Our latest guest post comes from Angela Esnouf, founder and Principal of Creating Order from Chaos.

Many of my clients like to know their discarded items have found a good home elsewhere. That’s why I offer to donate appropriate items to the RSPCA and Fitted for Work. Here’s another worthwhile donation point, and this time for books.

It’s called the Benjamin Andrew Footpath Library.

Benjamin Andrew Footpath Library

Their vision is to empower homeless and disadvantaged people through books. They achieve this by delivering a regular supply of books to homeless and disadvantaged people living in hostels and on the streets, and through community organizations. Currently they operate in Sydney and Melbourne.

I’m sure you can understand that with limited space for storage, and the nature of their work, they have some guidelines for suitable book donations. Here’s what they said:

We have great respect for our customers. In support of their self esteem and pride, please consider our clientele and use commonsense when donating books.

Please do not send damaged or poor quality books especially those that may have been sitting in a garage for years!

Books over 10 years old are not suitable. It costs us valuable time going to the tip to recycle them!

Yes please!

* Autobiographies/ Biographies
* Paperback Novels – thrillers, crime, historical, romance, science fiction, fantasy, teen etc
* Dictionaries
* Thesaurus
* Atlas
* Music theory
* Art history
* Cookbooks – very basic, no gourmet, desserts, cordon bleu etc
* Parenting
* Health
* Self-help
* War history
* Science
* Geography
* University texts
* Photography
* Philosophy
* Psychology
* Childrens books
* National Geographics/ Australian Geographic
* Car or motorbike magazines

No thank you!

* Encyclopaedias
* Hardback novels
* Religious material
* Coffee table style books on any subject
* True crime
* Wine/ restaurant guides
* Street directories
* Travel guides eg Lonely Planet
* Sport – golf, tennis, rugby, motor racing
* Anything with suicide or drug themes or extreme violence
* Magazines except those above
* How to get rich quick guides/ Investment guides/ how to run a small business

For Melbournites, if you have books which are suitable you’re welcome to deliver directly to their storage unit at:

The Benjamin Andrew Footpath Library

c/- Kennards Self Storage, 159 Racecourse Road, Flemington (entrance via Stubbs Street)

Just ask at reception and they’ll show you were to leave the books.

Kennards’ opening hours are: Mon to Fri 8:30-6, Sat 9-5, Sun 10-4