1). Help Local Communities
An important part of our sorting process allows us to identify books that are better suited to become donations to literacy-focused or community-based non-profit organizations, including libraries and schools. The scale of our operation enables us to donate millions of good-quality children’s books to wonderful organizations doing all kinds of important work. By purchasing a used book from us, you enable us to contribute to others. We have donated over 10 million books to non-profits in the United States and globally.
2). Save Your Wallet
Buying used is 50%-70% less expensive than buying new. More money saved means more books to buy. Couple this with our discover books bucks program and our bundle packs and you have a win/win situation. Spend less – get more. Shipping is free within the lower 48 states on orders of $12 or more.
3). Good for the Environment
The average person gives little thought about where their recyclables end up. The recycling industry is in trouble. China’s National Sword policy has banned various solid wastes from coming into their country. Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and India have all followed suit. Recycling initiatives around the country are struggling under the rising rates of recycling. Many cities and states have had to resort to dumping it back into the landfills because of the rising prices of recycling. Estimates of over 2 billion pounds of books
Does this mean we should give up on recycling? No. We need to continue to educate while solutions are researched. It will take time to find a more permanent solution to this complex problem. Reusing is the alternative we must encourage. We fundamentally believe reuse is the best possible form of recycling, and our business model is centered on this core value. This focus allows us to get used books into the hands of people who want and need them most rather than allowing them to become waste or to languish unread.
Millions of books are printed in the USA every year. Many of these books already exist. Purchasing re-commerced books can help keep books out of landfills, saves trees, and lower the overall footprint. Buying used and giving a second life to an already existing item requires a paradigm shift. Reused is a commitment to the environment and isn’t about financial status. Re-commerce books lets the story live on.
4). Take Advantage of the First Sale Doctrine
This legal concept allows a legally purchased copyrighted item to be resold after the original transfer of title. This particular concept is a major win for the environment, charity organizations, and society in general. Think about how many times a product can be used and by how many different people.
5). Find Unexpected Treasures
Receiving a used book is like receiving insights into someone else’s life. It engages the imagination into solving who owned it before. What were they experiencing when they wrote this? Who gave them the book? It’s an endless supply of mysteries only your imagination can solve. It’s a story within the story. The book’s timeline and history grow and become more engaging with your engagement.
Our inventory changes daily. You never know what you’ll find at discoverbooks.com. Who doesn’t love to find vintage and 1st edition books? Not to mention, the artwork in an old book is worth collecting.
6). Tuition Costs are Rising
Textbooks are a major education expense. Save money by finding them used. What college student doesn’t want extra money in their pocket. You can save 50%-75% off new textbooks prices. (Did we already state the savings to the environment?)
7). Make your Parents Proud and be Hip at the Same Time
Your parents always wanted you to read more. Buying used books is an inexpensive way to build a library. Having a completely REUSED library will put you on top of the cool charts. Or if you are a bit younger, add having a REUSED library at the top of your Squad Goal chart.
Discover Books believes in re-commerce as a way to help save money and the environment, while helping local communities and global charities. Buying used books from discoverbooks.com is a win/win for everyone. Discover your new adventure today.
Patricia, we love your comment and your ideas. We each have an individual and collective role to play in this issue. When we started in 2003, no one was talking about what happened to used books – they were available in neighborhood bookstores and some thrift stores, but the quantity they received was too much for them to handle, and they would have to toss them. Thankfully, twenty years later, we have lots of options for handling used books, and the online used book space is popular. Thank you for your contribution to keeping books out of landfills.
I must admit that I believe in recycling everything that can be recycled outside of books also.
It seems that most people do not care, but, I do. I also recycle paper, plastic, cardboard, etc.
Reading used books I have read and then after finished I put in a book shelf here at Garden Place here in Waterloo, Illinois and then others enjoy reading them also. Then sometimes they go to the library or used book sales and then are enjoyed by others that way also. A couple of times I have read a book that fell apart and could not be put back together so had to put into the recycling process.
Hope this comment helps.