What Happens to Donated Books in Albuquerque?
Published on March 21, 2026
By Josh Eldred
When you drop off a box of books, what actually happens next? Many donors wonder about the journey their books take after leaving the donation site. At New Mexico Literacy Project, I believe transparency builds trust, so let's walk through the entire process of what happens to your donated books in Albuquerque.
I've hand-sorted over 500,000 pounds of books. Every single donation that comes through my facility follows a careful, intentional process designed to give your books a second life while supporting my operations.
Last verified May 2026 · Original research by Josh Eldred
Step 1: Books Get Hand-Sorted
When your donation arrives at my facility at 5445 Edith Blvd NE, Unit A in the North Valley (near the intersection of Edith and Montano), I begin the sorting process. Every book is handled individually and assessed for its condition, type, and potential use.
I separate donations into categories including:
- Children's books and early learning materials
- Fiction and literature
- Non-fiction and educational books
- Textbooks and academic materials
- Media, audiobooks, and special formats
This careful sorting ensures that each book reaches its best possible destination.
Step 2: Children's Books Are Donated Free
One of my core commitments is getting children's books into the hands of Albuquerque families at no cost. After sorting, quality children's books are donated free to the pediatric ward at UNM Children's Hospital, group homes for adults with developmental disabilities, and rural school libraries from the Estancia Valley to the Four Corners. This is one of the things I'm most proud of.
If you're donating children's books specifically, you can feel good knowing they're going directly to support early literacy in my community. Learn more about donating children's books.
Step 3: Books in Good Condition Are Resold
Books that are in sellable condition — no water damage, no broken spines, legible pages, and reasonable wear — are resold. This is an important part of my business model. I am a for-profit business, not a nonprofit, and resale revenue is how I fund my operations — free pickups, the 24/7 drop box, and my children's book donation program.
Being transparent: I don't provide tax deductions or donation receipts because I operate as a for-profit company. Your books generate revenue that allows us to continue serving Albuquerque.
Browse My Store
Want to see where donated books end up? My eBay store is stocked with hand-sorted books, DVDs, and CDs — all from donations like yours. Every purchase funds free pickups and children's books.
Step 4: The Small Share That's Truly Damaged Gets Paper-Recycled
Most donations find a reader through resale or direct distribution to kids, hospitals, and community outlets. The remainder is genuinely unreadable — water-damaged, moldy, with broken bindings, or reference material so outdated it has no practical use. Instead of sending those to landfill, I recycle them responsibly as paper.
I even take extra steps to improve recyclability — I remove glue bindings from certain books before recycling to make the process more efficient. I connect donated books with new owners through my shop and free programs, but I also recognize that some books have reached the end of their useful life.
If you have damaged books you're unsure about, you can learn more about donating damaged books.
My Philosophy: Books in Circulation
"I put usable books back into the community through resale and free giveaways." This isn't just something I say—it guides every decision I make. Whether your books go free to children's hands, are resold to readers who want them, or are responsibly recycled, they're part of a system designed to extend their useful life rather than waste them.
Where I Do This Work
All of this happens at my facility in Albuquerque's North Valley:
5445 Edith Blvd NE, Unit A
Albuquerque, NM 87107
North Valley (Edith and Montano)
Phone: 702-496-4214
Ready to Donate?
I make it easy to donate books in Albuquerque. Choose what works best for you: