Donating school books is a simple way to help children who may not have access to affordable learning materials. In India, you can donate directly to an NGO, a school/community library, or through an organised book-donation campaign.
Step 1: Collect the books
Gather books that are still useful, such as:
- School textbooks
- Storybooks and children's books
- Workbooks
- Dictionaries and reference books
- Novels and general-knowledge books
- New or gently used notebooks
Several Indian book-donation programmes accept both used and new books. For example, Padho Bharat accepts storybooks, textbooks, novels and dictionaries in Indian languages.
Step 2: Check the condition
Before donating:
- Remove personal papers and old labels.
- Make sure pages are not missing.
- Avoid books with severe water or mould damage.
- Separate books by class, subject and language.
- Pack them securely in boxes or bags.
Step 3: Choose where to donate
You have several options:
1. Donate through Padho Bharat
The India Humanity Foundation's Padho Bharat programme collects books and uses them to create libraries and support underserved communities. You can select your city and connect with its collection network.
2. Donate through Katha
Katha accepts used books through collection centres and uses them for community libraries, including in Delhi and other locations. They recommend good-condition books, particularly for children aged 5–16.
3. Donate through Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust
Its Book Bank accepts school and college textbooks and distributes educational materials to schools, libraries and community organisations. Bulk donors can also enquire about pickup arrangements.
4. Use a book-donation platform
Donate-a-Book allows donors to support specific library/readership campaigns, with books ultimately sent to beneficiary schools or organisations.
Step 4: Contact the organisation first
Before sending a large quantity, confirm:
- Which classes/books they currently need
- Whether they accept used textbooks
- Pickup or drop-off availability
- Packaging requirements
- Delivery/transport arrangements
This prevents useful books from being sent where they aren't needed.
Step 5: Deliver or arrange pickup
For a small donation, you can usually drop the books at a collection centre. For a large donation, ask whether the organisation can arrange pickup.
If you're organising a company or school-wide book drive, organisations such as Katha specifically provide guidance for conducting collection drives.
Step 6: Keep a record
For a sizeable donation, keep:
- Number of books donated
- Date of donation
- Organisation's acknowledgement/receipt
- Photos of the collection/donation, if appropriate
Step 7: Consider donating regularly
Instead of donating only once, you can organise a quarterly or annual book collection drive in your school, office, housing society or company. Even a few hundred books can help establish or strengthen a community library.
Tip: If your goal is specifically to help school students with academic textbooks, prioritise current/relevant textbooks and clearly sort them by Class → Subject → Language. This makes distribution much easier.
