Book Purge

There are so many ways to purge the books in your house.

If you are hoping to get money for them, I recommend taking them to a used bookstore. Do your homework - some stores offer cash, and some only offer store credit. The store credit is usually double what you would get from them in cash, but sometimes purging a box of books, only to come home with a new box of books, defeats the purpose. Keep in mind that a used bookstore only has space to store a certain amount of books, as well, so they likely will only take a small portion of what you want them to take.

There are also Web sites that allow you to sell your books to used bookstores. I've used www.cash4books.net. You enter the ISBN numbers of all the books you want to sell, then their Web site tells you which books they will buy, and for what price. Then, you ship the books to them, and they deposit the amount for the books, plus shipping, into your PayPal account.

If you don't need to get money for your books, donating is the best idea. Donating books that are in good condition to the Estes Park Public Library could put some of your books into circulation, and the remainder will be put in the Friends of the Library Book Sale, August 1, 2 and 3. The money from the sale goes toward supporting the library and its programs and services. Please make sure books are in good condition. There are some limitations on what they will accept, too, such as no computer or stock market books older than five years.

To maintain the purged status of your books, there's a fun Web site dedicated to passing books along when you're finished reading them. BookCrossing.com allows you to "set a good book free" by taking that book, writing a Book Crossing ID number on the inside cover, along with an explanation about what Book Crossing is, and then leaving the book for the taking at a coffee shop, waiting room, or any other appropriate place. The person who takes the book from where you leave it then goes to the Web site, enters in the book's ID number, and writes a little about who and where they are. They leave the book for someone else to take when they're finished with it, and through the Web site you can watch your book travel the world.

For the crafty type, here are some awesome book recycling ideas, as compiled by StudentHacks.org:

1. Hide stuff in your hollowed out book.
   Read tips on how to hollow books with a ruler, pen, box cutter, and Elmer's white glue.
2. Make Book Bookends.
   Learn how to turn an old textbook into a bookend.
3. Create an invisible book shelf.
   Learn how to stack books on your wall without any shelves.
4. Turn a book into a clock.
   If you have a book cover you really like, learn how to turn it into a clock.
5. Make a lamp shade out of a book. 
   Easy way to convert a book into a lamp shade.
6. Turn a book into an iPod case.
   Go ahead and stick your headphones into that book. I'm not kidding.
7. Make table legs out of books.
   Any English Major or grad student has probably countless books stashed in their bookshelves or closet. Learn how to make a table out of books.
8. Make a Lift-the-Flap Book for Toddlers
   Kids love board books -- especially lift-the-flap books. Learn how to make one as a creative gift for that next baby shower or birthday party.
9. Trade your old books for new books.  There are a variety of websites that let you trade books.  Check out bookmooch.com, paperbackswap.com, and bookins.com
10. Set a good book free with BookCrossing.com
    Over 680,000 people in over 130 countries have decided to let a favorite book go free. You simply register your book - leave it at a favorite coffee shop or wherever - and track its progress. Learn more at BookCrossing.com.

And, here are a few more crafty ways to recycle books that I found:

• Turn your old books in portable art.
• Turn book spines into a sassy bracelet.
• Turn an old hardback into a trendy purse.