Book Thing of Baltimore Inc - Baltimore, Maryland

Edward Zarkowski

I took my daughter and her friend to The Book Thing for the first time in April 2024. It was an easy process with many friendly and very helpful people to guide us through before and once we entered. It really is overwhelming to see how many books are there for anyone to take. So nice.
The girls each chose 4 books and we left shortly after that. The checkout process was super simple too.
The next part, wasn't great.
After we jumped in the car, we drove around back to the donation area. There was a small lot, a pop up tent and a few people working. I parked and hopped out with 2 bags of books we were going to donate. I walked up to the table and the man working there told me they were not taking donations... that it was after 2pm. It was 2:10, ok. However, the tent was out. The doors were open. People were working and taking books in off of the tables. Others were picking up boxes of books off the ground. And the SIGN THAT SAID "DONATIONS" WAS STILL ON THE STREET.
I asked If I could drop off since they were all still there, still picking up books and still moving them inside. He said "no". I said, but your sign is still there saying that you are taking donations... Are you telling me you don't want my books? He said no. So, I took my books back to the car and left with a bad taste in my mouth and a bad impression of this seemingly lovely service.
Too bad.

Isaac Sherwood

Phenomenal institution. It was much larger and more impressive than I expected. So many cool books in basically every topic area. There's something for everyone! I was able to find some super cool books on some niche science topics, and there is a massive selection of every genre of literature, foreign language books, magazines, and many other topics. The time limits and time frames for both browsing and donations are strictly (and understandably) enforced, so plan your visit accordingly. Parking is also tight, so be prepared to potentially park a street over.

Arjumand Faruqi

Because of the Book Thing, I no longer spend money in buying books, which is such a blessing. Just love it! God bless the people who are making this possible. I not only bring books for myself but also for other people in my neighborhood.

Aisha Nsangou

Amazing concept, I love coming here! Parking lot is free, but full most of the time. Bring books if you want to donate, but not required. Take as many books as you like! When you inevitably fill your arms with books there is a pile of boxes for you to grab and use. Make sure to sign out when you're done!

Yarnise O (Toni)

Have been visiting this place for over 5 years! Absolutely one of my favorite places to go! Unfortunately they only do book giveaways once a month now but it's still not a big issue and doesn't take away from the wonderful experience the community and I receive. I had to take one star off because one of the volunteers always seems to have an attitude. The last 2 times I've been which was Aug and Sept she's seemed irritated! The other volunteers have been absolutely wonderful tho! It's a small space and sometimes get crowded I'm certain areas but they do a pretty good job at controlling the amount of folks inside! Either way we will be back next month! Would highly recommend!

dexter

J'ai adoré cette librairie avec ses rangées de livres incroyables. L'accueil et l'ambiance y sont très sympathiques et... j'y ai même trouvé et acheté des livres en français ! Le rayon est tout petit mais oui : il y a des livres en français ... Visité en 2019, je garde un très, très bon souvenir de ce lieu.

Shannon Crowner-Jones

They had a special book grab especially for teachers in August and the line was wrapped around the building. Worth the wait. It was my first time visiting, but it won’t be my last. The staff was welcoming and helpful. I left with 140 books for my classroom for free!!!

Thank you BTOB for all you do.

Alexis McKenna

Bring your books to drop off 24/7 then go in and grab an unlimited amount to take home. Old, newish, and hard to find books of all types can be found here. Be prepared to spend at least an hour browsing, more if it's your first time or are a bibliophile!

Arranged and ordered like a massive bookstore. No reselling of books permitted.