Donate Books and Materials

By donating books, CDs and DVDs in good condition, you help the Richland Library Friends and Foundation raise money to support innovative library programs and services. Our dedicated volunteers sort, price, and shelve your donations for resale at our public book sales.

Donation Schedule:

Bring your book donations to the Richland Library Operations Center (130 Lancewood Road, Columbia, SC 29210). The location is off Bush River Road, across from Dutch Square Mall and behind Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union.

Donation Dates & Times:

Tuesday, April 7 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 28 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 5 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 12 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 19 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 26 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, June 2 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, June 9 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, June 16 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, June 23 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, June 30 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Please note:

To maintain the condition of donations and the safety of volunteers, please check the events page to confirm that the event is occurring as scheduled before traveling to the Operations Center. The website is the most reliable place for the most up-to-date donation hours and event status.
Items with water damage, mold, mildew, broken spines, or damaged pages are not accepted. Only encyclopedias published before 1955 or after 1985 are accepted. Only antique or printed textbooks within the past five years are accepted. Only bound National Geographics are accepted. Only donations stored in climate-controlled environments are accepted.
Upon request, volunteers or staff will provide a donation receipt for donors to complete. Volunteers and staff are not able to provide a value for the donations. Donors are asked to count the number of items in each category (hardback, paperback, CDs, DVDs, and others).
If you need assistance unloading your donations, please call the Operations Center at 803.798.3341 to alert volunteers of your arrival. The front door is closed and locked for safety. Staff and volunteers can only assist with donations weighing no more than 35 lbs.
Due to space and logistical constraints, donations cannot be received at Richland Library locations. Books left outside any library location or in book drops must sadly be disposed of. Due to limited storage space, donations are only received during scheduled donation periods and can't be accepted during a book sale.
Please contact the volunteer coordinator at 803.929.3436 if there are scheduling barriers to making your donation. Staff and volunteers cannot travel to homes or businesses to pick up donations.
If the donation schedule and procedures do not meet your needs, please consider donating to another organization that could benefit from it. Organizations that receive used books include, but are not limited to: The Friends of Lexington Main Library, Friends of the Irmo Branch Library; His House, Goodwill, Oliver Gospel Mission, Salvation Army, The Book Dispensary, Palmetto Thrift & Boutique Store

Questions? Call 803-929-3436 for more information.

Donate Items of Historical Significance

The Library's Walker Local and Family History Center accepts donations of local historical significance. Donated materials might include: yearbooks, books, family histories, maps, funeral programs or local photographs.

If accepted, these materials are added to the collection and are available for in-house genealogical and historical research. If you have materials that you’d like to donate, please contact the Walker Local and Family History Center at (803) 929-3402 for more information.