FAQs

Friends of the Arlington Public Library Book Sales

Books and magazines and other materials donated at the library are sorted by the Book Donation Team and prepared for sale. Proceeds from these sales support library programming. The Friends hold two mammoth book sales annually in spring and fall in the parking garage of the Central Library. Used materials are also sold daily at all library locations.

Want to help the Friends Book Sale team?
Check the Library Calendar for the dates of the next Friends Book Sale and sign up to volunteer.

The Library Collection

Usually only books published in the current year are added to the Library’s collection.

• Small donations are accepted at all Library locations during open hours.
• Donations up to 5 boxes per day can be deposited on the blue carts just inside the back (parking lot side) entrance at Central Library. Smaller quantities of books can be placed directly inside the donation bin. Ask a staff person or volunteer if you need a cart for assistance.
• Donation receipts are available at all Library locations, at the Service Desk.
• For large donations, our loading dock off of 10th Street, is the best location. We are normally staffed to accept donations Tuesday- Friday during library business hours. An appointment is advised to ensure we have carts and staff available to accept a large donation email: info@arlingtonlibraryfriends.com.
• Please do not leave donations in any other areas of the Library or outside the building.

• Hardback and paperback books
• Children’s and teen books
• Foreign language books
• Classic literature
• Fiction and non-fiction (hardback or softbound) in all subject areas, including sciences, social sciences, fine arts, and humanities, plus local interest, home improvement, crafts, cooking, and performing arts.
• The Center for Local History, the community archives at the Central Library, is particularly interested in original materials related to Arlington’s history, such as documents, maps, papers, histories, etc.  If you have historical materials to donate, please call 703-228-5966.

• Books that are moldy, mildewed, food-stained, heavily highlighted, or falling apart. Materials previously stored in basements or garages need special checking. If they smell, they can’t sell.
• Academic, scientific, medical, or similar professional journals. A local university library is more likely to be interested.
• Frequently revised travel books like Fodor and Frommer's older than five years.
• Medical books, and legal, tax, computer, financial advice books older than five years.
• School textbooks that are no longer used.
• Consumers’ guides older than 3 years.
• Discarded library books.
• Multi-volume sets of encyclopedias cannot be accepted.
• Audiocassettes (books on tape or music).
• Computer software and games that are obsolete.
• Videocassette (VHS) tapes.

Personal property donated to the Friends of the Arlington Library may be deducted as charitable donations in kind. Donors may request a receipt from any desk that is staffed or from volunteers at the Loading Dock on the 10th Street side of the Central Library. The Library and its volunteers do not estimate the value of donations, but a tax professional or the IRS itself can advise.