My pickup van serves the entire Albuquerque metro area — estates, classrooms, offices, and moves. 100% free.
New Mexico Literacy Project is a locally owned business. Donations are not tax-deductible.
Last verified October 2026 · Original research by Josh Eldred
How Free Pickup Works
Text or Call Me
Text or call 505-250-3804 with your address and an estimate of how much you have. A few boxes? A whole room? Just give me a rough idea.
I Schedule a Time
I'll set up a pickup window that works for you. Most pickups happen as part of the same regional run for the Albuquerque metro area.
I load, You Relax
I come to you, load everything up, and take it all. You don't need to sort, organize, or do anything except point me to the books.
No Load Too Big — Or Too Small
Not sure if your pile is worth a pickup? It is. One shelf or a whole house — here’s roughly how I think about size, so you know it fits.
Car run
About one full bookcase. A few boxes, a couple of bins, the closet stack — an easy stop on a regular run.
The van
Roughly 30–40 of my bins — and one bin holds about a single bookcase shelf. That’s a garage wall, a classroom, a small library, in one trip.
The trailer
A whole house comes on the trailer. Many thousands of books, or multiple trailer trips for the really big estates — done it plenty of times.
“Josh is amazing. He was quick and loading everything up. He was punctual. He had a wonderful communication, and super nice.”
— Dave Roberts · ★★★★★ Google review
Estimate your load
- • 1 bin ≈ one shelf of a bookcase ≈ a medium moving box
- • 1 bookcase (5–6 shelves) ≈ a carful ≈ 5–6 bins or boxes
- • A full room or garage wall ≈ a van run (30–40 bins)
- • A whole house / estate ≈ the trailer, one or more trips
However you count it — shelves, bins, boxes, or “a whole room” — text a rough number and I’ll bring the right vehicle. No load is too big, and there’s no minimum.
What I Pick Up
Books — Any Kind, Any Condition
Hardcovers, paperbacks, children's books, textbooks, cookbooks, coffee-table books, reference books. Worn, highlighted, water-damaged, missing covers — I take it all.
DVDs, CDs, Records & Video Games
DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs and audiobooks on disc, plus vinyl records, cassettes, VHS tapes and video games. Scratched, missing cases, no artwork — all fine. More on donating media in Albuquerque.
Estate & Household Libraries
Handling an estate with a large book collection? I can pick up entire household libraries — no sorting needed on your end.
Classroom & Office Surplus
Teachers clearing classrooms, schools with surplus textbooks, offices cleaning out libraries — I handle bulk loads. See my guides to donating old textbooks and donating children’s books in Albuquerque.
Cameras & Film Gear
Film and digital cameras, lenses, camcorders, projectors, slides and home-movie film. Working or not. See what to do with old cameras.
The Rest of the Cleanout, Same Trip
Books come first, but I don’t make you haul the rest somewhere else. Clean, wearable clothing, household items, tools and small electronics can ride along. Tell me what’s there when you text. (TVs and monitors only if they work.)
Who Uses My Free Pickup
People who are moving. You're packing up and the last thing you want to deal with is hauling boxes of books across town. I'll pick them up before your move date. Weighing a DIY haul against a free pickup? My donor time-cost calculator tallies the trips, gas, and hours a self-haul actually costs. See: Donating Books When Moving and Getting Rid of Books Fast Before a Move
Families handling estates. When a loved one passes, their book collection can be overwhelming to deal with. I pick up entire household libraries so you don't have to make multiple trips. If you've inherited a library and aren't sure how to route it, the New Mexico guide to inheriting a library walks through valuation, probate considerations, and every disposition option. See: Estate Book Donations
Seniors downsizing. Moving to a smaller home or assisted living? I make it easy to let go of books you've collected over the years. My New Mexico downsizing guide walks through how to sort and triage a lifetime collection. See: Downsizing Guide for Seniors
Teachers and schools. End of the school year? Classroom library overhaul? Surplus textbooks? I pick up from schools and classrooms. Retiring teachers clearing decades of classroom libraries can schedule a single pickup for everything. If you have children's books specifically, see my guide to donating children's books in Albuquerque. For surplus textbooks specifically, see the teacher textbook donation guide. See: Teacher & Classroom Donations
College students at end of semester. UNM and CNM students clearing out textbooks, study guides, and supplementary readings after finals. Old editions, highlighted copies and used access codes are all welcome; see where to donate old textbooks in Albuquerque. See: End-of-Semester Textbook Guide, UNM Textbook Donations, CNM Textbook Donations
Apartment complexes and property managers. Tenants move out and leave books behind. Instead of dumpster runs, contact me for a free pickup.
Realtors and moving companies. Offer your clients a free book removal service. I handle the books so they can focus on the move. See: Partner with me
Spring cleaners and annual declutterers. Doing a seasonal sweep of shelves? Free pickup handles any volume — a single shelf or an entire room. The Albuquerque spring cleaning book donation guide covers what to keep, what to let go, and how to do the whole pass in one afternoon.
“Seemed to enjoy what he does and made my life easier since I had so many bags/boxes and no way to take them anywhere for donation.”
Pam Gaskill · ★★★★★ Google review
How I Compare on Pickup
| Service | Free Pickup | Any Condition | 24/7 Drop-Off | Books + Media |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NM Literacy Project | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Goodwill | Paid (ReSupply) | ◔ | ✗ | ◔ |
| Salvation Army | Suspended | ◔ | ✗ | ◔ |
| Public Libraries | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Friends of Library | ✗ | ◔ | ✗ | ✗ |
✓ = Yes • ◔ = Limited • ✗ = No • "Suspended" = local pickup listed as suspended by the Salvation Army Southwest division (checked Sept 2026)
Full comparison: Albuquerque Book Donation Options (2026 Guide)
From the archive: a long-range pickup · Saturday, May 9, 2026
5,000 pounds. Three hours. Socorro, NM.
A 75-mile southbound run on I-25, a house with a dirt yard and broken sidewalks, and roughly two dozen oversize moving boxes lined up against an adobe wall. The chain thrifts don't drive out to Socorro. That May Saturday, NMLP did — one documented long-range run, kept here for the record, not a standing offer.
Pickup Service Area
I pick up throughout the Albuquerque metro area. Here are some of the neighborhoods I serve:
Just past the metro — Valencia County, the East Mountains, Madrid and Cerrillos, Algodones, or the Cuba area? Contact me; those are extension routes, scheduled around the longer runs. Farther out there’s no pickup: my free 24/7 drop box at 5445 Edith Blvd NE is always open, or you can mail books in.
What Happens to Your Books
I sort everything that comes in. Books in demand get resold — that’s how I fund operations and free pickups. Children’s books go free to community literacy partners and Little Free Libraries around the metro, when there’s a fit. Other readable books go to Little Free Libraries and community outlets. Only books that are genuinely unreadable — water-damaged, moldy, torn, or with broken bindings — get paper-recycled, and I even remove the glue binding for better recyclability.
I work to keep as much as possible in circulation and out of the waste stream. Donating is always better than throwing books straight in the trash.
For the non-book items that come with a pickup: If your donation arrives with a bicycle, an old printer, household goods, or anything else that came along with the books, those get sorted the same way the books do: what can be used again goes back out for reuse, and electronics go to recycling. A regional commercial paper pulper handles books that genuinely can't be saved. The full breakdown is on the lifecycle page.
Note: I'm a for-profit business — no grants, no bureaucracy. Donations are not tax-deductible, and no tax receipt is issued; a written acknowledgment (date and approximate quantity) is available on request.
Pickup FAQ
Is the book pickup really free?
Yes. No charge for pickup in the Albuquerque metro area. I resell donated books to fund my operations, so picking up books helps me too.
Do you buy books or charge for the pickup?
Neither. The pickup is free and I don't buy books: everything comes in as a donation, and reselling the books that sell is what pays for the free pickup and the 24/7 drop box.
How many books do I need for a free pickup?
No minimum. One box or a whole house gets the same free pickup. If your load fits in a car, the 24/7 drop box at 5445 Edith Blvd NE is quicker than waiting for a route date.
Do I need to sort or box the books?
No sorting required. Boxes or bags are helpful for transport, but if the books are just on shelves or in piles, that's fine too. I'll handle it.
“Highly recommended. The best part is that we did not have to box up the books”
— Douglas Story · ★★★★★ Google review
What condition do the books need to be in?
Any condition. Worn, highlighted, water-damaged, missing covers, old textbooks — I take it all. I also pick up DVDs, CDs, and audiobooks.
How fast can you pick up?
Most pickups in the Albuquerque metro happen as part of the same regional run. Timing depends on my current schedule and your location.
How do I schedule a free book pickup?
Text or call 505-250-3804 with your address and an estimate of how much you have. Pickups are scheduled by route, and I'll confirm a time with you.
Do you pick up outside Albuquerque?
I serve the Albuquerque metro — Rio Rancho, Corrales, Bernalillo, Placitas, and the South Valley — plus nearby Valencia County (Los Lunas, Belen) and the East Mountains, which are scheduled around the metro runs. Farther out in New Mexico there is no pickup, but my free 24/7 drop-off at 5445 Edith Blvd NE is always open, and institutions can ship.
Can I get a tax deduction for donated books?
No. I'm a for-profit business, so donations are not tax-deductible and I don't issue tax receipts. A written acknowledgment (date and approximate quantity) is available on request. Children's books I can't resell go free to community literacy partners and Little Free Libraries across the metro.
Who will pick up books for free in Albuquerque?
I will. I run the New Mexico Literacy Project and pick up books, DVDs, CDs and records free across the Albuquerque metro — Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Corrales, Bernalillo and Placitas, with Valencia County, the East Mountains and the Cuba area on extension routes. Pickups are scheduled by route. Any condition, no sorting, and I do the loading. Call or text 505-250-3804.
Are there charities that pick up books?
Some charities offer home pickup through a paid partner; Goodwill of New Mexico's runs through ReSupply for a fee. I'm not a charity: the New Mexico Literacy Project is a locally owned, for-profit business, so donations aren't tax-deductible and there's no tax receipt (a written acknowledgment is available on request). My pickup still costs you nothing, because resale of what I collect is what pays for it.
Where can I donate books near me in Albuquerque?
Two free ways, any condition. Drop them in my covered, waterproof 24/7 drop box outside the gate at 5445 Edith Blvd NE, Unit A, in the North Valley, or have me pick them up anywhere in the Albuquerque metro, scheduled by route. Someone is at the warehouse 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., seven days a week, to help unload a big load. Call or text 505-250-3804.
Can you take other things on the same pickup?
Yes. Books and media come first, but the rest of the cleanout can ride along: records, cassettes, VHS tapes, video games, cameras and lenses, plus clean, wearable clothing, household items, tools and small electronics. Tell me what you have when you text. TVs and monitors only if they work.
The full FAQ reference covers logistics, what I accept, the after-pickup process, estate situations, and how I differ from Goodwill, Friends of the Library, Bookworks, and Better World Books.
Schedule Your Free Pickup
Fill out the form below and I'll contact you to set up a pickup time. Or call/text 505-250-3804 if you prefer.
Prefer to Call or Text?
505-250-3804Text me your address and a rough estimate. I'll get back to you personally.
Don't Need a Pickup?
My free 24/7 drop box is always open — no appointment, no waiting.
Use Drop Box InsteadWhat to Expect
- 1. I confirm your pickup
- 2. I come to your location — you don't lift a finger
- 3. I load everything and take it all
Prefer to drop off? Open 24/7.
5445 Edith Blvd NE, Unit A · no appointment
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.
Typing “donate used books near me” from Albuquerque?
Then the answer is: I come to you. Free pickup anywhere in the Albuquerque metro — one box or a whole wall of shelves — scheduled by route (right now, as of September 27, 2026, the pickup calendar is full through the third week of October; a carload is quicker at the drop box). Call or text 505-250-3804 and it's handled. Prefer to drive it over yourself? Start with the 24/7 drop-off, explained.
Book Donation by Neighborhood
Outside the Albuquerque metro? I can’t drive to you — but the mail can. Ship books from any US state at your expense (USPS Media Mail is cheap), any condition, media welcome. Donate books by mail →