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  • About Us
    • 60+ Years of Friends
    • Board
    • Staff
    • Our Supporters
    • Financials
    • Blog >
      • History Series
    • Employment
    • Contact Us
    • Sign-Up for Newsletter
  • Support Us
    • Donate
    • Leadership Circle
    • Innovation Circle
    • Leave a Legacy Gift
    • The Pacifics
    • Gift of appreciated stock
    • Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)
    • Other ways to give
    • Library Preservation Fund
  • Laureates
    • Laureates 2025
    • The Laureates Afterparty
  • What We Fund
  • Buy & Donate Books
    • Bookstore
    • Donate Books
  • Store
  • Events
  • Residencies
    • Lisa Brown and Daniel Handler Residency ​
    • James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Fellowship
  • Volunteer
  • West Portal Memorial Donation

Donate Books

Books & Media Donations by Appointment Only
We now require appointments be made in advance for all drop-off donations. Please read the following information about donations and then click the "Make an Appointment" button below to schedule a drop-off.

Each donation appointment is limited to 20 boxes or 30 bags of items. Please use containers that you are willing to leave with us. If you have more items to donate, you can make additional appointments. For exceptionally large donations—estates, store inventories, libraries—please email
[email protected] or call 415-522-8606 with the details so that we can make special arrangements. You can also contact Lucy if you're having difficulty with the appointment page.  
​Schedule your appointment here:
Make an Appointment
What we accept 
​At Friends of the SFPL, we sell donated items to further our mission of supporting the San Francisco Public Library System. In addition to books, we accept comic books, CDs, DVD & Blu-ray, vinyl, computer & videogames, and books on CD. We are always looking for popular and perennial titles in good condition. We are also eager to receive technical, academic, and collectible books that we can sell through our eBay and Amazon storefronts. We accept books in all languages. Our staff and volunteers are experienced with rare and collectible books, and we thoroughly examine all donated materials to identify valuable and exceptional items. 

We ask that you not donate books that are moldy, water-damaged, musty from long storage in a garage or basement, heavily highlighted or underlined, showing signs of insect or rodent infestation, or smelling of tobacco.
​

We do not accept encyclopedia sets, magazines, VHS or cassette tapes, artwork, clothing, or household items. Nor do we accept former library books with call numbers, card pockets, and the like.
​

Preparing items for Donation 
Please box or bag your donations in advance, especially if you have a large quantity. We cannot promise that the volunteer on duty will be capable of assisting you in moving donations from your vehicle to our donation bins, so please only use containers that you or someone accompanying you will be able to lift and move ten feet.

What to expect when you arrive 
If you are driving your donation to us, you can parallel park in one of the reserved spots in front of our building. Use the intercom outside the building to let us know you have arrived, and a volunteer will open the garage door to receive your donation. You will carry your boxes and bags of donations about ten feet to our bins. A volunteer will be on hand to answer questions and give brief information. Donation receipts will be available at the drop-off point.  ​

Book donations at the Donation Center in Potrero Hill are by appointment only. For more information, click here. 

Become a member of Friends and save 10% at our book sales:
​
Join/Renew/Donate
 Shop Friends Bookstore Online at Amazon and Ebay.
It's the Big Book Sale all the time!
AMAZON STORE
EBAY STORE

PRIVACY POLICY
Your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, and safeguard the personal information you provide when interacting with our website. We collect personal information, such as your name and email address, when you voluntarily provide it through newsletter signups, donation forms, volunteer interest forms, or other direct communications. This information is used solely to fulfill your requests—such as sending you our newsletter, processing your donation, responding to your inquiry, or following up on your interest in volunteering. If you make a donation, we may retain your contact information to send a confirmation receipt, acknowledge your contribution, and keep you informed about the impact of your support—only if you opt in to receive such communications. Submitting your email for our newsletter or other forms of contact is always optional and based on your consent.

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. Your data is securely stored and accessible only to authorized personnel for the purposes outlined above. We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure your information remains protected against unauthorized access or disclosure. By using our website and providing your personal information, you consent to the terms of this Privacy Policy. You may opt out of communications at any time by following the unsubscribe link in our emails or contacting us directly.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your information is used, please contact us at [email protected].

​ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES &
Donation center Location
1630 17TH STREET
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107

​Administrative Phone: (415) 626-7500
BOOK DONATION CENTER: (415) 522-8606 

Get INvolved 

DONATE/JOIN/RENEW

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​Tax ID Number:
 94-6085452 
©2021 Friends of the San Francisco Public Library