New Brunswick Public Libraries accept the following materials in excellent condition:
- Books printed in the last 5 years
- Travel books printed in the last year
- DVDs, Blu-rays, music CDs, audiobooks, and video games (no scratches)
- Materials by NB authors or about NB content, materials of local interest, and materials of enduring popularity, in high demand, or which help to complete a series may be considered regardless of the date of publication
We are unable to accept the following materials:
- Books in poor condition (stained, mouldy or warped pages, strong odour, missing pages, underlined text, etc.)
- Computer and technology books
- Magazines
- Encyclopaedias
- Textbooks
- Reader’s Digest condensed books
- VHS and cassette tapes
- Pirated or burned materials
For a printable version of the NBPLS Donations Criteria, please click here.
Please make sure that each item you donate meets our criteria. By only donating materials that we can accept, you are saving the library the precious time and resources required to handle and dispose of unusable material. Donations that do not meet the criteria place a financial toll on the public library system.
If you have any questions or if you have a large quantity of materials to donate, please contact your local public library before dropping off your donation.
For health and safety reasons, donations cannot be left outside the library or put in the drop box. You must bring your donation into the library during opening hours and speak with a staff member.
What can I do with materials the library cannot accept?
Many agencies, thrift stores, hospitals and care facilities accept book donations; you can add to your local little free library; or you can recycle your items.
Where can I drop off my book donation?
You can drop off your donation at any public library in New Brunswick during regular open hours.
If you or your organization would like to donate multiple copies of a book to be made available in multiple libraries in the province, please contact us at nbplf@gnb.ca or by toll-free phone at 1-866-453-3442 to discuss your donation.
We are unable to make visits to pick up book donations or to evaluate potential donations.
Can I donate eBooks?
No. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept donations of eBooks due to licensing restrictions; however, we are happy to accept cash donations for the purchase of new eBooks. Simply select ‘eBooks and downloadable audiobooks’ when making your donation.
What happens to the materials I donate?
All donated materials become the property of the New Brunswick Public Libraries Foundation (and then the New Brunswick Public Library Service) and cannot be returned.
Materials may be added to the collection, sold in book sales (and the proceeds used to purchase new items for the library), or disposed of in an acceptable manner.
Can I receive a tax receipt for my donation?
To request a receipt, please fill out a Tax Receipt Request Form when dropping off your donation.
Tax receipts will only be issued when items meet the receipting criteria, are added to the collection, and the total assessed value is over $40.00.
When will I receive my receipt?
Due to the large number of donations we receive, it may take approximately 2 months for you to receive your receipt.
Please be aware that if you do not receive a tax receipt, it is most likely because your donation did not meet the receipting criteria.