The Book Cellar

Hours-Tues-Wed.-Thur. 12-5 Saturday 11-4. Donation guidelines can be found under Products section. Managed and staffed entirely by volunteers, The Book Cellar affords bibliophiles the opportunity to purchase used books at incredible prices while at the same time supporting the branch library system of the New York Public Library (NYPL). All books are donated, and all net proceeds go directly to th

e branch libraries. Over the past number of years, The Book Cellar has contributed $100,000 annually to NYPL. We get new books constantly so it makes sense to drop in regularly. If you are interested in donating to the store, please check the tab on the sidebar for further information. As FoWL is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, you will receive a tax receipt for your book donations upon request. Donation Guidelines for the Book Cellar:

Everything must be in very good condition. No yellowed pages, no underlining or writing inside, hardcovers must have dust jackets on them. Any items that can’t be accepted for any reason (condition, we have too may copies, etc.) We cannot dispose of returned items for you. If you have a large number of books (more than 4 boxes), please call us at 212-930-9256 before bringing them. What we DON’T take:
No textbooks or technical academic books, no test prep, no foreign language books
No encyclopedias, Time/Life or Reader’s Digest books
No magazines, VHS tapes, music cassette tapes, audiobooks on cassette tapes (audiobooks on CDs we will accept)
No Travel guides, computer books, business, health, self-help or parenting books published more than five years ago


What we DO take:
Mysteries- hardcover and paperback
Classic literature- Dickens, Poe, Wharton, Steinbeck, etc. Children’s books- published within the last ten years preferred (except Harry Potter- we always need that!)
CDs and DVDs in original cases- no children's DVDs or CDs, no classical
Prefer fiction published within the last 20 years (except classic literature- we take that)
Prefer nonfiction books published within the last 20 years (unless it’s a classic in the genre- i.e. Robert Caro’s Lyndon Johnson biographies)
Art books- not catalogs


If you have any questions, please call us at 212-930-9256
Donations are accepted Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays 12-4 & Saturdays 11-3. Donations are accepted at the discretion of the Book Cellar. Thank you for your support. Shopping at The Book Cellar is a pleasure. Not only are the prices great, but all the books are carefully arranged in 50+ categories including: art and design; biography; business; classics and literature; cookbooks; current affairs and politics; general fiction; fantasy; health; math; mysteries and thrillers; nature and pets; romance; science; science fiction; self-help; and travel. There is a large children's and young adult section, and a varied selection of DVDs, and CDs. First editions, signed books, and leather bound volumes are available at significantly discounted prices. The Book Cellar – a place where you can feed your book addiction and do good for the community at the same time!