How to pack your books for donation and deposit in our hands across the water book collection containers
All books intended for donation and deposit at our book collection containers must first be packed in cardboard cartons or boxes which have either lids or flaps that close securely over the contents.
The books should be packed reasonably tight in these boxes with little or no “empty air’ inside each box, so that the boxes will stack well on top of each other. No sawed off “half cartons” that leave the books partially exposed are acceptable, nor can we take books in plastic or paper bags. Please make sure the books are not packed in overlarge boxes as we do not want anyone to get a hernia lifting them.
No box should, when filled, weigh more than about forty pounds so that they may be easily lifted. Appropriately sized boxes that are not too large can be readily obtained for free from liquor stores, supermarkets, and even stores like Staples (copy paper boxes which have lids serve very well for this purpose). Empty produce boxes used for packing apples, bananas, and potatoes which can readily be obtained from grocery store produce departments make excellent packing boxes for books as long as you get the lid which goes with the empty box. Please use only boxes which have covers or flaps on them, and please do not use very large boxes which can tear under the weight of a lot of books inside.
Books are heavy and they should be packed in sturdy boxes which are small to medium size with covers or flaps which close securely over the contents. Do not use plastic or paper bags as books tear through them easily- only covered cardboard cartons work.
Where to find our book collection containers
Our collection facilities are for the most part self service “walk in” containers located outdoors,in the parking lots of libraries, schools, and at municipal recycling and other civic centers.
Our charity’s collection containers are located in the New England states of Massachusetts and Connecticut and Rhode Island, as well as in Georgia on the east coast of the USA, and on the west coast in the state of Washington. We are currently also looking to develop collection programs in New York and New Jersey as we continue our expansion.
Our charity’s Massachusetts collection containers are shown under the geographic areas shown below:
BOSTON AREA
- ARLINGTON – Trinity Baptist Church at 115 Massachusetts Avenue near the Arlington/Cambridge town line. The container is in the side yard of the church. It is open Saturday and Sunday mornings until noon. Contact the church secretary at 781 643 4771 if you need additional information.
- MALDEN – At the municipal recycling center at 356 Commercial Street, Malden MA 02148. This site is operated by the municipal Dept of Public Works. Nonresidents are allowed to access the book collection container located at this site so long as you are not bringing in trash or otherwise attempting to use any other part of the recycling center. The Hands Across the Water “surplus books for charity” collection container is located near the rear of the recycling center. The site is normally open Mon- Fri 7:30 AM to 4 PM. There is no need to call ahead if you visit during these standard weekday hours. Sometimes the site may be additionally open on the occasional Saturday, but if you want to use the center on Saturdays you should check in advance with Dept of Public Works employee Bob Knox (781 397 7160) to ask if access might be possible on any particular Saturday.
- WOBURN – At 500 West Cummings Park, at the left rear of the parking lot all the way in the back lot by the trees, behind the last building in the Park, near the wooded area. The collection container is open from 8:30 to 5 PM Mon-Fri. thanks to the volunteer service of Cummings Park tenant ” Fast Signs”( proprietor Sean Shah, his telephone number 781 938 7700) which opens the doors each weekday morning at 8:30 AM and closes them each weekday evening at 5 PM. Fast Signs also made the signs for this and many of our other containers. Fast Signs is located at 400 West Cummings Park which is at the front of the same driveway.
- MILTON – At the Milton municipal recycling center at 629 Randolph Street, Milton zipcode 02186, telephone 617 696 5769. Open Saturdays 9 to 2 and other days through the week on a schedule that changes seasonally.
- QUINCY– At the municipal recycling center at 55 Sea Street,Quincy MA zipcode 02169/ telephone 617 376 1953 or 617 376 1400. Hours are Mon- Fri 8 to 3 and Saturdays 9-noon. Saturday hours subject to change on a seasonal basis.
NORTH OF BOSTON
- In STONEHAM, at the municipal recycling center /transfer station on Stevens Street in Stoneham MA 02180. Hours of operation in the spring and summer and fall are Mondays 8 to noon, Wednesday mornings 8 to noon and Wednesday afternoons 3:30 to 6, and Saturdays 8 to 3(closed Sundays/Tuesdays/Thursdays and Fridays). In the winter season, the Stoneham recycling center is open from 8 to noon only on the first and third Wednesdays and Saturdays of each month. Check with the Stoneham Dept of Public Works at their weekday telephone 781 438 0760 for any seasonal schedule changes. Driving directions are as follows: From Rte 128 take Exit 38 (Stoneham/Rte28). Follow Rte 28 (also known as Main Street) to the center of Stoneham (your 6th traffic light) where you will see the Stoneham Theatre on your right in Stoneham square. Take a left at that set of lights( just opposite the Stoneham Theatre ) onto Franklin Street. Take your fifth left turn from Franklin Street onto Stevens Street. The Stoneham municipal recycling center is about 200 yards down Stevens Street on your right and is surrounded by a chain link fence. Our book collection container is a large red container which is immediately on your right as you enter through the gates of the recycling center.
- In MIDDLETON, at the town recycling center /transfer station. Contact the town Department of Public Works at 978 777 0407 for access information
- In NORTH ANDOVER, at the town recycling center/DPW yard at 384 Osgood St (just off Rte 125). Contact the town Department of Public Works at 978 685 0950 ext 15.for access information.
- In the central area of GLOUCESTER at the First Baptist Church at 38 Gloucester Avenue Gloucester MA 01930. Please leave your books in boxes any time on the covered front porch of the church. Do not leave the books exposed to the weather in any other uncovered area because the books could be ruined by moisture. Driving directions.: After crossing the A. Piatt Andrew (Annisquam River) Bridge from Rte 128 into Gloucester, take your first right on the rotary on to Washington Street, and then immediately take your first left on to Gloucester Avenue. The church is on your left near the end of Gloucester Avenue.
- In the RIVERDALE section of GLOUCESTER, at our charity’s collection container in the parking lot of the Calvary Chapel Baptist Church and Faith Christian School at 384 Washington Street Gloucester MA 01930. Hours of access are Monday through Friday from noon to 3 PM and Sundays from 1PM to 3PM. For more information contact Don Lodge at the church / school phone 978 283 8856.
- PEABODY– At the municipal recycling center at 50 Farm Avenue,Peabody, MA 01960 Telephone 978 535 5133. Open Monday through Friday 7 to 3. Closed Saturdays and Sundays.
- MALDEN – At the municipal recycling center at 356 Commercial Street, Malden MA 02148. This site is operated by the municipal Dept of Public Works. Nonresidents are allowed to access the book collection container located at this site so long as you are not bringing in trash or otherwise attempting to use any other part of the recycling center. The Hands Across the Water “surplus books for charity” collection container is located near the rear of the recycling center. The site is normally open Mon- Fri 7:30 AM to 4 PM. There is no need to call ahead if you visit during these standard weekday hours. Sometimes the site may be additionally open on the occasional Saturday, but if you want to use the center on Saturdays you should check in advance with Dept of Public Works employee Bob Knox (781 397 7160) to ask if access might be possible on any particular Saturday.
- WOBURN – At 500 West Cummings Park, at the left rear of the parking lot all the way in the back lot by the trees, behind the last building in the Park, near the wooded area. The collection container is open from 8:30 to 5 PM Mon-Fri. thanks to the volunteer service of Cummings Park tenant ” Fast Signs”( proprietor Sean Shah, his telephone number 781 938 7700) which opens the doors each weekday morning at 8:30 AM and closes them each weekday evening at 5 PM. Fast Signs also made the signs for this and many of our other containers. Fast Signs is located at 400 West Cummings Park which is at the front of the same driveway.
- In CHELMSFORD at the public library at 25 Boston Road in Chelmsford MA zip 01824. Please bring your books to the circulation desk in boxes marked for “Hands Across the Water” and the circulation desk staff will direct you where to place them. Our contact is library director Rebecca Herrmann at tel. 978 256 5521.
- WESTFORD – Hands Across the Water has a 20 foot container in a vacant lot which is across the street from the driveway leading to the new municipal Water Dept building, at the Water Department at 63 Forge Village Road in Westford MA zipcode 01886. Our site contacts are the Water Dept at tel 978 692 5500 or town recycling coordinator Ellen Hardy at tel 978 692 2039.
- In GROTON, at the Groton School (contact the school’s Building and Grounds Department secretary at 978 448 7541 or the school’s community service coordinator at 978 448 7698).
- In TYNGSBOROUGH, at the public library where boxes of books marked for the Hands Across the Water surplus books for charity program may be left with the librarian at the main desk (contact the library at 978 649 7361).
- In TOWNSEND, at the town recycling center/transfer station. Contact the municipal recycling coordinator at 978 597 1713 for access information.