About Books in Hand
We move books from the shelves of the ex‑user into the hands of the end‑user. That's the whole mission, and it turns out the world needs more of it than you'd think.
It sounds simple
Every day, perfectly good books fall out of use. A reader finishes them, a student graduates, a household downsizes, a loved one passes on a collection. Those books are still full of life, but they often have nowhere to go but a donation bin or the recycling.
Books in Hand is the bridge in between. We take readable books off the hands of people who no longer need them, sort every one by hand, and place it directly with someone who does. No warehouse, no resale markup, no guessing. Just the right book finding the right reader, free of charge.
It's a bit like working a jigsaw puzzle: thousands of books, thousands of readers, and the quiet satisfaction of clicking the right two together.
Donna Holsten
Donna started reading at three years old and never really stopped. Books in Hand grew out of a simple refusal to watch good books go to waste, and a belief that getting them into people's hands, literally, is one of the most direct ways to spread the joy of reading.
The organization
Who we are
A grassroots, volunteer-driven book rescue based in the East Bay, California. Small operation, big shelves, lots of heart.
Nonprofit status
Books in Hand is a registered California nonprofit.
Be part of it
Give books, give a little money, or give an afternoon. Every bit keeps the shelves moving.