Donate Books

Books For Africa appreciates all book donations. It costs 50 cents to ship each book to Africa. Consider making a financial donation to cover the costs of shipping the books you donate. Please send financial donations separately in an envelope to the BFA office: Books For Africa, 253 East 4th Street, Suite 200, St. Paul, MN 55101, USA. Or make a donation online.

If mailing books, please send book donations to or drop off books at:

Books For Africa Warehouse-Atlanta
2971 Olympic Industrial Drive SE, Suite C
Smyrna, GA 30080   USA

View a map of the BFA warehouse in Atlanta, Georgia.

Books can be dropped off at the St. Paul warehouse, also:

View a map of the BFA warehouse in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Warehouse book drop-off hours:

• Every Wednesday from 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. at the St. Paul warehouse
• Every Monday to Thursday from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at the Atlanta warehouse
• The first and third Saturdays of every month from 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. at both warehouses
• Two pallets or more or truck deliveries please call to schedule a dock appointment in St. Paul 651-251-8896

Books For Africa will mail you a thank-you letter for tax deduction purposes within two months of receiving your book donation.

Book Donation Requirements

If you mail books, please do not send boxes that weight more than 50 pounds and do not include any packing materials such as newspaper, plastic wrap and peanuts. Thank you!

Books For Africa accepts:

• 15 years old or newer popular fiction and nonfiction reading books (soft and hard cover).
• 1995 or newer publish date primary, secondary, and college textbooks (soft and hard cover).
• 1995 or newer reference books such as encyclopedias and dictionaries.
• 1995 or newer publish date medical, nursing, IT, and law books.
• Bibles are sent when requested by African recipients.
• School/office supplies—paper, pencils, pens, wall charts, maps, etc.

Acceptable books are gently used and relevant to an African reader.

Books For Africa does NOT accept:

• Magazines or journals or any kind.
• Home decorating, wedding, or cookbooks.
• Ethnocentric books, such as the biography of Abraham Lincoln or the history of Ohio.
• Foreign language books except for French books. French novels and dictionaries are welcome.
• American history or civics.
• Music books for K–12.
   

Book Donations Under 450 Pounds:

Donations of books under 450 pounds can be sent in the mail at any time to the Books For Africa warehouse. Please make sure your donation fits the Book Donation Requirements listed above. The cost of shipping your books, as well as the fair market value of the books, is tax deductible. BFA will send a letter of acknowledgment, but will not assign a dollar value to books. You can utilize book, library, and media mail for lower rates. Please do not include any packing materials such as newspaper, peanuts, styrofoam, etc., and please do not send boxes that weigh more than 50 pounds.

Book Donations Over 450 Pounds:

If your book donation is over 450 pounds, feel free to contact Twin Modal for a trucking quote. Just send an e-mail to Dawn Ballard at Dawn.Ballard@twinmodal.com.

All books that are sent by truck must be palletized. Please make sure your donation fits the Book Donation Requirements listed above. The cost of trucking your books, as well as the fair market value of the books, is tax deductible. BFA will send a letter of acknowledgment, but will not assign a dollar value to books. Please do not include any packing materials such as newspaper, peanuts, styrofoam, etc., and please do not send boxes that weigh more than 50 pounds.

The following information is needed to arrange for carrier pickup by Twin Modal:

1. Pickup location.  
   
   Name, address, city, state, zip code, phone number and contact name, fax number or e-mail address would also be needed to get the bill of lading to the pickup point. If this is not available, Twin Modal can fax the bill of lading to the carrier’s facility at the origin.   

2. Delivery location.  
   
   Name, address, city, state, zip (which is Books For Africa Warehouse: 2971 Olympic Industrial Drive SE, Suite C, Smyrna, GA 30080 or 715 East Minnehaha Ave., St Paul, MN 55106).  

3. Description of commodity being shipped.  
   
   Books, Class 65. 

4. Number of handling units.  
   
   Number of cartons if loose (each carton must have a label on it showing from/to information).
   Number of skids if palletized (shrinkwrapped skid can have single label). 

5. Total weight of the shipment.  
   
   Estimate if no scale available. Carrier will verify and correct if necessary.
    

6. Credit card payment information.  A credit card payment is required to pay Twin Modal for the cost of your delivery.
    

If You Are a Publisher:

IRS special tax incentive rule known as section 170(e)(3) allows manufacturers and distributors to make donations of equipment and/or inventory to nonprofit tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations at a considerable tax advantage. Gifts can usually be deducted at cost plus one-half the difference between the cost (basis) and the fair market value (FMV). Deductions are limited to 10% of the company’s taxable income each year; excess donations may be carried forward.