The Newberry welcomes donations of books, music, DVDs, and other collectible items for our annual Book Fair. Please see the guide below for more information about donating to the Book Fair.

In addition, we are pleased to consider items that will extend, strengthen, and complement the Newberry’s collection. Potential donations are reviewed by library staff to determine their appropriateness to the collection and their place within the library’s collecting emphases. If you are considering a gift of materials to the Newberry, please contact our curators or email collecting@newberry.org.

The Newberry also welcomes donations of funds to support the acquisition, cataloging, and conservation of materials. To learn more about these giving opportunities, please contact Sarah Alger, Director of Development, at (312) 255-3544 or algers@newberry.org.

Donating to the Book Fair

The Newberry is not accepting donations to the Book Fair for the month of October, so that we can catch up on processing the inventory we’ve already received this fall. We will resume accepting donations on November 1st. Please call the Book Fair Hotline at (312) 255-3510 with any questions or concerns.

The Newberry is pleased to accept donations for our annual Book Fair. Every item sold at the Book Fair begins as a donation, and proceeds from the sale support the Newberry’s collections, services, and programs. You can find the answers to commonly asked questions below. For additional information, please call the Book Fair Hotline at (312) 255-3510.

The Book Fair would not be possible without your donations and the generosity of our volunteers who help staff the event. Learn more about volunteering at the Book Fair.

When can I donate?

Books may be dropped off between 9 am and 4 pm, Monday through Saturdays.

In order to manage our inventory, we do not accept book donations between the following dates:

• January 1 – 31
• April 1 – 30
• July 4 (Independence Day) – Labor Day
• October 1 – 31

What can I donate?

We welcome the following items:

• Books – fiction and nonfiction, for children and adults, paperback and hardcover
• Manuscripts
• CDs and records (LPs, 78s, 45s)
• DVDs
• Magazines – history, art, literary, antiques

Exceptions to this rule are:

• Weekly Magazines, such as National Geographic, Smithsonian, Gourmet, Architectural Digest, Reader’s Digest, or CatFancy
• Condensed Books
• Textbooks
• Materials with damage, including tearing, excessive highlighting or underlining, water damage, mold, or insects
• Household items or other non-book donations

Where can I donate?

The Newberry is located at 60 West Walton Street in Chicago’s Gold Coast, bounded on four sides by Walton, Clark, Oak, and Dearborn Streets. Get directions.

Small donations (under 5 boxes or bags) may be dropped off at the security kiosk in the Newberry’s lobby, Monday to Saturday, from 9 am to 4 pm.

Large donations (more than 5 boxes or bags) may be dropped off, but we ask you to call and schedule your drop off in advance. To do so, please call (312) 255-3510.

Will you pick up my books?

We offer pick up service in the Chicago area, Monday through Saturday, 9 am until 2 pm, schedule permitting. We have a limited number of volunteers who pick up materials for us, so we cannot honor all requests, but we will do our best. To inquire about a pick up, please complete this webform, and you will be contacted shortly.

Is my donation tax deductible?

Both the Book Fair Manager and the guard on duty in the lobby can issue a receipt. We are a 501(c)3 institution, which means your donations are deductible, though the amount you deduct is your responsibility.

What if I donate something really, really valuable?

We do our best to notify donors if they drop off something of great value. If the book is something that is desired for the Newberry’s own collection, you will probably hear from a curator, who will thank you in no uncertain tones. If not, you will, at length, get a call from the Book Fair Manager to ask if you really meant to donate something so nifty.

What if I suspect something is really valuable?

As a library, we are not permitted to appraise materials, but the Book Fair Manager will do his best to advise you.

The value of a book depends on many things, including its scarcity or rarity, its condition, and its place of importance in history. The website Your Old Books is a good primer on which factors to consider when evaluating an item. To get approximate prices for a book, you can check online booksellers such as Alibris and AbeBooks to see if similar items are for sale. But if you’re really suspicious it’s of great value, take it to an appraiser or dealer.

Can you recommend an appraiser or dealer?

A list of appraisal resources can be found here.

What if I donate a book and realize the next day that I want it back?

It happens. Our rule is that if we can find it, you may come and take it back. If we can’t locate it after a reasonable search, you’ll just have to come to the next Book Fair and buy it back.

Who can I talk to about donating to the Book Fair?

Please call the Development Office at (312) 255-3510 with further questions.

Learn More about Ways to Give