Donation terms

1. All books are welcome

We accept books across a wide range of subjects and conditions, including worn and damaged books. You do not need to sort a mixed collection before donating it.

Acceptance does not mean that every book can be reused. Each donation may be sorted according to condition, relevance, safety, demand and the practical routes available to us.

2. Ownership of donated books

When you place a book in one of our book banks or otherwise hand it to A Book's Life as a donation, you are giving the book to us without payment. Ownership transfers to A Book's Life when the book is deposited or accepted.

Because donations are mixed, collected and sorted in batches, we cannot normally identify, reserve, return or trace an individual book after it has been donated.

3. What may happen to a donated book

Depending on the book, it may be:

• kept in circulation for another reader;
• sold or otherwise redistributed to help fund the operation and community aims of A Book's Life;
• directed to a school or learning setting where it is suitable educational material;
• provided to a reuse, community or partner organisation; or
• responsibly recycled where it is not suitable for further use.

We cannot promise a particular destination for an individual donated book.

4. Educational books

Reusable educational books are separated from general donations and directed towards schools and learning settings. This includes suitable textbooks, revision books, children's learning material and other books with a clear educational use.

If an educational book is unsafe, badly contaminated, materially incomplete, obsolete to the point that it would be misleading, or otherwise unusable, it may instead be responsibly recycled.

5. Damaged books

Ordinary wear, torn covers, writing, highlighting and cosmetic damage do not stop you donating a book. We will assess whether it still has a useful next life. If not, recycling is the preferred final route where suitable facilities are available.

6. Items that must not be left in a book bank

Book banks are for books. Please do not deposit:

• food, liquids, chemicals or hazardous materials;
• electrical items, batteries or sharp objects;
• household rubbish or loose recycling;
• cash, bank cards, identification documents or valuables;
• illegal material; or
• items that are wet, mouldy, contaminated or unsafe to handle.

Please remove personal letters, financial papers, photographs, documents and valuables that may have been left inside a book before donating it.

7. Large donations

If you have an unusually large collection, contact us before travelling. A public book bank may not have enough capacity for a large clearance, and leaving books outside a full bank can create a safety or access problem.

8. Book-bank sites

Please use collection points considerately, follow any instructions displayed at the location and do not obstruct entrances, pavements, fire exits or neighbouring premises. Host venues may have their own access times and site rules.

9. Money raised and community causes

Some donated books may generate income through reuse or resale routes. Part of the money raised helps support local community causes, while funds may also be used for collection, sorting, storage, transport, recycling and the operation of the service.

10. Contact and changes

Questions about donations can be sent to info@abookslife.co.uk.

We may update these terms as our collection network and reuse routes develop. The date at the top of the page shows the latest revision.