What do you do with the books you have read?

[ss_storm]

I keep them..my mum keeps them too and she now has a huuuge book collection! Lol. I think she's running out of places to put them all..on the other hand she makes a great library! Do you have any friends you can share books between? Mum often loans her books out, to me, and a few other friends. It doesn't make the real issue go away, but at least it's being read more than once before it gets shelved.
Do you have second hand book stores near you that you could sell them to? They'd only buy them back fairly cheaply though so you're still missing out.

[*star*]

Ooh - I can't bear to part with them, even if I know I won't read them again. They are all like little memories to me and I love them. I have also been called a book snob because I don't like second hand books or library books and must have a nice new cover and look pretty on my shelf. But that's just me. And is probably a good reason why I'm not best placed to answer this question.

However, DH buys second hand books through a website that is set up for people to trade books. I will find out what it is and get back to you with the details.

[Enchanted]

I keep them and loan them out to people.

We have a built in bookcase in our lounge, it's chockers of books and magazines etc.

[mrscricket]

I keep them too - I always re-read and also lend out to family and friends. I have STACKS of books, I work in a bookshop and spend more than I earm most of the time . We have so many books in the house - DH hates it because he says bookshelves look 'messy'.
If you don't want to keep them, I love the idea of donating to nursing homes etc. Otherwise you can always do the 'pay it forward' thing - leave a book on a park bench or train seat with a little note saying "Hope you enjoy this as much as I did!"

[buliej]

I donate the ones I don't want to keep to the public library - they happily accept donations. I've also left books in waiting rooms if I happen to be one when I finish it.

[mummato1]

Most of the time I keep them, as I will usually read them again one day.. and often find I get something different out of it the next time around.

If I really didnt like it, I will pass it on. I also used to have a book cafe down the road from where I lived that would pay for second hand books, albiet it wasn't a lot but it was often enough to cover one of their fantastic lazy Sunday breakfasts and coffee!!

I think I read somewhere about a book swap website... I have never checked it out though.