For the past four years, the Jewish Light has covered the Jewish Community Center’s  biannual used book sales with one question in mind: how to navigate the tables and come out winning. But quietly, year after year, readers have been asking something else entirely: When can I donate — and what do they actually want?

Today, we’re answering both.

The J’s biannual Used Book Sale returns to the Staenberg Family Complex Arts & Education Building Sunday, Jan. 25 through Thursday, Jan. 29. And if you’re looking to donate, there’s still time: book donations will be accepted through Jan. 14.

What kinds of books should you donate—and which should stay home?

The short answer: almost everything.

The J accepts a wide range of books, from unused workbooks and book club duplicates to old cookbooks and well-loved paperback novels. Media donations are welcome too, including CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes and vinyl records.

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There are a few clear no-gos. The J does not accept magazines or journals, textbooks more than five years old, or items containing personal information such as photo albums, letters, diaries or financial records. Books that promote hateful messaging, including antisemitic language, are also not accepted.

One notable exception: encyclopedia sets are welcome, as long as they’re in good condition.

How “used” is too used?

Condition matters, but donors don’t need to overthink it.

Books should be clean and intact. Moldy or smoky books should not be donated, nor should used workbooks, coloring books or anything with missing or falling-out pages.

That said, visible wear isn’t a deal-breaker. Worn spines are fine and hardcover books are accepted even if the dust jacket is missing.

What sells fastest at the sale?

Fiction consistently disappears first.

Popular authors and recognizable names tend to move quickly, as do classic writers. Beyond fiction, shoppers gravitate toward history, literature, religion, biography and books with a strong local St. Louis or Missouri connection.

Each sale features books sorted into more than 50 categories, reflecting just how varied the donor pool—and the audience—really is.

How does the J decide what’s a collectible?

Most books at the sale are priced between $1 and $3. Items that fall outside that range—rare editions, unusual sets or pieces that clearly stand apart—are evaluated individually.

That process can include research and, in some cases, consultation to determine value. Those specialty items are typically priced slightly below recommended market value, with the goal of moving them to a good home rather than letting them sit.

What’s the biggest donor misconception?

For a sale hosted by a Jewish organization, Judaica doesn’t actually sell particularly well.

Organizers say the goal isn’t volume, but quality and demand. Their favorite analogy: they’re the younger sibling getting hand-me-downs—and it’s always more fun when those hand-me-downs are “brand names.”

For first-time shoppers, the advice is simple: bring time. The Used Book Sale rewards browsing, patience and a willingness to dig. The hidden gems are there—but only if you slow down enough to find them.

What to know about the 2026 winter used book sale

The St. Louis Jewish Community Center’s biannual Used Book Sale runs Sunday, Jan. 25 through Thursday, Jan. 29, at the Staenberg Family Complex Arts & Education Building. Book donations are accepted through Jan. 14.

Shoppers can browse thousands of titles across every genre, including fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, cookbooks, history, art, science, religion and more. Each sale features an entirely new collection; leftover books from previous sales are donated.

New in 2026, the sale includes two Bag Days, offering even more books for less. Proceeds benefit cultural arts programming at the J.

Hours and admission:

• Sunday, Jan. 25, 8–10 a.m. – VIP Preview Day ($100 per person)
• Sunday, Jan. 25, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. – Preview Day ($10 at the door)
• Monday, Jan. 26 – Tuesday, Jan. 27, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. – General admission (free)
• Wednesday, Jan. 28, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. – Bag Day ($10 per bag, five bags for $40)
• Thursday, Jan. 29, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. – Bag Day 2.0 ($5 per bag, five bags for $20)

For updated donation details and complete information, visit the J’s website.

| RELATED: 9 things to know before attending the Winter Used Book Sale at the J