Your child has aged out of their picture books. The board books that were so precious three years ago are now collecting dust on a shelf. Those early reader chapter books? They've been replaced by something more sophisticated. And now you're looking at shelves full of children's books you don't know what to do with.
You could toss them. You could donate them to Goodwill. Or you could do something more meaningful: put them directly into the hands of a child who needs them.
Children's books are heavy users of their physical bindings. A favorite picture book read every night for two years comes apart at the spine; an early-reader chapter book carried to school in a backpack picks up creases, water spots, and the occasional crayon. The books that mattered most are the ones in the worst condition. That is also the reason most thrift channels turn them away — chain donation centers grade by appearance, and a well-loved children's book typically fails the appearance grade.
What makes children's books different from adult books in the donation context is that there is real ongoing demand for them at the operational level. Pediatric reading programs, classroom libraries, Little Free Libraries, family literacy nights, holiday giveaways at care facilities, and shelter programs all consume children's books faster than they receive them. A worn paperback Magic Tree House volume that fails Goodwill's display standard is exactly what a Little Free Library steward in the East Mountains is hoping to refill the box with.
Last verified May 2026 · Original research by Josh Eldred
Where children's books donated to NMLP actually go
Children's books donated to NMLP route to four named channels:
- UNM Children's Hospital reading program. Picture books and early readers in clean condition for the family-facing waiting areas and for the in-room reading carts.
- APS Title I + McKinney-Vento Homeless Project. Children's titles routed to Albuquerque Public Schools' Title I program (high-poverty schools) and the McKinney-Vento program (students experiencing homelessness). Both programs accept condition tiers most chain channels reject.
- Little Free Library stewards across the metro. Dozens of neighborhood-level individual partners run Little Free Library boxes that need fresh children's stock weekly. Sunflower Meadow Park (East Mountains) is the most established named partner; the network includes boxes in Nob Hill, the North Valley, Westside neighborhoods, and rural Bernalillo County.
- Care facility holiday distributions. Children's books at the December holidays for staff at La Vida Llena and similar facilities to choose free books for their kids — many staff at long-term care facilities work multiple jobs, and free children's books at the holidays are a meaningful benefit.
The full set of named NMLP routing partners is listed at my named donation recipients. Where each book ends up is documented in The Lifecycle of a Donated Book.
Two ways to donate
1. The 24/7 outdoor drop box at 5445 Edith Blvd NE, Unit A. Free, unlocked, open every hour of the day. No appointment, no fee, no receipt required (acknowledgment available on request). Pull up, drop the box of children's books in the box, leave. Photos and directions are at the 24 7 book drop page.
2. Free in-home pickup. For larger volumes — a child aging out of an entire bookcase, a school clearing a classroom library, a daycare closing or rotating inventory, a multi-family book drive that ended up with too many boxes — call or text 702-496-4214 to schedule. Pickup is free anywhere in the Albuquerque metro, Rio Rancho, Corrales, the East Mountains, and the South Valley. Scheduling is routine; is possible when the calendar allows.
Condition tier guidance
NMLP accepts every condition tier. Specifically, for children's books, none of the following is a reason to throw a book away:
- Highlighter, crayon, or pencil marks from a child learning to read
- Loose pages, torn pages, missing pages
- Bent or torn covers, missing dust jacket, scuffed boards
- Bite marks, water rings, sticker residue, peanut-butter smudges
- Outdated cultural references, out-of-print status, or dated illustrations
- Foreign-language children's books (Spanish, Vietnamese, Diné, French, German — all routed to fit recipients)
- Religious children's books, board books for infants, picture books for older readers, anything in between
The only category NMLP cannot route is books with significant mold contamination — and even those go to the regional commercial paper pulper rather than the landfill. Condition grades for donors documents the full four-tier framework.
What About Other Places to Donate Children's Books?
Albuquerque Public Library
The Albuquerque Public Library sometimes accepts book donations for their shelves and for periodic book sales. Call your local branch to ask about their current donation policies.
Pro: Supports a beloved community institution
Con: They're selective about condition and may only accept certain titles. It can feel like rejection if they turn your books away.
Local Schools and Classrooms
Teachers love book donations. Classroom libraries are often underfunded, and teachers use personal money to buy books for their classrooms. Teachers who are retiring with full classroom libraries can schedule a free pickup for everything at once.
Pro: Direct support to education. You know your books are going to a classroom.
Con: You need to coordinate with a specific teacher or principal. It takes more effort.
Daycare Centers and Preschools
Early childhood centers are always grateful for book donations. Kids in these settings benefit from exposure to diverse stories and characters.
Pro: Direct impact on young readers. You can see where your books are going.
Con: Again, requires coordination with a specific center.
Buy Nothing Groups
Post your children's books on your local Buy Nothing Albuquerque Facebook group. Local families will come pick them up for free.
Pro: Zero waste. Books go directly to families you can interact with.
Con: You have to coordinate pickup/delivery. It's slower than dropping off at one location.
Why Children's Books Are Worth Special Consideration
Children's books are expensive. A picture book can cost common reading copy range. A chapter book, common reading copy range. Over time, building a children's book collection costs families hundreds of dollars.
For families with limited incomes, buying books is a luxury they simply can't afford. So when you donate your children's books, you're not just passing along an object—you're making literacy accessible to someone who couldn't otherwise afford it.
That's powerful. That's meaningful. That changes lives.
The Story Your Child Can Tell
Here's something many parents don't think about: donating books is a chance to teach your child about generosity, about community, about the power of sharing.
When you donate your child's books together, you can tell them: "These books that you loved are going to help another child love reading just like you do. Your books are going to change someone's life."
That's a lesson in empathy and social responsibility that's worth more than any lecture.
The Simple Process
- Gather your child's outgrown books
- Don't worry about condition or sorting—just bring them
- Drive to the New Mexico Literacy Project: 5445 Edith Blvd NE, Unit A
- Drop them off (24/7—you don't even need to get out of the car if you don't want to)
- Know that your child's books are staying in circulation — children's books are donated free to UNM Children's Hospital, Little Free Libraries, care facilities for mentally disabled adults, and rural New Mexico communities
That's it. It's that simple.
The Real Impact
When you donate children's books to the New Mexico Literacy Project, you're not just clearing shelf space. You're:
- Supporting my children's book program
- Putting books in the hands of kids who don't have them
- Supporting early literacy and lifelong learning
- Teaching your own child the value of generosity
- Making a real difference in your community
Your child outgrew those books. Now another child gets to grow with them. That's beautiful.
Ready to donate? Bring your children's books to the New Mexico Literacy Project anytime, 24/7. Learn more about donations. Your books will make a real difference.