Donations

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      Have you ever wondered what happens to your books when you drop them off at the Friends of the Cascade Library green donation bins? Your books travel farther than you probably ever imagined. 

      Every morning, our dedicated group of volunteers sort the donated books. The higher value books are offered for sale on our eBay storefront and are sold to customers in every state. Books in great condition are channeled to our bookstore where you can shop for new and almost-new wonderful books for a very low price. Books in average condition are boxed for our big Fourth of July sale and the other sales we have during the year. 

      Books that have been a little bit too “loved” for our book sales are boxed and go to various community projects.  Some are given to the teachers in the Forest Hill School District to use in their classrooms as a library or for projects. Free little libraries benefit from some books, preschools and elementary schools in the Grand Rapids area receive boxes of books. Bibles for Africa receive some of our donated Bibles. We also send many large-print books to various assisted living facilities.  

      We have given books to jails and Alcoholics Anonymous and many other service organizations. The outdated textbooks, encyclopedias and books that are just too dirty, smelly or worn are taken to our PaperGator, and we get a check four times a year for those recycled books.  Not one book goes into a landfill and each book is given careful consideration as to its destination. Our volunteers love books and want to find them new homes with people and children who will love them again.

      We also accept CDs and DVDs and puzzles, which are also sorted and sold online, in the bookstore and at the sales.  Our bookstore is a hidden gem with hardcovers selling for $3.  We also have a Buckmobile in the front lobby which offers hardcover books for $1.  We have many new and almost-new children's books at affordable prices ranging from 50 cents to $2.

      So, when you are cleaning out a bookshelf, closet, basement, downsizing or clearing out an estate, please consider donating to the Friends of the Cascade Library.  The green donation bins are on the south side of the library, and you can drive right up to it to donate your books.  They are available 24 hours a day, and we would love to take your books on their next journey!

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