The Smithtown Library accepts donations on a rolling basis at all four buildings. All donations accepted by The Smithtown Library become the property of the Library and will be utilized in the manner deemed most appropriate by the Library staff. Donated items may be added to the collection, sold at the Friends of The Smithtown Library book sales or disposed of in an appropriate manner.
Donated materials must be brought into the Library. Items left outside the buildings will be discarded. Receipts are available at any Reference Desk. We do not count or place a value on your donation. We suggest you speak to your tax preparer regarding charitable donations.
Item Donation Guidelines
Donated items are used either in our collection or sold at book sales and should be gently used. For this reason, we cannot accept items that are:
| Brown | Moldy | Damp | Insect damaged |
| Burnt | Musty | Smelly | Water damaged |
| Chewed | Ripped | Highlighted | Missing covers |
| Damaged | Soiled | Yellowed | Written in |
(Please note: generally, books stored in an attic, garage, or basement have one or more of the conditions listed above.)
Additionally, we cannot accept the following kinds of items:
| AAA Travel Guides | Bootleg DVDs | Case law |
| Cassette tapes | Catalogs | Cliff Notes |
| Computer Games | Computer Software | Condensed Books |
| Dissertations | Encyclopedias | Yearbooks |
| Games | Homemade DVDs or CDs | Magazines |
| Professional Journals | Puzzles | VHS Vinyl Records |
We also do not accept certain books more than 3 years old, specifically in these areas:
- Business Test Prep
- Computer Textbooks
- Health/Medical
- Travel
- Investment
Any questions you have regarding book donations can be referred to the Reference Desk at any building at (631) 360-2480.
The Friends Book Sales are currently available at all four library buildings: Smithtown, Commack, Kings Park and Nesconset. All proceeds from the Friends Book Sales are used to benefit the Library.
