Donate Books

Inside Books Project sends over 35,000 free books to people incarcerated in Texas every year. These books mostly come from donations.

We welcome book drop offs anytime using the outdoor book drop box at our main location.

If you have a large donation or require assistance, please drop off your donations on a Thursday or Sunday from 6 to 10pm; a collective member will be available during this time to help. If these times don’t work for you, email us to schedule a different time.

Where to donate books

  • Main Location

    Inside Books Project has a donation drop box at:

    3106 East 14 1/2 Street
    Austin, TX 78702

    The drop box is white with gray lettering and is located on the Airport Blvd side of the building, between the main building and a white shed.

  • By Mail

    If you would like to mail your book donations, please send them via media mail to:

    P.O. Box 301029
    Austin, TX 78703

What to donate

A pile of letters from prisoners sent to Inside Books Project requesting books and resources

  • Dictionaries & thesauruses (paperback)

  • African American literature and studies (urban fiction, history, etc.)

  • Graphic novels, manga, comics (No nudity. Marvel and DC are in high demand)

  • Books on how to draw

  • Trade books & how-to manuals (plumbing, woodwork, electrical repair, agriculture, etc.)

  • LGBTQ+ (literature, studies, etc.)

  • Native American history and literature

  • Books in Spanish (fiction, non-fiction, & Spanish-English dictionaries)

  • Learning Spanish and learning English (workbooks, ESL, bilingual)

  • Test prep books (GED, SAT, & similar)

  • Latinx studies

  • Legal resources (up-to-date, no earlier than 2015)

  • Science and math textbooks (up-to-date)

  • Computer science and technology (up-to-date, no earlier than 2012)

  • Game & puzzle books (especially Dungeons and Dragons)

  • Writing & grammar resources

  • Business (how to start and run)

  • Magazines (especially handyman/how-to, Spanish, men’s health, National Geographic, cars/trucks, fashion)

books most in need

These types of books are banned or too heavy to mail:

  • Books in poor condition (i.e. water damaged, ripped or missing cover, old/falling apart)

  • Hardcover fiction

  • Encyclopedias

  • Blank journals or composition books (these have sadly been banned)

  • Books with nudity or partial nudity (i.e. string bikinis)

  • Spiral bound books

  • Martial Arts books

  • Books that contain detailed maps of Texas

Books we do not need

“The volunteer experience at IBP is one-of-a-kind. With a laid back but passionate staff, a welcoming environment, and a sense of shared purpose, volunteers at IBP are sure to leave knowing they made a difference in the daily life of Texas’ least looked-after population. The work that you guys do is important on so many levels! Books change lives; even those who no longer have freedom can choose to create their own through knowledge made available by IBP.”

— Traci K.