Old books. Paperbacks etc

[Nout]

Sorry if this is in the wrong section. Its the only option I get when trying to start a new subject. What can we do with old books? In the past I sold them, stopped them or gave them away. Anybody got any suggestions?

Edited December 20, 2020 by Nout

[Bangyai]

Depends on what kinds of books they are.  If they are paperback fiction they are not worth much so you could try donating to a local high school or library.

 

Non fiction books are worth more and can be sold or exchanged with decent bookshops if you can find one near you or wait until your next trip to Bangkok.

[CharlieH]

Its always good to state WHERE you are for local knowledge and input.

[lungbing]

Have a look at DASA books, Bangkok.

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, Nout said:

Sorry if this is in the wrong section. Its the only option I get when trying to start a new subject. What can we do with old books? In the past I sold them, stopped them or gave them away. Anybody got any suggestions?

keep doing that. 

[sirocco]

After making sure I can do it, I drop off the books in restaurants, guesthouses, hotels.
There are always shelves and that allows customers to choose a book.   

[sirocco]

After making sure I can do it, I drop off the books in restaurants, guesthouses, hotels.
There are always shelves and that allows customers to choose a book.

[Nout]

40 minutes ago, sirocco said:

After making sure I can do it, I drop off the books in restaurants, guesthouses, hotels.
There are always shelves and that allows customers to choose a book.   

In the past I agree. But is this really an option these days. From my observations the book are yellowed and dusty and when was the last time you saw somebody reading a book.

[Nout]

2 hours ago, Pilotman said:

keep doing that. 

No one is buying second hand books. Nobody want old books in their guest houses or restaurants. Perhaps your response is facetious. I would not have posted my query if I didn't need new ideas. In the UK, as with old clothes they are sold by the kilo for pulping.

[sirocco]

well yes, NOUT, the books, over time, it turns yellow, the leaves come off, but I'm happy to find some when I'm passing through a restaurant or a guesthouse or a hotel.
Even, I make exchanges.
The last time I saw someone read a book was today, Sunday, December 20, by the beach.
Not a Thai, that's for sure, he's a smartphone.
You asked for some suggestions, now do what you want.

[VocalNeal]

23 minutes ago, sirocco said:

The last time I saw someone read a book was today, Sunday, December 20, by the beach.

 

Yep. You can't leave a Kindle on a deckchair and go for a swim.

[sirocco]

Yes, of course, but I like the ancestor of kindle, you know the paper books where you turn the pages with your finger and smell like "the book".
At least with the books there is no reflection on the pages, like with the kindle.

[Nout]

6 hours ago, sirocco said:

well yes, NOUT, the books, over time, it turns yellow, the leaves come off, but I'm happy to find some when I'm passing through a restaurant or a guesthouse or a hotel.
Even, I make exchanges.
The last time I saw someone read a book was today, Sunday, December 20, by the beach.
Not a Thai, that's for sure, he's a smartphone.
You asked for some suggestions, now do what you want.

I thought there might be larger institutions such as volunteer libraries which have the capacity to process and sterilize old books. Isn't there such a library on Sukhumvit?

[Nout]

2 hours ago, sirocco said:

Yes, of course, but I like the ancestor of kindle, you know the paper books where you turn the pages with your finger and smell like "the book".
At least with the books there is no reflection on the pages, like with the kindle.

I have unwanted paperbacks but don't know where to get rid of them. In these covid times hygiene is an issue. I rather hoped there would be a central book bank or school or orphanage that would take them. It is noticeable that nobody on this forum wants them.

[Nout]

6 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

 

Yep. You can't leave a Kindle on a deckchair and go for a swim.

Indeed. I am not here to promote books in digital format but to find a place to get rid of old books that I have read and are now cluttering up my room. So far no luck.

[Nout]

15 hours ago, Bangyai said:

Depends on what kinds of books they are.  If they are paperback fiction they are not worth much so you could try donating to a local high school or library.

 

Non fiction books are worth more and can be sold or exchanged with decent bookshops if you can find one near you or wait until your next trip to Bangkok.

Ah yes. You reminded me of the excellent bookshop around Suk 22. I am in Pattaya so the Cafe / bookshop near Buakao might be an option

[Nout]

14 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Its always good to state WHERE you are for local knowledge and input.

Sorry..yes good advice. I am in Pattaya.

[Bangyai]

15 hours ago, Nout said:

Sorry..yes good advice. I am in Pattaya.

 

As already mention by another poster , DASA books on Sukhumvit are very good.

 

http://www.dasabookcafe.com/

 

Worth reading their website as it might be possible to send them an email with a list of what you have and they will let you know if they are interested or not. But if the books are in poor condition and only paperback fiction you will find that there is currently almost no demand for them. In which case, sad to say , just leaving them out with the rubbish will at least get them off your hands and free up space

 

Or .... 400 things to do with old books :

 

https://www.pinterest.com/chpl7npr/fun-things-to-do-with-old-books/

[Nout]

7 minutes ago, Bangyai said:

 

As already mention by another poster , DASA books on Sukhumvit are very good.

 

http://www.dasabookcafe.com/

 

Worth reading their website as it might be possible to send them an email with a list of what you have and they will let you know if they are interested or not. But if the books are in poor condition and only paperback fiction you will find that there is currently almost no demand for them. In which case, sad to say , just leaving them out with the rubbish will at least get them off your hands and free up space

 

Or .... 400 things to do with old books :

 

https://www.pinterest.com/chpl7npr/fun-things-to-do-with-old-books/

Yes I had forgotten I am a member of this excellent book shop but rarely get to BKK these days.

Edited December 21, 2020 by Nout

[Speedo1968]

How sad it is that there seems to be no use for books anymore.
If Covid lockdowns had occurred  60 years ago then people would be have been desperate for such good friends.

[Wongkitlo]

1 hour ago, Nout said:

Sorry..yes good advice. I am in Pattaya.

Canterbury Tales in Soi Chaiyapoom off Soi Bukhao

[VocalNeal]

Where are you? Are they most fiction?

[sirocco]

It is understood that there is a hygiene problem, but the hygiene problem was before the pandemic.
And I didn't wait to wash my hands on all occasions.
Hygiene is also the handling of the food we touch, the objects we inspect in all directions, the clothes we try on and blah blah blah.
Having been to flea markets, book fairs, second-hand shops, I have often ignored hygiene.
But I would have a hard time not leafing through a book, and it dates from my childhood.
In my country, especially in my city, anyone wanting to get rid of a book, put it in the street, in full view of passers-by (low wall, public bench ...) and inside, it was written:
don't throw me away, I can serve readers.
Underneath were the initials, country or city of origin of these book enthusiasts, as well as the date that this book was taken and re-deposited.
So hygiene is false reasoning.
Otherwise, put on latex gloves.
Have a good day

[djayz]

There are some Thai forums, pantip for example, where you could post that you have books to give away/share/exchange/whatever. With a bit of luck there'll be somebody who is interested in English language books and can take take them off your hands. Contrary to public opinion, some Thais do read. 

When I lived in Europe, I simply sold mine very reasonably on Amazon or eBay. It wasn't aboutaking money, but freeing up space on my book shelves and providing somebody with reading material. 

Edited December 21, 2020 by djayz

[Nout]

5 hours ago, sirocco said:

It is understood that there is a hygiene problem, but the hygiene problem was before the pandemic.
And I didn't wait to wash my hands on all occasions.
Hygiene is also the handling of the food we touch, the objects we inspect in all directions, the clothes we try on and blah blah blah.
Having been to flea markets, book fairs, second-hand shops, I have often ignored hygiene.
But I would have a hard time not leafing through a book, and it dates from my childhood.
In my country, especially in my city, anyone wanting to get rid of a book, put it in the street, in full view of passers-by (low wall, public bench ...) and inside, it was written:
don't throw me away, I can serve readers.
Underneath were the initials, country or city of origin of these book enthusiasts, as well as the date that this book was taken and re-deposited.
So hygiene is false reasoning.
Otherwise, put on latex gloves.
Have a good day

Hygiene is also a matter of perception. Old, yellow, tattered books look ugly and dirty. They look unattractive. But in current times with covid looming Hygiene, is quite rightly, an issue for some. It is not the sole determining factor but a contributory factor for some people.

[Wongkitlo]

21 hours ago, Nout said:

No one is buying second hand books. Nobody want old books in their guest houses or restaurants. Perhaps your response is facetious. I would not have posted my query if I didn't need new ideas. In the UK, as with old clothes they are sold by the kilo for pulping.

I had a guesthouse and people were always leaving books in the rooms. I put a bookcase  in the toilet and used to put them on there with a notice that people could take. People did take them. I was surprised when 2 girls came and nearly cleaned me out. They must have had heavy bags when they left.

[toast1]

Ask your local bar or pub if you can leave them there for their customers.

Young people don't read paper books, actually they don't read ebooks much either.

Old fallang do.

 

[rak sa_ngop]

Its one of those mysteries in life that the majority of books you find dumped in hotels/coffee shops/ condos etc are not in the English language but in German, French, Dutch, Danish etc foreign language.

 

So does this mean than all the European visitors who dump all their read books then pick up an English book? Or maybe they don't bother to read anything else?

 

I's a mystery to me, and also a bit annoying when you see an interesting title only to find it's in Swahili.

[bloodyholly]

2 hours ago, rak sa_ngop said:

Its one of those mysteries in life that the majority of books you find dumped in hotels/coffee shops/ condos etc are not in the English language but in German, French, Dutch, Danish etc foreign language.

 

So does this mean than all the European visitors who dump all their read books then pick up an English book? Or maybe they don't bother to read anything else?

 

I's a mystery to me, and also a bit annoying when you see an interesting title only to find it's in Swahili.

heri ya mwaka mpya!

[narisarasgroove]

We have a rice shop in Bangkok Lat Krabang area and as such, over the years we have got to know many of our customers and local people. Many are struggling to get by, especially the older generation, and as such all our glass bottles, paper (including about 100 books I have recently cleared out) , and plastic waste is kept separate and when we have a sack or two it is given to a needy individual. They don't get what we would call lot of cash for the booty but it helps a little. 

So maybe if you have a stash of books and magazines you want to clear out you could spare a thought for a hungry neighbor.