what do you do with textbooks and used notebooks at the end of school?
By Cutie18f
@Cutie18f (9551)
Philippines
March 16, 2013 10:07pm CST
It's the end of the school year in our country and again, we are left with several heavy books and used notebooks to deal with. In the past I used to keep the books thinking that I would be able to use them in the future. But I never get to use any of them and they just accumulate dust. I never realized that they have become additional garbage in the house.
Every year we need to buy around 10 to 12 books and double the number for the notebooks. It's a lot of expense on the part of the parents and these are books that you can't pass on to the next generation because they are workbooks as well. The books are made in such a way that they pages get to be used and dirtied by the user-student so that you don't actually get to recycle or reuse the book after school. The reason why I used to keep these books in the past was because I was thinking of using or cutting pictures from the pages in case they are asked to bring pictures of this and that.
So now I am asking you---do you keep the books or throw them away?
20 responses
@tehpau (340)
• Malaysia
17 Mar 13
For me, I sell it off to my junior in school at half the price. This is better than keeping it because school books will fet outdated when they revised the text books. Some school loan books to the students, this way they only need to buy work books. The text books are returned to the school at the end of school term and will be passed on to the next batch of students.
@biman_s (1060)
• India
19 Mar 13
I used to keep the text books because I have small sister who needed them later on. The notebooks were all sold after every session. Now a days I give my books to those need them and can't afford to purchase a new one. I also exchange books as in this way you can get to read a lot many books with almost no money spent at all.
@tipay26 (867)
• Philippines
17 Mar 13
Some books can be references too but some were not specially if it's a workbook with names and writings all over.There are several junkshops around the country which accepts old books and they can exchange it with money depending on the weight of the books so better get all your old school books so that you can add the money from it to buy school supplies.The used notebooks too can be sold at junkshops but notebooks that left untouched and with no writings can be re used using a stitched notebook and just cover it with art paper and plastic to look new .
@jenny1015 (13366)
• Philippines
17 Mar 13
Hi, Cutie18f! We have the same dilemma. Having 4 kids means a lot more books to deal with. I never really thrown any books even the magazines that they have coz, just like your reason, they might be helpful for future assignments especially if pictures are needed.
Good thing is, we have an extra door apartment which I can make use in keeping those books. But I am also hoping to give them to school kids that could not afford to buy books.
@jenny1015 (13366)
• Philippines
18 Mar 13
Actually, I have talked to my mother in law about it yesterday. And I told her that we need to get rid of the old stuff that no one can ever use- broken television, computer monitors and CPUs, very old clothes which has probably been eaten by termites. She said that we should throw them little by little. But I really could not do that unless she comes over and tell which of all the boxes needs to be thrown first.
@MissBlack (356)
• United States
17 Mar 13
this might sound weird but in high school, when we were done with our books, they were outdated in the school system so instead of them collecting them from us to dispose of them, they let us take them..we knew we didn't need them for anything so a friend of mine threw a party and charged everyone five dollars each to come and burn their textbooks and notebooks..it sounds dangerous, but it was a controlled fire and we had lots of adult supervision..
@MissBlack (356)
• United States
17 Mar 13
I thought the same thing, jdawg but this was literally books we used from 1996 to 2000. The books we had were from the 60s. We only did the burning when word came from the superintendent of schools that we would be the last to use them. He called them 'grossly outdated'. Yes, we did it away from anything that might be in any danger..I am not really sure if it was reckless or liberating..or just being destructive..
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
17 Mar 13
I got rid of all my books to be honest, although I did manage to borrow a lot from the library so it doesn't cost me anything, but some books we had to have, which meant buying them, I bought them off Amazon, I gave them to the charity, in hope someone else will find a use for them. I had two and a half thick binders full of my work, assessments and notes, very bulky, it was when I did my childcare course and got my NVQ3. I kept the certificates but tore up all my work, I know that I won't be working with children again, so I don't need them, the certificates will be handy and I can stick it on my CV. Too much bulk and too much to carry around with you needlessly when moving!
@anklesmash (1412)
•
17 Mar 13
I have kept a lot of my books from school.I kept the note books I did my work in so that I can look back when I am older and see the work that I did.I kept all my Text books from GCSE onwards in case I found them useful again,especially any books I had on History and Politics as I am currently doing a History degree.Most of the text books I have are from when I was doing my AS and A levels before that we mainly borrowed textbooks from school during the lesson and gave them back at the end of the lesson .I have found my A level textbooks useful while doing my degree to do the background reading on different topics and an easier to understand explanation of topics that I am struggling to understand.
@natliegleb (5175)
• India
17 Mar 13
i will just read them entirely and after full utilisation throw it off later
@Mavic123456 (21898)
• Thailand
17 Mar 13
during my time, of schooling when I used notebooks. hahaha this is an old story Once upon a time version.
I collect all my notebook, remove the springs of all notebooks. separate the used pages from unused. Sew the collected pages together (for reference next year). keep bind the unused pages to make a new notebook from them.
Books... usually borrowed books from school returned all of them for the clearance. some bought books, resell to next batch at 1/4 price.
@jiiiiin (586)
• Philippines
17 Mar 13
When I am in high school I used to have notebooks with spring or yarn string. If it is already the end of school year and my notebooks are still have unused pages I am recycling it by splitting the whole notebook and separating the unused to the used pages. After combining the unused pages I am able to have a new notebook. By doing it I am decreasing the future expenses of buying new notebooks.
@Scoffield127 (110)
• United States
17 Mar 13
I keep those I believe I can make reference to and give away others to my junior instead of accumulating irrelevant books in my shelve.
@ayeeesha (1127)
• Philippines
17 Mar 13
I don't like keeping books although I don't throw it away either. My family usually donates books to different orphanage since it can be very useful to them and at the same time, we were able to help. Also in our university, we have this "buy back books" program where used books will be sold at a lesser price so I also sell my books there. Makes me earn money as well :)
@chiyosan (30184)
• Philippines
17 Mar 13
the notebooks would already have been full ot my notes, and stuffs written to it by the lessons and my "notes" about the subjects so i think i would no longer have left anything that can be used, if there are these, then those would be ripped out and made into scratch paper at home for our grocery lists, reminders, and etc.
The books are passed down to my brother, we go to the same school and some of the books were still relevant to him and we still use it years after. When my brother is already done with the books, my mom would give it to her friends who may need such books. :D Actually other books we have had were also borrowed and passed down to us. :D
@choybel (5042)
• Philippines
17 Mar 13
For reading textbooks, maybe you could donate them to public libraries. As for the manuals, I think just send them to recycling centers if there are any in your place. I don't think burning them is a good idea because of the pollution it would contribute. As for the notebooks, I normally take empty pages and bind them together to create a new one then use them. The used pages, well once again, recycling center if possible.
@jeanneyvonne (5501)
• Philippines
17 Mar 13
I usually keep them, as my mother and aunt used to do. After some time, we donate them and my aunt was going to do the same. However, I persuaded her to give them to me since I am teaching some students. Textbooks would be a great help in gettign material rather than take all info from the web.
@McCreeper (777)
• United States
17 Mar 13
Given that the books are in pretty decent quality, our school typically keeps them. Otherwise, I think the books are donated to some charity where schools that are less fortunate to have these type of books are given to them. As for notebooks and stuff like that..
I don't really like the idea that our teachers expect us to bring a notebook depending on the class, yet we end up not even using up to at least half of the notebook. Quite a waste, though at the end of the summer for me, I just rip off the pages that I wrote something on and keep using it for the next year.
@roshigo58 (4859)
• Pune, India
17 Mar 13
Hi,
My son is now 2 years old and doing a job. But when he was studying in school we used to give his old books to some poor child who is need. the note books were not of use. But some empty pages we used to solve the maths problems. Workbooks may be used for completing by copying them.
@nitinnair89 (2900)
• India
17 Mar 13
It depends..if there is a further need of my books, i will keep it safe in my shelf..else normally i give it to the shop where i bought it from and they pay me half the price back..
