Had a marvelous decluttering idea.

[Stone Fence]

I was thinking that I may donate my video collection to the local library. That way I would have access to it and get it out of my house.

I'd keep a VERY select few. Charlie Brown Christmas, It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, Wizard of OZ, Beauty and the Beast could stay. Cinderella, Pocahontas and Mulan could move on.

[trini]

That's exactly why I don't have a video collection. I get everything I need from the library!

[sabrinat]

Originally Posted by Stone Fence

I was thinking that I may donate my video collection to the local library. That way I would have access to it and get it out of my house.

I'd keep a VERY select few. Charlie Brown Christmas, It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, Wizard of OZ, Beauty and the Beast could stay. Cinderella, Pocahontas and Mulan could move on.

You could also donate them to your local children's hospital if you are so inclined. there are tons of kids who are hospital patients for weeks on end and having different movies to watch is a nice change of pace.

[srain]

Weirdly, our library won't take donated materials. We've actually offered to donate non-fiction DVDs, and instead of taking ours, they ordered new ones of their own! But yes, we decided that we have no need to own any videos because they're always available for free from the library. (We can reserve what we want.)

[sweetfeet]

Originally Posted by srain

Weirdly, our library won't take donated materials. We've actually offered to donate non-fiction DVDs, and instead of taking ours, they ordered new ones of their own! But yes, we decided that we have no need to own any videos because they're always available for free from the library. (We can reserve what we want.)

The videos and dvds that the library purchases are the same movies that we can purchase, but they are made for industrial use. I asked my dh why they didn't take donated materials, he's a librarian, and that was the reason I got. Just in case you wondered because it does seem really silly to decline donations.

[cielle]

Originally Posted by sweetfeet

The videos and dvds that the library purchases are the same movies that we can purchase, but they are made for industrial use. I asked my dh why they didn't take donated materials, he's a librarian, and that was the reason I got. Just in case you wondered because it does seem really silly to decline donations.

Interesting. There are many libraries that do accept dvd donations however so maybe it's something the library should reconsider.

[mrzmeg]

Sounds like a great idea! Just check to see if your library actually needs them (not just that they'll take them). My dh is a librarian and when he worked at the public library, donations were a real hassle. They didn't usually need/want them, but they were not able to dispose of them without a lot of paperwork, legwork, etc. If they don't actually need the videos, they'll end up needlessly soaking up library resources.

[ChristyM26]

I've actually done a similar thing with books. Which, most libraries will take I believe. That is if you want/need to get rid of any books. Personally I had a million books that weren't getting read anymore, so we gathered them all up (made tons of room on the book shelves we do have) and gave them to our library. I will point out they were in good shape though!

[cielle]

Originally Posted by mrzmeg

Sounds like a great idea! Just check to see if your library actually needs them (not just that they'll take them). My dh is a librarian and when he worked at the public library, donations were a real hassle. They didn't usually need/want them, but they were not able to dispose of them without a lot of paperwork, legwork, etc. If they don't actually need the videos, they'll end up needlessly soaking up library resources.

Ah, okay. See at our library you don't even donate to the library itself. You donate to the friends of the library and then the librarians can select what they need after the friends have organized it and so forth. Anything the library doesn't want goes into the huge booksale and the library gets the money from that, specifically to buy for the collection. So even if they don't use what you give them your donation is still worthwhile. I guess we're lucky to have such a great system in place!

[wonderwahine]

Originally Posted by mrzmeg

Sounds like a great idea! Just check to see if your library actually needs them (not just that they'll take them). My dh is a librarian and when he worked at the public library, donations were a real hassle. They didn't usually need/want them, but they were not able to dispose of them without a lot of paperwork, legwork, etc. If they don't actually need the videos, they'll end up needlessly soaking up library resources.

or they sell them in the library book sales.

[mrzmeg]

or they sell them in the library book sales.

Totally depends on the bureaucracy of your local library; not all libraries can take care of unwanted books so easily. That's definately a better system, though!

Just give them a call and see what they say

[heldt123]

You could just put them as one big lot on Ebay if the library doesn't want them. Or put them on Freecycle...I'm sure someone in your area would be more than willing to pick them up.

[USAmma]

Oh I never thought of donating to the library! We have gone totally DVD after our VCR broke. I have a whole box of videos I don't know what to do with.