What to Donate to NYPL Jail & Prison Services
At NYPL Jail & Prison Services, we rely heavily on donated books. We encourage all to please visit the Prison Library Support Network Wish List at Greenlight Bookstore!
We are currently accepting donations of only a limited scope of topics. We only accept paperback books in great shape, that are published or printed in the last ten years. Please email csdonations@nypl.org if you are interested in donating.
Please read the following list carefully. We only accept donations that meet the guidelines below.
OUR CURRENT NEED: Large Print books! If you have large print fiction and nonfiction in great condition, we'd love to have them for our patrons with low vision. The newer the better, but we will take older titles in good shape. We will accept large print titles in hardcover too!
Highly Requested Nonfiction:
- Black interest: biography/history/Black Power/Black Panthers
- Puerto Rican & Dominican history
- Self help/behavior/psychology
- Body building/Workouts
- Business/Entreprenuership
- Dream Interpretation/Astrology/Tarot/Occult
- Conspiracy Theories: Illuminati/New World Order/UFO
- Cars/Motorcycles
- Graphic novels/manga
- True crime
- Pets
- Science/Nature/Animals
- Natural health
- Poetry (Black & brown poets)
- Architecture/Interior design
- Biographies: Sports/Music/History
- Islamic spirituality & history
- Santeria, Yoruba
- Music industry
- Chess
- Large print popular fiction & nonfiction
- 2022/2023 computer books
- 2022/2023 Almanacs
- Popular magazines from 2023 only
Highly Requested Fiction:
Mystery & Thriller (New titles from 2020+ are preferred)
James Patterson, Lee Child, Dan Brown, Sydney Sheldon, Dean Koontz, Harlan Coben, David Baldacci, Michael Connelly, Jonathan Kellerman, John Sanford, Stuart Woods, Janet Evanovich, Stephen King, Brad Thor, Iris Johansen, John Grisham, David Morrell, Robert Ludlum, Tom Clancy, Tom Clancy, Danielle Steel, Jackie Collins etc.
Urban Fiction
Ashley & JaQuavis, Wahida Clark, Deja King, Nikki Turner, Zane, Noire, Teri Woods, Donald Goines, Miasha, Miranda Parker, K'wan, LA Banks, Treasure Hernandez, Jessica Watkins, Tamicka Higgins, Nisa Santiago, Asia Hill, Kiki Swinton, Omar Tyree, Chunichi Knott, Keisha Ervin, Shannon Holmes, Vicki M. Stringer, De'Nesha Diamond, Nako, Carl Weber, Dominique Thomas, Sister Soulja, etc.
Fantasy & Paranormal
All R. A. Salvatore, Robert Jordan, George R. R. Martin, N. K. Jemisin, Brandon Sanderson, Leigh Bardugo, Tomi Adeyemi, Neil Gaiman, J. R. R. Tolkien, Beautiful Creatures Series, Sharrilyn Kennyon, Laurel K. Hamilton, Christine Feehan, Jim Butcher, Terry Brooks, Kresley Cole, etc.
Spanish Fiction & Non-Fiction
Latin American authors and all fiction/non-fiction authors, genres & topics listed here.
What's not popular?
We're so glad you asked! Generally we do not have a need for the following items: Advance Reader Copies, Literary Fiction, Romance, Textbooks, Cozy Mysteries, Children's and Tween, Christian Urban Fiction, and Academic Journals.
Our readers love Genre Fiction. What's the difference between Genre Fiction and Literary Fiction? Find out here!
If your books match our needs, please email a list of your materials, their condition and quantity to csdonations@nypl.org. We do not accept walk-in donations at any NYPL locations. Because of the high volume of requests we receive, we are not able to respond to everyone. We appreciate your understanding.
Thank you so much for your support.