A Curbside donation day
Books for the Trolley
A few times a year, we team up with a local partner for a donation day: you bring the books you've finished, and we send them back out into the neighborhood for free, through our traveling tiny library and the United Way children's book drive.
You get to give a good book another ride, meet some book people, and sometimes there are perks from that day's host (a free drink, a gift card, that sort of thing).
Every one is a little different, and whenever the next one is booked, it's on the events page.
How it works
We host Books for the Trolley donation days a few times a year at local partner spots, and the next one always lives on the events page and our Instagram, so those are the places to check.
You bring books that fit the guidelines below, we look them over onsite, thank you a lot, and load up the trolley.
Some days come with perks from the host, like:
- Gift cards to the host business
- Free drinks or treats
- Small thank-you rewards for early donors
- Bonus surprises when we're feeling festive
Where the books go
Donated books don't go on our retail shelves. They go back out into the community, free, two ways:
The traveling tiny library
A free take-one shelf that rides along to every pop-up, so your donated books travel the Treasure Valley and find their next reader one stop at a time.
The United Way children's book drive
Children's books in clean condition go straight to kids through our United Way partnership, which makes kids' books the most useful thing you can bring.
Donation guidelines
We gladly accept books we'd feel good handing to a neighbor.
Great fits
- Children's books in clean condition (the most useful donation, they go straight to the United Way children's book drive)
- Fiction in good condition
- Mystery, romance, fantasy, literary fiction, thrillers
- Recent nonfiction
- Memoirs, essays, wellness, business, pop culture
- Cookbooks, art, design, and coffee table books
- Clean paperbacks and hardcovers people still want to read
Usually not a fit
- Water-damaged books
- Mold, smoke odor, or heavy staining
- Torn or heavily marked copies
- Outdated textbooks
- Encyclopedias
- Reader's Digest condensed books
- VHS manuals from 1997 (with respect)
If you'd happily give it to a friend, it's probably worth bringing.
Why it matters
Your donations help us:
- Keep the free tiny library stocked at every stop
- Put books in kids' hands through the United Way children's book drive
- Keep good books in circulation instead of in a landfill
- Bring readers through the doors of local businesses we love
- Work toward bringing books to neighborhoods that don't have a bookstore nearby (still a work in progress, and the whole idea behind the trolley)
A good book rarely wants to retire.
Want to host one?
Coffee shops, breweries, markets, community spaces, the places people already love spending time: a donation day brings readers through your doors and gives them a reason to stay a while.
It works like one of our free community pop-ups (no fee, no sales minimum, you provide the spot and we bring the bookstore), and we'd love to hear from the right spaces.
Quick questions
Can I bring more than five books?
Yes, please. Bring the whole stack and we'll make room.
Do you accept donations anytime?
Donation days are the most reliable time, since the trolley only has so much room. If you're at a pop-up with a small stack, ask us and we'll usually find a spot for it.
What happens to donated books?
They go back out into the community for free: onto the traveling tiny library that rides along to every pop-up, and into the United Way children's book drive. They don't go on the retail shelves.
Do you take children's books?
Yes, and they're the most useful donation of all, since the United Way drive is a children's book drive. Clean copies, please.
Do all events have rewards?
Not always. Some come with perks from the host, and some are simply for the love of books.
Where do I find the next event?
Check the events page or follow along on Instagram, where the next one gets announced first.
Still wondering something? See all FAQs
Ready to clear a shelf?
Your finished stack might be somebody's favorite find at the next stop.