Book Recycling Program
There are several meaningful ways for kids in Singapore to recycle books, supporting both local communities and children in other countries. You can find everything from annual donation drives and convenient drop-off points to organized efforts that send books overseas.
A Quick Note on Book Condition
Before donating, please ensure all books are in good, clean condition (no missing pages, scribbles, or damage). Most local programs only accept currently-used textbooks for the new school year, but storybooks are widely accepted elsewhere.
For Kids in Singapore (Local Donations)
These programs directly help underprivileged students, fund reading programs, or support social enterprises in Singapore.
- Share-A-Textbook (FairPrice Group)
This is Singapore's largest textbook donation drive, running every November. It collects gently-used, current syllabus textbooksand distributes them for free to needy students. You can drop books off at any FairPrice Xtra outlet .
- Read for Books (NLB)
A signature charity book drive by the National Library Board. While it's a "read-a-thon" (you read to trigger donations), it's a great way to teach kids about giving. Recent beneficiaries include kidsREAD and MINDS .
-
Thryft (Books for Charity)
An online secondhand bookstore. You can donate books to their "Books for Charity" collection or trade them in for credits. 50% of the profits go to their charity partners, making it a sustainable cycle of giving .
- Dignity Mama Stalls
Run by Project Dignity, these stalls sell second-hand books managed by young adults with special needs and their parents. Your donations directly support the training and empowerment of these youth .
-
City Square Mall Children's Book Donation Drive
Look out for their periodic drives. Donated children's books stock the Jalan Besar Community Club Library Corner, helping kids in the neighbourhood enjoy more pre-loved books .
-
Share At Door Step
For a small transport fee (from $19), they will collect books right from your home and deliver them to verified charity partners. This is perfect for busy families with large volumes of books .
- Australian International School (AIS) Initiatives
While not open to the public daily, AIS sometimes runs book drives (like the one for Cambodia). It's a good example of how school communities can band together to support international libraries.
- For Kids in Third World Countries (International Donations)
If you want your child's books to travel further, these initiatives ship books to developing nations to build libraries and improve literacy. Usually, these programs partner with logistics companies to handle the heavy lifting.
-
Singapore Government to Laos (2025)
The National Library Board of Singapore curated a donation of 500 English children's books to the National Library of Laos to support youth empowerment and English learning .
-
Ocean Network Express (ONE) to South Africa (2025)
Working with Sony Singapore and schools, 11,500 books were shipped for free to stock mobile libraries for children in rural South Africa. It shows that corporate partners can facilitate large-scale giving .
Tips for a Successful Donation
Sort First: Separate storybooks from textbooks. Check if textbooks are still on the Ministry of Education's approved list before donating to local drives .
- Check Dates:
For drives like Share-A-Textbook, collection is strictly during the November window. Plan to declutter around October/November .
- Clean Covers:
Wipe down books to make them feel new and respected for the next child.