Thank you for following our Material Guidelines. By following these guidelines, you help us reduce our carbon footprint while minimizing transportation, warehousing, and processing costs. As a result, we are committed to making the process as simple as possible while striving to offer our free service to as many libraries as possible.

Here are our guidelines for what to ship versus recycle locally:

Send to Better World Books:

• Books and Monographs
• Rare Books (See Antiquarian & Rare)
• Children’s Books
• College Textbooks (published within 10 years)
• Foreign Language Books
• Fiction and Nonfiction (hardcover and paperback)
• DVDs and Blu-Ray Discs
• Audiobooks on CD
• Video Games
• Playaways

Note: Media must be unlocked and include original case and artwork.

Do Not Send to Better World Books:

• Any books/items which do not meet the Condition Requirements below.
• Children’s Activity Books and Workbooks
• Annuals and Yearbooks
• Audio Cassettes, VHS Tapes, LP Records, & Computer Software
• Books Published by Magazines (ex: Reader’s Digest Condensed and Time-Life Books)
• Britannica and World Books Encyclopedia
• Case Law and Procedural Books
• Custom Course Packets
• Dated Reference Material (published within 10 years)
• Directories and Telephone Books
• Duplicate Copies (in excess of 20 copies per title)
• Free Copies, Examination Copies or Advanced Reading Copies
• Journals and Periodicals (ex: Literary Criticisms)
• Microfilm and Microfiche
• Newspapers and Magazines (ex: National Geographic)
• Non-Western Script Books
• Tax and Government Documents or Forms

Condition Requirements

Books must be free of mildew, mold/mould, excessive dust and dirt. In addition, books cannot have water damage, nor should they exhibit excessive spine damage,have missing pages or missing covers. Please leave any library treatments intact. No part of the book’s pages should be removed with scissors or razor blades. For media, sets must be complete and cannot be missing the original case art.