i volunteer one day a week at our local library. we put donated books on the upstairs shelves and sell them for 50 cents, $1, and $2.50. everything gets bumped down every few weeks and (gasp) finally thrown out because no one wants them. not even hospitals. or no one wants to pay shipping and we can't absorb that cost. as a volunteer, i can help myself to any donated books i want, and i'm a fast reader. i usually return them to sell, but sometimes i pass them on. the friends of the library supports many programs for children, foreign film screenings, and pays for needed modern equipment. a lot of libraries sell used donated books so why buy new ones? and buying from the library helps the community.