books · Quebec

Where to donate books, records and media in Québec City

6 organizations in and around Québec City that take donated books — what each one accepts, what it turns away, and which will come and collect it.

Verified 2026-09-24 from each organization's own website. We are not affiliated with anyone listed here, nobody pays to be included, and we receive nothing if you donate to them.

How to tell what you have got

Before you call anyone, two minutes with the object settles most of it. None of this needs an expert — it needs a flashlight and a look at the back.

  • LPs in almost any genre except classical, opera and overstocked easy listeningLook up the exact pressing's completed sales on Discogs, not its asking prices. Audiopile says it reads the median price rather than the highest, also looks at the "Wants" count to judge sellability, and warns that online prices do not necessarily reflect the local market. Pressing origin matters — it pays more for Japanese, UK and other imports — so read the catalogue and matrix numbers on the label and in the run-out groove, not just the artist.
  • Records you were about to throw out because they look roughPut the visibly damaged records in a separate box and take them along anyway rather than sorting them into the bin.
  • Antiquarian books, modern firsts, fine bindings and local historyLook for a dust jacket present and intact, a date on the title page matching the copyright page with no later printing line, and an author signature. With none of those it is probably an ordinary secondhand book — but anything pre-1900, finely bound, or local history should be seen by a dealer before you decide.
  • Books published in the last five years, and classics in new editionsCheck the copyright page. If the newest date is more than five years old and the book is nonfiction, Halifax is not the stop for it — and its cap is 20 items per household in any case.
  • Children's and teen books printed since 2000, in gift conditionIt specifically wants board and baby books, preschool titles, popular series, graphic novels, non-fiction on nature, animals and space, and books with diverse characters. Its refusal list is short and exact: textbooks, encyclopedias, workbooks, library books, self-published books and damaged books.
  • CDs with no scratches, with their original linersA disc in a wallet or binder that still has its liner meets Halifax's rule. Discs stripped of their artwork are the hard ones to place.
  • Cassettes, where they are collectible rather than commonAudiopile's distinction is between common commercial tapes and collectible ones; a tape recorded or dubbed at home is neither. Sealed or small-run commercial releases are the ones worth asking about.

Rarely worth anything

Not a rule, and not a reason to bin something without asking. These are the things people most often expect to be worth money and find are not.

  • General mass-market paperbacks
  • Reader's Digest Condensed Books and other book-club condensed editions
  • Encyclopedia sets
  • Ex-library books and library discards
  • Outdated textbooks and computer manuals
  • Travel guides
  • Magazines, including long runs of National Geographic
  • Classical and opera LPs
  • Easy-listening and middle-of-the-road LPs
  • VHS tapes and ordinary audio cassettes
  • Used DVDs and Blu-rays, as a sale
  • Anything mouldy, musty, water-damaged, yellowed or heavily highlighted
  • Self-published books and workbooks
  • Hardcovers and spiral-bound books, as a prison donation
Prison book programs take softcovers only, and screen the content Canada — correctional institutions, via Books to Prisoners BC (Vancouver)

Books to Prisoners BC says that most prisons in Canada do not accept hardcover books, so it prefers that you do not donate them; it adds that hardcovers weigh more and cost more to ship. Spiral-bound books are also on its not-accepted list, along with damaged books, pornography, anything explaining how to immobilize a person, Canadian true crime about people currently incarcerated, and books critical of Canadian police and prison systems. Do not mail books to a prisoner directly on the assumption they will arrive.

Read the rule →
Hardcover books must be taken apart before the parts go in the carts City of Calgary, Alberta

Calgary instructs residents to remove cardboard hard covers and spines and recycle them as separate items from the pages, and to put coverless and loose pages into the recycling. Leather, canvas and plastic book covers go in the black cart as garbage. Old and unusable paper books may go in the blue cart or a community recycling depot.

Read the rule →
Discs and tapes that cannot be reused are garbage; only the paper parts are recyclable City of Calgary, Alberta

Calgary directs old and broken discs and tapes — vinyl records, CDs, DVDs and video tapes — to the black cart as garbage, while paper covers, music liners and record sleeves go in the blue cart. Its first advice is to pass usable media on to family and friends, sell it, or donate it to a local charity.

Read the rule →
Tapes, CDs, DVDs and records that cannot be reused go in the garbage; cases and inserts go in recycling Peel Region (Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon), Ontario

Peel Region states that video and audio tapes, CDs, DVDs and records that cannot be re-used may be placed in the garbage for disposal, and that empty cassette or video boxes, printed paper sleeves and inserts go in the recycling cart or a clear or blue transparent plastic bag. Reusable items in good condition may be donated at some Community Recycling Centre locations, where staff have the right to refuse items on inspection.

Read the rule →
Cassettes, CDs and DVDs are not accepted in the Blue Bin City of Toronto, Ontario

Toronto's Blue Bin page names cassettes, CDs and DVDs under other plastics that do not belong in the bin. Books are not listed on either the accepted or the not-accepted side — they appear only in a photo caption of paper items — and the page tells residents to check the Waste Wizard tool when they are unsure, which is the only authoritative answer for books in Toronto.

Read the rule →

6 places in Québec City that take books

Bibliothèque de Québec

Drop off only
TakesDocuments en très bonne condition publiés dans les 15 dernières années
Won't takeDocuments endommagés, Revues et périodiques, Vidéocassettes, Cassettes, Disques vinyle, Œuvres d'art, Manuels scolaires et cahiers d'exercices, Livres vendus par les clubs de livres
CollectionDépôt seulement, au comptoir de n'importe laquelle de leurs bibliothèques. Pour un don important (plus de 100 documents ou 3 boîtes), il faut contacter la Bibliothèque de Québec au préalable pour l'informer de la nature du don et de la date de livraison. Source lue: https://www.bibliothequedequebec.qc.ca/politiques/dons.aspx
WhereRéseau de bibliothèques municipales: les dons se déposent au comptoir de n'importe quelle succursale. Voir leur site pour la liste des succursales.
Visit their site →

Centre Ozanam (Société de Saint-Vincent-de-Paul)

Not stated - ask them
TakesMeubles de salon, de chambre et de cuisine en bon état, Matelas propres, Gros électroménagers (cuisinières, réfrigérateurs), Petits électroménagers, Vaisselle, literie, rideaux, valises, outils, Vêtements, chaussures, gants, foulards, Jouets et articles de sport, Livres, romans, BD, dictionnaires, Disques vinyle et systèmes de son, Tableaux
Won't takeProduits inflammables (propane, essence), Produits chimiques et nettoyants dangereux, Peintures et vernis, Pièces d'auto, Matériaux de construction, Meubles abîmés, Stores à cordes, Bassinettes et marchettes, Imprimantes
CollectionCollection is referred to on their site but the terms were not something we could confirm. Ask when you call.
Where860, rue du Roi, Québec, QC G1K 2Y2
Visit their site →418 522-0880

Entraide diabétique du Québec (EDQ)

Will collect, conditions apply
TakesVêtements, Souliers (attachés ensemble), bottes, Sacs à main et sacs à dos, valises, Vaisselle, chaudrons, casseroles, ustensiles, Cadres, bibelots, vases, miroirs, chandeliers, Bijoux, argenterie, articles artisanaux, Literie, rideaux, serviettes de plage, Équipements électroniques fonctionnels, caméras, radios, horloges, Fer à repasser, fer à friser, séchoir à cheveux, Jeux de société, jouets, articles de sport, Tapis décoratifs (petits et moyens)
Won't takeAppareils électroménagers, Armes à feu ou armes blanches, Bardeaux, BBQ, Bois, Cassettes, Cendriers, Chaises / chaises hautes, Contenants de peinture / peinture, Écrans d'ordinateur, Journaux et revues, Lit de bébé (bassinette), Livres, Matelas, Matières explosives ou dangereuses, Meubles en tout genre, Nourriture, Ordinateurs, Parcs pour enfants, Piano, Pneus, Sièges d'auto pour enfants, Chapeaux et casques, Stores, Tapis mur à mur, Téléviseurs, Tringles à rideaux, Vélos, Vêtements tachés, troués ou en mauvais état
CollectionCollecte à domicile offerte dans la Capitale-Nationale (ainsi qu'en Chaudière-Appalaches et Kamouraska/Rivière-du-Loup). On s'inscrit par formulaire en ligne et l'organisme rappelle pour convenir d'une date. La liste exacte des municipalités desservies est sur https://entraidediabetique.org/collecte/. Leur site n'indique pas si le service est payant. Important: ils refusent explicitement les « meubles en tout genre » — ne comptez pas sur eux pour un sofa. Québec: 418 877-5111 ou 1 888 877-5111.
WhereBoîtes de dons et centres de dons en magasin répartis au Québec — consulter leur carte des centres de dons sur leur site plutôt que de se fier à un nombre. Les dons déposés au centre de dons Village des Valeurs de Sainte-Foy vont à EDQ (confirmé sur le site de Village des Valeurs).
Visit their site →418 877-5111

Renaissance

Drop off only
TakesVêtements et chaussures, Accessoires (sacs à main, bijoux, ceintures, chapeaux, foulards), Articles ménagers, Électronique, Articles de sport, Livres
Won't takeGros meubles, Matelas, Gros électroménagers, Carburants, produits nettoyants, peinture, Armes
CollectionLeur page de dons est explicite: « Please note that we do not offer home pick-ups. » Un service distinct d'inscription à une collecte à domicile existe à collecteadomicile.renaissancequebec.ca avec vérification par code postal, mais cette page ne s'est pas chargée lors de la vérification — l'admissibilité des codes postaux de Québec n'est PAS confirmée. Apportez vos articles en magasin. Ils précisent aussi que la liste d'articles n'est pas exhaustive et que le préposé peut refuser un article.
WhereRenaissance est présente dans la région de Québec: quatre points confirmés sur leur propre carte (Charlesbourg, Halles Fleur de Lys, Laurier Québec et un centre de dons route de l'Église) plus un à Lévis. Utiliser leur localisateur officiel pour les adresses et heures à jour: https://renaissancequebec.ca/en/map/
Visit their site →418 204-2811

Village des Valeurs

Not stated - ask them
TakesVêtements et chaussures, Linge de maison, Sacs à dos et sacs à main, Équipement de sport, Livres, Jouets, Petits électroménagers, Petits meubles, Électronique
CollectionLa page du centre de dons n'annonce que des heures de dépôt sur place; aucun service de cueillette n'y est mentionné dans un sens ni dans l'autre.
WhereCentre de dons de Sainte-Foy confirmé: 3355, rue de la Pérade, Québec, QC G1X 3V3. Heures de dons: lun–mer 10 h–20 h, jeu–ven 10 h–21 h, sam 9 h–17 h, dim 10 h–17 h. D'autres succursales existent dans la région — utiliser leur localisateur de magasins. Les dons déposés ici soutiennent Entraide diabétique du Québec.
Visit their site →(418) 425-3515

Not sure what you have got?

Photograph it and we will tell you what it is and what it is worth — including when the honest answer is that it is worth nothing.

See what it's worth Sell it instead → Everything in Québec City →

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