Where should you give books away once you’ve finished reading them? Here are some ideas on who might find them useful!

Old books don’t have to sit on the shelves for years. It’s certainly not a good idea to throw them away either. If you have copies in your home collection that you no longer need, but which are in good condition and could be useful to others, you can pass them on for further use via the ‘Put it into circulation’ service. Where can you donate unwanted books, and what’s the best way to do it?

Where can I donate books I no longer need?

Books are a veritable treasure trove of knowledge. Literature has the power to transport the reader to a different reality, show them the world from a different perspective and teach them new skills. Yet in almost every home library, one can find books that haven’t been opened for years.

Instead of wondering where to throw your books away, it’s worth considering whether they might still be of use to someone else. School and university textbooks, dictionaries, short story collections and novels can certainly be of use to others, so it’s worth passing them on for further use.

This solution will not only free up space on your shelves, but also offers an opportunity to reduce unnecessary paper consumption. You can donate books to libraries, charities or other readers, for example via posts on social media.

However, there is another method that offers a quick and convenient way to give books a new lease of life – the ‘Put into Circulation’ service.

Loop it forward

Have unwanted books, clothes, shoes, electronics, or toys in good condition?

Pack them up and "Loop it forward" for free via Paczkomat!

What is the ‘Put it into circulation’ service and why is it worth using?

‘Puść w Obieg’ enables you to send items you no longer use but which are still in good condition free of charge via Paczkomat parcel lockers. As well as books, you can also donate textiles, footwear, toys and electronic goods in this way.

It is important that the items sent are complete, undamaged and suitable for reuse. In the case of books, this means they should be clean, well-maintained and suitable for reading.

Items that have been sent in are sent to a professional operator, who checks whether they can be reused – either in full or in part. If so, they are returned to circulation. If they do not meet the requirements, they are sent to specialist processing facilities.

When you use the service, you can also collect InCoins as part of the InPost loyalty scheme!

How to prepare books for donation

Once you’ve gathered the books you intend to donate, all that remains is to pack them up properly.

To ensure that a parcel fits easily into a Paczkomat® machine, it must fall within one of the following three size categories:

• ‘A’ with maximum dimensions of 80 x 380 x 640 cm and weighing up to 25 kg;
• ‘B’ with maximum dimensions of 190 x 380 x 640 cm and weighing up to 25 kg;
• ‘C’ with maximum dimensions of 410 x 380 x 640 cm and weighing up to 25 kg;

If your parcel is to contain a large number of books, use a sturdy cardboard box suitable for the weight and size of the parcel. You can fill any empty spaces with, for example, newspapers or crumpled paper – but try to keep these to a minimum so that the parcel is as tightly packed as possible.

It’s a good idea to pack your books into an old cardboard box, a plastic bag or, for example, a shoe box, provided it’s in good condition – you don’t need to buy new packaging. Just remember to remove any old labels and other markings from it, so that the parcel reaches its destination without any problems. Properly securing the parcel is very important, especially when sending a large number of copies.

How to send items using the ‘Put into circulation’ service

You already know where to return the books and how to pack the parcel properly. The final step is to post it.

Fill in the returns form in the InPost app or at SzybkieZwroty.pl. You can write the dispatch code by hand, using a marker or a pen, directly onto the parcel, in a clearly visible place. Then simply take the parcel to a Paczkomat machine, scan the QR code or enter the dispatch code on the screen – the locker will open automatically. All that remains is to place the parcel inside the locker and close the door.

And that’s it – your parcels are on their way, and you can track their journey in the InPost Mobile app right up until they’re handed over to the courier.