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Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Book Fairies makes magic by providing donated books to those in need. We are committed to decreasing the high illiteracy rates in our area by collecting new and/or gently used books and matching them with libraries, schools, teachers, and organizations in need that would not otherwise have the means to obtain them.
Book Fairies’ Book Bank is located at 70 North Main Street in Freeport, NY. The entrance is at the BACK of the building. If you are coming from Sunrise Highway, turn north on Henry Street. Go under the train trestle and straight into the commuter parking lot. We are halfway down the parking lot, in a white building with a red staircase going down the back, and a BLUE book drop by the driveway.
Book Fairies is a non-governmental and non-denominational organization.
Yes, Book Fairies is a recognized 501(c)3 charity by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt charity. Please check out our financials page for more information.
Book Fairies will send a tax receipt for monetary and in-kind donations made through our system. If you require a receipt and did not get one, please Contact Us.
Volunteer
Book Fairies accepts on-site volunteers ages 12 and up. Community Service hours can be provided for those who need them. Individual volunteers are accepted. Check out the volunteer page for more information or fill out the Volunteer Application.
Contact Us for information on having a community group or corporate team volunteering experiences.
Book Fairies Book Bank is a casual and fun volunteer experience. Volunteers check incoming book donations for age and condition before sorting them into categories. No experience is necessary as we provide a quick training tutorial when you start.
We accept on-site volunteers 12 years or older. The Book Bank is a warehouse environment. There is limited heat and no air conditioning. We recommend that you dress comfortably and according to the weather. Be prepared to stand for sorting; chairs are available for breaks.
For more information, check out our Training Video.
We are so grateful to all our volunteers who run book drives but need to ensure our warehouse can accommodate the influx of books collected. We ask that you fill out an application and review our guidelines before running a book drive. Drives can be run by individuals, school and community groups, businesses, and organizations. Click here to learn more and complete our book drive application.
Donate Books
Book Fairies accepts books via appointment at our Freeport Book Bank Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10 am to 2 pm (10 am – 1 pm in July & August). We have a drop box outside the Book Bank for 25 books or less, or you can drop books off at one of our remote drop sites across Long Island. If you have five or more boxes of books, Book Fairies can pick up from your home, business, or school in Queens or on Long Island. Click here for more information.
Book Fairies accepts all age books in good condition, from baby through adult, published in the last 20 years. We also accept college-level textbooks published within the past 10 years. We do not accept encyclopedias, magazines, CDs, DVDs, or faith-based books. Click here for more information.
Book Fairies partners with organizations serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities for most of our pick ups and deliveries. These amazing volunteers in day habilitation programs pick up across Long Island and into Queens. Pick up and delivery appointments are available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9 am to 12 pm.
Book Fairies donate books to schools and organizations serving under-resourced communities across Long Island and NYC. Books that are not purposeful here in New York but are still in fair condition are sent overseas through our global partnerships. Any books that are received in unacceptable conditions are recycled. See our program page for more information on how we distribute books or the receiving page to determine if you qualify to receive books.
LIBRARY CLEAN-OUT REQUIREMENTS
Book Fairies CAN accept:
- Baby to Young Adult Library Grade Books
- Fiction books published within the last 20 years
- Nonfiction books published in the last 10 years
Book Fairies CANNOT accept:
- Adult library grade books
- Children/YA fiction over 20 years old
- Children/YA nonfiction over 10 years old
- Religious themed books
SCHOOL CLEAN-OUT REQUIREMENTS
Book Fairies CANNOT accept the following:
- K to 12 textbooks: Social Studies, English, Foreign Languages
- Large quantities of math/science text books
- Reference books older than 10 years old (encyclopedias, atlases, etc)
- Full reading curriculum programs
Book Fairies CAN accept:
- Leveled readers, novels, fiction
- Non fiction published in the last ten years
- Dictionaries and Thesauruses
- Small amounts of math and science textbooks
- Loose books from discarded reading curriculum
Receive Books
To qualify to receive books, you need to be affiliated with a school, organization, or community group serving under-resourced areas of Long Island and NYC. Check out our receiving page for more information and to sign up to receive books.