I am sure you, just like me have donated books to charity.
It makes you feel good that someone else is going to enjoy a book or at least the book isn’t going to end up in the bin.
But have you ever donated a really terrible book? An old book? Perhaps an outdated book?
On a recent trip to Vanuatu we were lucky enough to stay with a local for three nights/four days on the northern tip of Efate. On one of those days we visited a school with a suitcase full of books to donate to the library.
Most of these books were in great condition and were aimed at young children but the lady who took us to the school told us that they do often receive books that are falling apart, too hard to read or too outdated.
Many people might think they are doing to right thing by donating a book but really they are just creating more rubbish in a place that doesn’t need any extra waste or material that will just be burnt.
Next time you hear about a book drive or decide to donate some books consider if it will be read or if it will just be disposed of by someone else instead of yourself.
Consider the people who will be receiving the books – many of those in developing countries who are in need of books do not have very good English skills so the easier the book and there pictures the better.
Don’t send your junk or your old books. Send your best books – these people deserve to read the quality that we all read too.
