500K+
Pounds of books
Sorted by hand and routed to readers, hospitals, schools, and Little Free Libraries — kept out of the landfill.
See where books go →
★★★★★
5.0 from 45 reviews
Verified Google reviews from Albuquerque-area donors, estate executors, La Vida Llena, and Little Free Library stewards.
Read all reviews →
24/7
Free drop-off & pickup
Outdoor drop box at 5445 Edith Blvd NE, Unit A, open every hour of every day. Free metro-wide pickup for larger loads.
Schedule a pickup →
Curious where each donated book actually ends up? Read the sourced lifecycle investigation.
Four services, one operator
Four Ways I Help Albuquerque Households
I offer free book donation pickup, 24/7 drop-off, estate library evaluation, and rare book consignment for Albuquerque households. From a single box of books at the curb to clearing the books, papers, and media from a whole estate — same operator, same phone, same warehouse on Edith and Montaño.
Free Book & E-Waste Pickup
Books, paper, magazines, vinyl, computers, TVs, monitors. Free across the metro. The warehouse is next door to a certified computer recycler.
Schedule a free pickup →Most asked-about
Estate Book, Paper & Media Clearing
I clear the books, papers, photographs, media, and valuables from an estate — often free when the resale value covers the work. Keepsakes and family papers saved first. Furniture, appliances, and junk handled case by case, not for free — I'm one careful operator, not a free junk-and-furniture crew.
See the service & request a date →Just launched
Looking for a Book? Text Me
A used bookstore where you text the owner. Title, author, or a photo of the cover to 702-496-4214. I might have it. If not, I'll watch for it as estates come through.
How it works →For Professional Referrers
For attorneys, funeral directors, realtors, senior move managers, hospice staff, estate sale companies. No referral fees, just a reliable handoff.
For pros →Already Trusted Locally
La Vida Llena Routes Resident Estates Through Me.
La Vida Llena is a continuing-care retirement community in Albuquerque's Northeast Heights with hundreds of residents. For years I've been part of the weekly rhythm there — working alongside the Recycling Services team, loading the APS Title I Homeless Project van with donations, and being the operator the community trusts when residents pass away and their books, papers, and collections need careful handling. Proceeds from resident estates are split 50/50 with La Vida Llena's employee appreciation fund.
"Josh Eldred volunteers with me in Recycling Services at La Vida Llena. His efforts to help our seniors recycle are very much appreciated. He also brings dozens of boxes of children's books at the holidays so employees can choose free books for their children. He is our hero!"
Not a charity — and that’s the point
I’m a for-profit business, and that’s exactly why I can take any book in any condition, pick it up free, and keep it out of the landfill. Selling the valuable few funds the free pickup; the rest are passed on to readers where I can, or recycled.
See exactly how it works →Donate Books & Media in Albuquerque — Any Condition, No Sorting
I accept books and media in any condition at 5445 Edith Blvd NE, Unit A, Albuquerque — open 24/7, no sorting, no appointment, no receipt. I want your books, and I want your media too — the three groups below, all in any condition. Cleaning out your shelves, moving, or downsizing? Drop them off anytime or call 702-496-4214 for free pickup.
Books
Hardcovers, paperbacks, children's books, textbooks, cookbooks — if it has pages, I want it.
Movies & Music
DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, vinyl records, cassette tapes, VHS — with or without cases, scratched or perfect.
Games & Puzzles
Video games, board games, jigsaw puzzles — bring them along with the books, or on their own.
Media — straight to it, any condition, free pickup
The 24/7 Outdoor Drop Box
5445 Edith Blvd NE, Unit A — Albuquerque, NM
Free Pickup — I Come to You
Serving ABQ, Rio Rancho, Corrales, Bernalillo, Placitas & Santa Fe
Free 24/7 Drop-Off
5445 Edith Blvd NE, Unit A
Albuquerque, NM 87107
My outdoor drop box is always open — come by any time, day or night.
Give Your Books a Second Life
Every year, millions of perfectly good books end up in landfills. I think they still have stories to tell. So I hand-sort every donation — over 500,000 pounds since launching. Books with resale value get sold online, and that revenue funds the free children's-book distribution. Kids' books go to UNM Children's Hospital, group homes for adults with developmental disabilities, and school libraries in rural northern New Mexico. Damaged books get paper-recycled. Nothing ends up in a landfill.
Drop Off Anytime
The 24/7 outdoor drop box means you can donate on your schedule — early morning, late night, weekends, holidays. No appointment needed.
Any Condition Accepted
Water-damaged? Missing a cover? Dog-eared and highlighted? I take it. Don't waste time sorting — just bring everything.
Books Find New Readers
Your donations get hand-sorted one by one. Sellable books find new readers. Children's books are donated free to UNM Children's Hospital, care facilities, and rural New Mexico schools. Only books that are truly unusable — water-damaged, moldy, or falling apart — get paper-recycled. Nothing to the landfill.
Every Donation, Hand-Sorted
When you drop off a box of books, it doesn't disappear into a back room. It comes through this warehouse in the North Valley, where every title gets looked at one by one — decided, sorted, and routed to where it will do the most good.
Donations Arrive
Everything from a single bag to an estate's worth of boxes. Drop-offs come in around the clock from the 24/7 box; pickups come in from across the metro. No sorting required on your end — bring it however it is.
Every Book Evaluated
I look at every title. Is there resale value? Is it a kids' book that should go straight to a hospital or Little Free Library? Is it too damaged for anyone to read? That decides where it goes next.
Readers First, Recycling Last
Resale-worthy titles are sold online, and that revenue funds the operation. Everything else that's still readable goes to readers: UNM Children's Hospital, La Vida Llena, and Little Free Libraries. Only the small share that's water-damaged, moldy, or falling apart gets paper-recycled. Nothing hits a landfill.
By the Numbers
What Donors Are Saying
"Authentic, knowledgeable and very honest. He is not wanting to take advantage of you!! Truly a nice guy!"
Andy M.
Book Collection — Albuquerque
"Josh is a very nice guy who does a great job of cleaning out a property and removing unwanted items with no questions asked about condition. So happy to see that my mother's books will never see a landfill."
Leyla Mcfadden
Estate Cleanout — Albuquerque
"Josh has donated numerous children's books to our Little Free Library in the east mountains at Sunflower Meadow Park. Thanks to his generous donations I am able to continue to provide books to neighbor kids."
Peggy C.
Little Free Library — East Mountains
"Me and my family love how convenient the book donation bin is!"
Michael O.
Family Donor — Albuquerque
Browse My Online Store
Every book you donate gets hand-sorted. The ones in great shape end up in my eBay store, where readers across the country can find them. Your old paperback could be someone's next favorite book.
Revenue from sales funds my free pickup service, the 24/7 drop box, and my children's book donation program — providing free books to UNM Children's Hospital, group homes for adults with developmental disabilities, and school libraries in rural northern New Mexico. When you buy from me, you're keeping the whole thing running.
Shop Books on eBayBooks
Fiction, nonfiction, rare finds
DVDs & Blu-rays
Movies, TV, documentaries
CDs & Vinyl
Music, audiobooks, records
Collectibles
First editions, signed copies
Serving All of Albuquerque & Beyond
No matter where you live in the metro area, I'm just a short drive away. Find book donation info for your neighborhood.
Donate Books in Albuquerque — FAQ
The most common questions about donating books in Albuquerque to the New Mexico Literacy Project.
Where can I donate books in Albuquerque?
I run a free 24/7 book and media donation drop-off at 5445 Edith Blvd NE, Unit A, Albuquerque, NM 87107 — at Edith and Montano in the North Valley. I accept books, DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, vinyl records, cassette tapes, VHS tapes, video games, board games, and puzzles in any condition, no sorting required, no appointment, no forms. You can drop off any hour of any day. See how to donate media in Albuquerque.
Is there a free book donation drop-off in Albuquerque?
Yes. My outdoor drop box at 5445 Edith Blvd NE, Unit A in Albuquerque is free, unlocked, and open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is no gate, no fee, no appointment, and no receipt. Just pull up, drop your books in the box, and go. See the drop-box page for photos and directions.
Can I donate used books in Albuquerque in any condition?
Yes. I accept used books in any condition — water-damaged, highlighted, missing covers, dog-eared, mildewed. I also welcome DVDs, CDs, vinyl, cassettes, VHS tapes, video games, board games, and puzzles in any condition — on their own, not just when they come along with books. The public library and most thrift stores set condition limits. I do not. Read more about donating damaged books in Albuquerque.
Do you offer free book pickup in Albuquerque?
Yes. For larger donations — estate cleanouts, office closures, classroom clear-outs, moves, downsizing — I offer free book pickup anywhere in the Albuquerque metro area including Rio Rancho, Corrales, and the South Valley. Call or text 702-496-4214 with a rough book count and I will schedule a pickup.
Are book donations to the New Mexico Literacy Project tax-deductible?
No. The New Mexico Literacy Project is a for-profit business, not a nonprofit. Donations are not tax-deductible and I do not issue receipts. What I do offer is the easiest book donation in Albuquerque: free, 24/7, any condition, no sorting, and free pickup for larger loads. Every book I take gets hand-sorted and either resold to fund the operation or donated to hospitals, care facilities, and Little Free Libraries.
Where should I donate used books near us in New Mexico?
If you are in the Albuquerque metro, the easiest option is the 24/7 drop-off on Edith Blvd. I also offer free pickup throughout Rio Rancho, Corrales, the South Valley, the East Mountains, Bernalillo, Placitas, Santa Fe, Los Lunas, and Edgewood.
Popular Guides on Donating Books in Albuquerque
Deeper reads for specific situations, item types, and common questions about where to donate books in Albuquerque.
Four Little Free Libraries, restocked in one Sunday loop
The outbound side of NMLP. Books that came in through donations went out into four neighborhood LFLs — Khaled Hosseini, Tim O'Brien, Stephen King, Eckhart Tolle, Dr. Seuss, vintage reference, kids' books. Every box left with a "Got books? Free pickup" bookmark for the next donor. Read the LFL loop story →
Two Little Free Library drops from a single Sunday loop
Rick Riordan series, National Geographic run, Nora Roberts, an estate professor's microeconomics text — all dropped in neighborhood boxes on one afternoon. My bookmarks visible in both. See the full case study →
5,000 pounds. Three hours. Socorro, NM.
75 miles south of Albuquerque on I-25 — over dirt and broken sidewalks, into a Socorro County estate. One man, one truck, no fee. Read the full pickup story →
Part of the growing Pickup Stories archive — operational records, never marketing.
“If it looks like trash to a chain thrift, bring it to me.”
A photographic field guide to the twelve categories of donation chain thrifts routinely reject — Cocinas-de-NM cookbooks, encyclopedias, magazines, VHS, vinyl, water-damaged stacks, yearbooks, sheet music, saddle-stitched ephemera. Free pickup, no condition limit, no judgment.
See the YES list →Where Your Donated Books Actually Go
Named partners. Real destinations. A line-by-line map of every path a donated book can take — La Vida Llena holiday boxes, Sunflower Meadow’s Little Free Library, APS Title I / McKinney-Vento families, my eBay shop, certified paper recycling. No dumpster. No landfill. No fog.
See the Map →Three Albuquerque Donation Stories
The attorney’s referral from a Northeast Heights estate, the downsizer who moved into La Vida Llena and ended up living with her own donated books, and the widowed professor’s two-thousand-volume academic library. Anonymized. Real arcs.
Read the Stories →Where Should I Donate My Books in Albuquerque?
Five quick questions — collection size, categories, condition, timeline — and I’ll point you to the right Albuquerque destination: named community partners, library Friends sales, faith-based literacy programs, or free in-home pickup.
Take the Quiz →Where to Donate Books in Albuquerque — The Complete Comparison
Side-by-side comparison of every NM book-disposal channel — NMLP, Goodwill, Savers, library Friends sales, Habitat ReStore, UNM CSWR, Title Wave, Better World Books, Little Free Libraries, junk removal, recyclers. Pros, cons, who each one’s best for, and an honest decision tree by donor profile.
See Comparison →2026 Albuquerque Book Donation Report
A year of free in-home pickups, broken down by exit channel, donor type, subject category, and named partner — the data behind the transparency commitment. About 50% to resale, 28% to community partners, 10% to Little Free Libraries, 12% to certified paper recycling.
Read the 2026 report →By Life Event
By Item Type
New Mexico Literacy Project has been a fantastic partner for Assistance League of Albuquerque. We are a thrift store that sells donated books and a percentage of these we are unable to use. We are able to recycle these through Josh which saves us hours of sorting and disposing every week. And they do not go to a landfill. Josh is reliable and professional and the free pickup has been a huge help. It saves our volunteers from hauling boxes of books. He comes by, loads up, and we get our space back. No hassle and no minimum. I highly recommend Josh and the New Mexico Literacy Project.
Clearing Out Your Shelves?
Whether it's 5 books or 500 boxes, I'll take them. Large donations? Call me and I'll work out the details.
Local to Albuquerque — the area code just traveled with us.
Or have me call you back
Don’t want to dial? Drop your name and a phone or email below and I’ll reach out personally. Free pickup, any condition, no sorting required.