Goodwill is a sound choice for clean books you can drop off during open hours. Goodwill of New Mexico is a nonprofit, and the revenue from donated goods funds the free services it offers New Mexicans, including its job programs. It fits less well for the box of water-stained paperbacks, the whole-house library, or the drop-off you want to make after closing time: it asks for gently used items, lists wet goods among the things it can't accept, and charges for home pickup through ReSupply.
Disclosure: I run the first option below. The New Mexico Literacy Project is a for-profit business, so donations to me aren't tax-deductible; readable books are resold to fund the free drop box and pickups. Here are five places to take books in Albuquerque besides Goodwill, and who each one suits. For a side-by-side table, see Goodwill vs. NMLP for book donations.
Last verified October 2026 · Original research by Josh Eldred
1. New Mexico Literacy Project (Any Condition, 24/7)
This one is mine, so weigh it accordingly. The New Mexico Literacy Project (NMLP) takes book donations 24/7 at a covered drop box outside the gate at 5445 Edith Blvd NE, in the North Valley near Edith and Montaño. Here's what's different:
- Any condition: worn, marked up, water-damaged or moldy books are all accepted; just bag moldy ones separately
- Where books go: readable books are resold to fund the free service, and children's books go free to Little Free Libraries around town
- No hassle: 24/7 drop-off with no need to sort, organize, or schedule anything
- Large donations welcome: clearing out a whole library? Free pickup covers the Albuquerque metro, Corrales and Bernalillo included, scheduled by route, and someone is at the warehouse 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily to help unload big drop-offs
Location: 5445 Edith Blvd NE, Unit A, Albuquerque, NM 87107
Call/Text: 505-250-3804
The model is simple: resale pays for the free drop box and pickups, books that can't be read or resold are recycled as paper, and no book goes to the landfill.
2. Little Free Libraries Around Your Neighborhood
Little Free Libraries, the small book-swap boxes on posts in front yards and parks, dot neighborhoods across the Albuquerque metro. They're a wonderful way to share books directly with your neighbors, and they're where I pass along children's books for free, too.
- Community impact: Your books go directly to people who want to read them, no middleman
- Easy to use: Simply leave books in the library when you pass by
- Visible results: You might even see other books taken and replaced as the library gets used
The downside? Little Free Libraries work best for books in great condition, and you're limited by how many books each library can hold. They're perfect for a handful of donations, but not for bulk clearouts.
3. Friends of the Public Library (Main Library, Downtown)
The Albuquerque and Bernalillo County library accepts donated books in good condition, and most of them become the property of the Friends of the Public Library, which sells them at book sales that fund library programs at all 19 branches. The Friends take drop-offs at the Main Library downtown, 501 Copper Ave NW, during posted hours.
- Supports the library: book-sale proceeds pay for library programs and services
- Condition rules: no mold, mildew or water damage and no heavy writing or underlining, and the library's guidelines also exclude encyclopedias, textbooks and Reader's Digest condensed books
- Receipts: the library says it will issue a receipt for the number of items donated, though by law it can't appraise them
Keep boxes to 30 pounds or less, and email the Friends ahead for ten or more boxes. The Friends are volunteer-run, so if you're driving in from far away, call first to make sure a volunteer can help.
4. Buy Nothing Albuquerque Groups
Local Buy Nothing groups on Facebook are a fantastic way to give books directly to neighbors who want them.
- Zero waste: Books go directly to people, not to a store or processing center
- Community connection: You might meet neighbors and see how they use your books
- Works for any condition: Someone out there probably wants that worn copy of your favorite novel
The trade-off: you'll likely need to coordinate pickup or drop-off, and it might take a little longer than dropping everything off at once. But the direct human connection makes it worthwhile.
5. Teachers and School Libraries (Ask First)
Teachers and school librarians sometimes welcome books for classroom libraries, especially recent, clean, age-appropriate titles. Teachers often use personal funds to buy books for their students.
- Classroom support: Teachers appreciate books for their classroom libraries
- Ask first: each school sets its own rules about donated books
- Condition matters: classrooms can use clean, current books, not worn or outdated ones
Contact your local school's principal or librarian to ask about their donation policies. Some have specific needs or preferences about what they accept.
So Which Option Is Right for You?
It depends on your situation:
- Clearing out a large collection? Bring it to the New Mexico Literacy Project: I take volume and any condition, with free pickup in the metro
- Have just a few books in great condition? Try a Little Free Library or a Buy Nothing group
- Want to support education directly? Ask a teacher or school librarian what they can use
- Want to fund library services? Take good-condition books to the Friends of the Public Library at the Main Library
- Need a tax receipt? Goodwill or the library fits better; donations to me aren't tax-deductible
If you want the least hassle, bring them to me: any condition, any amount, no sorting, at the drop box any hour or by free pickup in the Albuquerque metro. Readable books are resold, children's books go free to Little Free Libraries around town, and what can't be read or resold is recycled as paper. No book goes to the landfill.
Ready to donate? Learn more about how to donate to NMLP, or just stop by the drop box outside the gate at 5445 Edith Blvd NE. The box never closes, and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. there's someone at the warehouse to lend a hand.