What to Do with Unwanted Books in New Zealand? My Experience with Book Donations at a Local Library
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Recently, while cleaning out my room, I found some books that I had brought with me from Japan but no longer read.
While looking for ways to give them a new home instead of throwing them away, I discovered that some libraries accept book donations.
I visited a local library here in New Zealand and donated several of my Japanese books.
In this article, I’ll share my experience, including how to donate books to a library and what conditions you may need to check beforehand.
If you’re living in New Zealand and wondering, “What should I do with books I no longer need?” or would rather pass them on to someone who might enjoy them instead of throwing them away, I hope my experience gives you some useful ideas.
What to Do with Unwanted Books in New Zealand?
What do you usually do with physical books you no longer need?
In Japan, there are plenty of options.
You can sell used books to stores like BOOKOFF, or list more specialised books, such as design or technical books, on marketplaces like Mercari.
Personally, I still prefer to buy physical copies of design books, software-related guides, reference books, and picture books that I use for work, rather than digital versions.
When I moved from Japan to New Zealand, I got rid of quite a lot of my belongings.
However, some of my books weren’t available on Kindle, while others were books I simply wanted to keep as physical copies.
I also picked up a few more whenever I visited Japan, and before I knew it, my bookshelf was getting pretty full again.
After carrying all those heavy books in my suitcase all the way from Japan, throwing them away just because I no longer read them was something I really wanted to avoid.
One option that came to mind was a book sale or book fair. In New Zealand, you’ll sometimes find book sales held in garages, community spaces, or other public venues.
However, this time I wanted to reduce the number of books I had as soon as possible.
While looking for other options, I discovered that some libraries accept book donations!
Of course, donating books doesn’t earn you any money, but if there was a chance that my books could find a new home instead of being thrown away, I was more than happy to donate them.
So, I packed up my books and headed to my local library.
How to Donate Books to a Library in New Zealand
1.Check Whether Your Local Library Accepts Book Donations
First, it’s important to know that not all libraries in New Zealand accept book donations. Donation policies vary depending on the library.
I recommend checking your local library’s website first to see if they have a page or information about book donations.
If you can’t find anything online, it’s best to contact the library directly and confirm whether they are currently accepting donated books before visiting.
Reference：Donate Books - Hamilton City Libraries
2.Check the Requirements for Donated Books
There are usually certain requirements for books that can be donated.
For example, books in poor condition, with stains or significant damage, may not be accepted.
The library I checked also listed the following types of items that they do not accept:
Magazines
Textbooks
Encyclopedias
Non-fiction books published more than five years ago
CD
Can We Donate Books in Other Languages to Libraries in New Zealand?
All of the books I brought to donate were written in Japanese.
At the library I visited, I was able to donate Japanese books as long as they were in good condition.
The library already had a multilingual collection with books in a variety of languages, including Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Nepali, and Malay.
Because of this, I thought there was a good chance they would accept Japanese books as donations, so I decided to take my books along and ask in person.
There was no information on the library’s website about whether they accepted books in languages other than English, so I asked a librarian at the front desk, “I’d like to donate some Japanese books. Do you accept them?”
They replied,
“Of course! As long as they’re in good condition, we’re happy to accept them.
It depends on the content, but there is some demand for books in different languages, and we try to make them available to people who need them whenever possible.”
Having moved to New Zealand myself, I can definitely understand the value of this.
Buying Japanese or foreign language books here can be quite expensive, so I imagine there are many people who would appreciate having access to Japanese-language books, learning resources, or children’s picture books at their local library.
3.Fill Out the Book Donation Form
When I told the staff at the front desk that I wanted to donate some books, they gave me a book donation form and asked me to fill in some information about each book.
The form simply asked for some basic information about each book, such as the title and a brief description.
It was also available to download and print from the library’s website.
I had the form printed at the library and filled it out there, but if you’re donating more than 10 books or would prefer to take your time, I’d recommend printing and completing the form at home before bringing your books in.
Since I was donating Japanese books, I asked whether I should write the titles in English.
The librarian asked me to include both the Japanese and English titles.
So, I wrote the original Japanese title on the first line and the English title on the second, then added the author’s name and a brief description in English.
If an official English edition of the book already existed, I used its published English title. For books without an English edition, I used ChatGPT to translate the title into English.
Once I had completed the form, I took it back to the front desk along with the books.
And that was it—all of my Japanese books were successfully donated to the library!
What Happens to Books Donated to a Library?
Even if donated books are in good condition, they may not necessarily be added to the library’s collection.
I was told that if there isn’t enough demand for a particular book, it may be recycled or included in one of the library’s book sales held several times a year.
If a donated book is sold at a book sale, even a small amount can contribute to supporting the library.
Either way, I’m happy knowing that the books may be useful to someone or contribute to the local library in some way.
How to Dispose of Books in New Zealand
If donating or giving your books away isn’t an option and you need to dispose of them, make sure to check the recycling rules in your local area.
Waste and recycling collection systems can vary between councils across New Zealand.
In my area, for example, households generally have two types of bins: a red bin and a yellow recycling bin.
If you’re moving house and need to get rid of a large number of books, it’s a good idea to plan ahead.
Give yourself plenty of time to sort through them and decide whether to donate them or recycle them in smaller batches, rather than trying to dispose of everything at once.
Donating Unwanted Books in New Zealand Before Throwing Them Away
That was my experience donating unwanted books to a library in New Zealand.
If you live in New Zealand—or elsewhere overseas—and have Japanese books you no longer need, consider checking whether your local library or community facility accepts book donations before throwing them away.
It may also be worth looking for local book sales or book fairs where donated books are accepted.
Your unwanted books might just find a new home with someone who will enjoy them!
