Where to Donate Books in Singapore?
Books are easy to accumulate but hard to get rid of. Over time, shelves become crowded with novels read only once, outgrown children's books, outdated academic textbooks, and self-help guides. When you decide to declutter, you might not know where to send those books.
Donating is one of the best ways of disposing, and you have various options in Singapore. FairPrice collects textbooks every November, Tzu Chi Foundation runs monthly Eco Points islandwide, and social enterprises like Books Beyond Borders and Dignity Mama accept donations year-round at set locations. Facebook communities like Books Don't Throw connect donors with fellow readers across the island. For households and offices clearing more than just books, Earth Recycling Services can pick them up from your home.
Things to Check Before You Donate Your Books
A few checks before packing make the handover easier at each receiving organisation.
Book Condition: Donate books in clean, readable condition only; pages should be intact and free of mould, water damage, or heavy marking.
Personal Items: Remove bookmarks, receipts, and loose notes before packing.
Grouping: Sorting by genre, age group, or language saves significant time at the receiving end.
Donation Policies: What each organisation accepts changes regularly, particularly for textbooks, which have edition cutoffs. Confirm current requirements before heading out.
Drop-Off or Pickup Method: Some places accept walk-in donations; others accept donations by appointment or only through collection. Always verify the mode before making the trip.
Ongoing Book Drives and Pop-Up Donation Events in Singapore
These community initiatives operate on specific timelines. Ensure you verify the latest operational dates directly with the organisation before dropping off.
1. FairPrice Share-A-Textbook Project
Running every November since 1983, this NTUC FairPrice initiative has supported over 280,000 students from lower-income families. No missing or torn pages of school textbooks, assessment books, storybooks, and encyclopaedias are accepted at all FairPrice outlets islandwide. Cross-check your editions against the MOE-approved textbook list before donating to ensure it is still part of the current syllabus.
2. Singapore Really Really Free Market (SRRFM)
A community pop-up that allows people to exchange books, clothes, and toys and to share skills at no cost. Events take place at varying locations roughly every one to two months. Check the SRRFM Facebook page for upcoming dates and venues.
3. Tzu-Chi Community Eco Points
Tzu Chi Foundation runs over 30 Eco Points on the third Sunday of every month, from 9 am to 12 pm. Volunteers sort books alongside newspapers, cans, clothing, and glass, with proceeds supporting Tzu Chi's social and environmental programmes.
Year-Round Places to DonateBooks
These organisations accept donations throughout the year, with no event schedule to plan around.
4. Earth Recycling Services
When books are part of a larger household or office clear-out, Earth Recycling Services handles doorstep collection in a single trip. The household junk removal service covers books alongside furniture, appliances, and general household waste. For businesses relocating or winding down, office disposal services handle furniture, electronics, documents, and books together, with usable items sorted for donation at Earth Recycling Services' own facility.
5. Books Beyond Borders
Founded in 2017, this social enterprise sells second-hand English fiction and non-fiction to fund literacy projects in rural communities. You can pack your book donations in a recycled box and arrange for a pickup or visit their bookstore at #01-08, 33 Erskine Road. Check their website for the current list of accepted items, as it changes regularly.
6. Dignity Mama
A Project Dignity initiative, Dignity Mama sells second-hand books through hospital kiosks staffed by young adults with special needs and their parents. English fiction and non-fiction for adults and children, Reader's Digest, National Geographic, Young Scientists, and comics are accepted. Kiosks are located at Khoo Teck Puat, National University, Ng Teng Fong, Sengkang, and Tan Tock Seng hospitals. Fill in their donation form on their website to arrange a drop-off.
7. MINDS Shop
The Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) runs thrift stores offering pre-vocational retail training to clients. They accept books and other useful things at 800 Margaret Drive, 29 Rosyth Road, Mount Alvernia Hospital, and MINDS Shop Plus at 71 Redhill Road.
8. One Bag One Book
Poet Zakir Hossain Khokan, a migrant worker from Bangladesh, started this project to give books to other foreign workers. The preferred languages are English, Bahasa Indonesia, Bengali, Hindi, Tamil, and Sinhala, and they are particularly looking for novels, poetry, history, and motivational writing. You can donate by emailing the organisation or following the Migrant Writers of Singapore Facebook page for information on upcoming book drives.
9. Share At Door Step
For those looking for a convenient option to donate old books, Share At Door Step can help. They will pick up the books from your home and deliver them to trusted charities. You can donate children's books, comics, novels, non-fiction, current textbooks, dictionaries, and magazines, but only in English. There is a transport fee, or you can drop off the books yourself. To schedule a pickup, visit their website.
10. Thryft
Founded by NUS students in 2019, Thryft is one of Asia's largest preloved bookstores. It uses sustainable packaging and carbon-neutral shipping, converting the credits from donated books into cash to support non-profit organisations. Accepted titles include English fiction and non-fiction, children's books, tertiary textbooks, religious texts, reference books, and dictionaries, alongside selected toys, games, and electronics. Drop off at Thryft Hub at #01-15, 120 Lower Delta Road (by appointment only), or arrange courier pickup with rates starting from S$20 per box.
Book-Sharing Facebook Groups and Mobile Apps
These community platforms let you pass books on to fellow Singaporeans without going through a formal organisation.
11. Books Don't Throw
Books Don't Throw is the country’s largest local book-sharing Facebook group, with over 120,000 members. Post books, magazines, or music scores for barter or free collection; school test papers and enrichment centre materials are not permitted.
12. BUY SELL KIDS BOOKS @ Sg Book Swap
A Facebook group for parents with preloved children's books to sell, swap, or give away. Flashcards are accepted, but toys and general educational aids are not. Post your photos and connect with other parents through comments to arrange a handover.
13. School Kaki
School Kaki is a parent-run Facebook group and Telegram channel for sharing used school items, including textbooks, assessment books, school bags, uniforms, and stationery. No money is involved; it operates on a give-and-share basis only.
14. Olio
It is a freecycling app with over 8 million users worldwide. Its non-food section lets you list books, clothing, toys, and household items for free collection. Post a photo and a pickup location, and interested users nearby will reach out through the app.
Libraries Where You Can Donate Books
For those who live near a public library or HDB void deck, these options keep books circulating within the local neighbourhood.
15. Little Libraries
Community library corners continue to appear at void decks across the country, run by Residents' Committees and individuals. Anyone can drop books off or borrow them. Find nearby spots using the Recyclopedia map or the Little Libraries Singapore Facebook group.
16. Public Libraries
Selected National Library Board (NLB) branches run Book Exchange Corners where anyone can drop off preloved books for fellow readers to collect. Participating libraries include:
Ang Mo Kio Public Library
Bedok Public Library
Bishan Public Library
Geylang East Public Library
Jurong Regional Library
Queenstown Public Library
Woodlands Regional Library
Start with Your Books, Then Let Earth Recycling Services Handle the Rest
There are several ways to donate books: monthly community drives, year-round social enterprises, peer-to-peer online groups, and NLB library corners. Before dropping anything off, always confirm each organisation's current acceptance list, look over your books for condition, and pack by category to keep things easy for the volunteers receiving them.
When a clear-out extends beyond books to bulky furniture, old appliances, or general household clutter, Earth Recycling Services manages doorstep collection of mixed loads, sorts usable items for donation at our own facility, and leaves the space empty and ready. It is a single point of contact for movers, downsizers, and office closures.
Contact Earth Recycling Services for household and office disposal services.