to be looking through a lot of rubbish and unless you're going to buy and hoard them all then they're going in the bin.

Maybe look for some conservation efforts for old books if you're bothered. Get involved with them.

Charity shops pulping or rejecting old books

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