For donors verifying before they schedule
Is NMLP legit? Yes — here’s how to verify it yourself
If you found NMLP through a Google search and you’re weighing whether to schedule a pickup with someone you don’t know, you’re asking the right question. Below is everything you need to verify the operation in about five minutes — Google review profile, registered New Mexico business, public warehouse address, named partner organizations, owner identity. Nothing claimed on this page is something you can’t check yourself.
Last verified May 2026 · Original research by Josh Eldred
The five-minute verification
Six public sources, each independently verifiable. None of them are controlled by me; they’re all third-party records that would surface the same way for any business.
1. The Google Business Profile
5.0 stars from 23 verified Google reviews. Every review is public, dated, and shows the donor’s real Google account. I respond to every one. If a pickup ever went badly, that’s where it would show up — and the rating has stayed clean.
Open the Google Business Profile →2. The physical warehouse, anyone can drive past
5445 Edith Blvd NE, Unit A, Albuquerque, NM 87107. North Valley, just north of Comanche on Edith. There’s a 24/7 outdoor drop box right outside the unit, accessible any time of day or night. You can drive past, look at it, leave a box of books in the bin and walk away if you want — no contact required.
Open in Google Maps →3. The phone number goes to me directly
702-496-4214 is my personal phone. There’s no call center, no answering service, no sales team. If I don’t pick up, I call or text back — usually within an hour during business hours, sometimes faster. Try it before you schedule a pickup if you want to hear an actual voice.
Call 702-496-4214 →4. New Mexico business registration is public record
NMLP is a registered New Mexico for-profit business, owner Josh Eldred. The New Mexico Secretary of State business search is open to the public. Search “New Mexico Literacy Project” or my name and the registration record comes up. There’s no hidden ownership, no foreign-state shell, no DBA chain.
Search the NM SoS business registry →5. Named partner organizations you can call directly
The donation-track books from NMLP go to specific places, all named publicly. APS Title I elementary schools take children’s books. The UNM Children’s Hospital reading program takes age-appropriate kids’ titles. Little Free Libraries throughout the metro stock from the rotating shelf. Each of those organizations exists independently of me and can be contacted directly to verify.
See the full routing list →6. Independent Yelp business listing
NMLP’s Yelp business profile is independently moderated. The category is “Donation Center,” the address matches the warehouse, the phone number is the same one that goes to me. Yelp verifies businesses before approving the listing — it’s a separate platform from Google and shows the same NAP data, which is what donors and search engines use to confirm a business is real.
Open the Yelp business profile →What the operation actually looks like
Modest. One owner. One warehouse. One van. The point is to be as real as possible so there’s nothing for a donor to imagine.
The warehouse on the map
5445 Edith Blvd NE, Unit A, Albuquerque, NM 87107. North Valley, just north of Comanche Road. The 24/7 outdoor drop box is on the south side of the unit. If you’re ever uncertain, drive by — the warehouse is real and it’s there.
Honest about what NMLP isn’t
Not a 501(c)(3) charity. NMLP is a for-profit New Mexico business. Donations are not tax-deductible. If you need a tax receipt, Goodwill or Friends of the Albuquerque Public Library are both registered nonprofits that can issue one.
Not a bonded mover or junk-removal company. I take books, magazines, journals, technical manuals, encyclopedias, sheet music, photo albums, VHS, DVDs, CDs, audio cassettes, vinyl, and a few specialty paper categories. I do not haul furniture, appliances, electronics that aren’t media players, mattresses, paint, hazardous waste, or construction debris. For those, you want a junk removal company — I’ll happily tell you which Albuquerque-area ones I’ve seen do good work.
Not a national chain. Single owner-operator (me), single warehouse (Edith Boulevard), single phone number (702-496-4214), single vehicle. The operation is intentionally small enough that I’m the person you talk to and the person who shows up.
Not a high-end estate liquidator. I do free donation pickup and route the trophies to the right specialists when they appear. If you have an individual rare book worth four figures or more and you want maximum dollars on it, an auction house (Heritage, Swann, PBA Galleries, ABAA member dealers) is the right channel — not me. I’ll point you to the right specialist if that’s your priority.
Not building a database of you. I don’t collect personal information beyond the logistics of the pickup — name, address, phone, what to expect at the door. Nothing is sold to third parties; nothing is used for marketing.
Frequently asked verification questions
Is the New Mexico Literacy Project legitimate?
Is NMLP a 501(c)(3) charity?
Where is the NMLP warehouse?
Who is Josh Eldred?
How can I verify NMLP myself before scheduling a pickup?
What if NMLP shows up and the pickup goes badly?
Is there a hidden catch?
Related
- About NMLP — the story behind the operation.
- Where donated books go — named partner organizations and the routing logic.
- Schedule a free pickup — once verified, here’s the next step.
- 24/7 outdoor drop box — if you’d rather skip the pickup interaction entirely.
- Testimonials — longer-form donor accounts.
- Open Data API — the structured-data feed for NMLP’s reference content.
Verified? Schedule the pickup.
If everything checks out for you, text 702-496-4214 with photos and an address. Free pickup statewide. or in the Albuquerque metro.