Run a Bookstall

A bookstall will pretty much run itself.

Many people will donate books, with the number coming in approximately equal to the number going out. Most of the time, you simply need to keep it tidy.

Request books

It's a good idea to display a sign that requests book donations. Be specific about the type of books you need and ask for them to be in good condition.

Recently published paperback fiction is the most popular.

You can also post a request for book donations on social media. This has the added benefit of promoting the bookstall at the same time.

Remove books

Occasionally, you will need to remove books that are in poor condition or unsuitable.

It's really important to keep things fresh and inviting. If you allow tatty old reference books to clutter up your bookstall, people will start to lose interest and stop visiting.

Ban resellers

Resellers are not allowed to take free books, as stated on the free books page.

As long as resellers are banned, there should be no need to limit the number of free books that can be taken, but you can do so if you feel it's necessary.

Volunteers

Ideally, a volunteer should be appointed to run the bookstall.

This could be a member of staff, or anyone with an interest in books and fundraising for charity. It takes very little time and it's a lot of fun.

Promotion

A Free or Donate bookstall is a very effective way to promote the host venue.

The best way you can do this is to post about it regularly on your social media channels, and also on local Facebook groups etc. This will bring in more customers and increase fundraising.

You can also invite the local press to run a story about your bookstall.