Spring Clean Your Shelves. Change a Life in Westport.

Every spring, I think about the same thing: the stack of books on my nightstand that I've already read, the ones I'll never re-read, the hardcovers from a phase I've grown out of. They sit there looking vaguely guilty.

Here's how to give them a better ending.

FOWL (Friends of Westport Library) is collecting gently used book donations now through September 5, 2026. Drop off hardcovers, softcovers, DVDs, music CDs, CD audiobooks, and LP albums in saleable condition during library hours. There's a bin right in the foyer. No appointment, no fuss.

Mark these dates:

• Oversized Paperback Sale: July 11–25

• Annual Book Sale: September 12–19

• Member Preview Night: September 11 (join FOWL to get in first)

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These sales are one of the primary ways FOWL raises money to fund the library. We're talking museum passes, children's programs, furnishings, media materials: things the town budget alone can't always cover. Every donation, whether it's one book or ten boxes, feeds directly back into your community.

What we can accept:

Gently used hardcovers and softcovers for all ages, DVDs, music CDs, CD audiobooks, LP albums in saleable condition.

What we can't accept:

Moldy, damaged, stained books or books with heavy writing/highlighting. DVDs and CDs missing covers. Textbooks, encyclopedias, or outdated manuals (computer, business, medical). VHS and cassette tapes. Magazines or travel guidebooks older than 2023.

Have a large donation? If you're clearing out a whole room or estate, we can help arrange a drop-off time. Just reach out to us at fowlemail@gmail.com and we'll coordinate.

Spring cleaning in Westport always feels different to me because of how interconnected this town is. The books leaving your shelves will end up in someone else's hands: a kid discovering a favorite author, a retiree finding a new mystery series, a family finding a stack of DVDs for a rainy Sunday. That's the quiet magic of it.

The bin is in the foyer. Your shelves are waiting.