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Megan, selected from Green Options

10 Ways to Reuse Old Books

posted by Megan, selected from Green Options Aug 3, 2009 1:23 pm
filed under: Crafts & Design, Crafts & Hobbies, Materials & Architecture, , ,
10 Ways to Reuse Old Books
24 comments

By Jamie Ervin, Green Options

Obviously collector books, quality library books and books we just plain love get pampered and kept on our shelves and tables. But what about the rest? Obsolete manuals, damaged books, those which have only kind-of survived the toddler years… where do they go, what do they become?Here are some great ideas I found for turning an old book into something new.

  • A book wall lamp (actually pretty cool for a study room, library or just a geek like me).
  • Join BookCrossing.
  • Gesso over the pages to create a journal or sketch book.
  • Remove pages and turn them into envelopes.
  • Frame individual pages or collages for inexpensive artwork.
  • Use as wallpaper (think bathroom wall, plenty of reading for guests!).
  • Decoupage a table top.
  • Stack several together (with cement glue in between) and clear coat to make an attractive centerpiece or a decorative column. Repaint spines and top if desired to resemble classics.
  • Wad up unusable pages for packing cushion.
  • Use for wrapping small gifts.

I’m sure there are hundreds of other ideas. Please share yours!

If books are in good shape and no longer needed in your household, please consider donating them to a hospital or shelter. A great idea for children is to have a book exchange party or a books-for-the-children’s-hospital party (ask everyone to bring their gently used books to donate).

If a book is not salvageable (or any parts of it that are beyond reuse), please recycle it.

Green Options Media is a network of environmentally-focused blogs providing users with the information needed to make sustainable choices. Written by experienced professionals, Green Options Media’s blogs engage visitors with authoritative content, compelling discussions, and actionable advice. We invite anyone with questions, or simply curiosity, to add their voices to the community, and share their approaches to achieving abundance.

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24 comments

24 comments

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24 comments add your comment
Catherine O Neill

Hi it's me again Catherine O Neill I forgot to add in my comment that I use an Exacto knife to cut through the pages.I've also decoupage the hard covers.

Catherine O Neill

I take worn out hard cover books & pull out some pages & cut into the rest making a square .The pages are glued together.I've also painted the covers then when you open the cover you have a secret compartment.

Laurie Alex

Also consider swapping for a book you want at: www.paperbackswap.com They take hard backs, DVD and CDs also. Must be free of marks and readable. Namaste

Elena R.

I'm an illustrator, so if a book is "dying" I can give it new life, simply by illustrating all over the pages.

Laurie T.

If you have any old, thick, hardcovered text books..the kind that can no longer be used in schools, because their info has been revised...you can make the 'ol false book safe. carefully cut a square or rectangle out of the center of most of your book's pages, saving the cut out pages for other things, like packing material or compost additive. Carefully glue a few chapters together, including gluing the back cover to the pages. You now have a secret hiding place in your book. Kids love this idea, but adults should do all the cutting of the pages. If you have a lot of these types of books, you can try your patience by making up a whole library's worth of secret hollow books and sell them at crafts sales or bazzars. You can also get fancy and cover the books with a paper bag sleeve, then coat the sleeve with watered down white glue, giving the covers a leather like look. Add some gold lettering, or leave the bindings blank.

Annysha A.

Reuse book, why not ? I always did that since I was in Elementary School, because my mom said reuse is better than recycle. If there are still blank page, I can use it to wrote some notes. I agree if we should reuse book !

Sarah G.

You can also donate them to the Women's Prison Book Project, an all-volunteer organization who sends books to women in prison all over the country. The website is wpbp.org/ for more information!

Manjuice Bereket

it is avery nice idea and i appreciate the writer but one thing i want to remind the concerned bodies is that if we look options to donate the old books for those who are not accessible and has demand for that to gether with awarness raising on that would be help full to the book thirst world.

Nancy L.

Thanks for the great ideas. I once saw a project to turn a set of old encyclopedias into a coffee table. I think they drilled a hole through the center for a dowel to keep the stacks straight, then covered with a piece of plexi-glass for the table top.

As a librarian, I can appreciate Andrew W.'s suggestion... but please be sure the books you donate to your library are gently used and free of dust and mold. Most libraries also don't take textbooks or nonfiction that's older than 3-5 years. But those best sellers you just had to read while everyone is still talking about it? We LOVE getting those... either to have additional copies for our waiting list or because they sell well at the book sale.

Helena D.

I reccomend the website http://www.paperbackswap.com. You create an account and list all old books you don't want anymore, posting them by their ISBN-10 numbers. Others who want the books you have can request them, and for mailing the book to them, you receive a credit. Each book is worth a credit, so you can swap books that way. All books must be in readable condition except for textbooks, which can have underlining and writing in them. The only money you pay is to ship them, and it's a great way to find books without going to the library or bookstore. I highly reccomend this site--it has all types of books, something for everyone. (If you do choose to make an account, say that h.duncan28@yahoo.com sent you, as I receive a credit for referrals!)

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