I think ultimately I will give AmVets or Goodwill a call, but I have no idea whether they pick up in this town.

Still, no one, not even on eBay, wants a 1st of Helter Skelter or Ghost Story???

Don't throw out books. Does your local library have a book sale to raise funds?

Have you tried PaperbackSwap? Strangely enough, they're not just for paperbacks. I found that lots of my old books had takers, really quickly. This provided a number of credits for books that I wanted, later!

If no one will pick them up, I have no choice but to throw them out. I can't move them myself.

I don't read any more myself, except for the occasional textbook, so a swap does me no good.

I doubt that the library here could sell them either even if they did come pick up the books.

I passed another empty strip mall yesterday. 2 months ago it was 3/4 occupied. Fresno is pretty much a dead city now.

Maybe individual books will attract more attention than a whole wad.
This sucks. As much as I love books, they are a bitch and a half to move.

Never underestimate the power putting something out on the curb with a sign that says "FREE"

Not as difficult here as it might be elsewhere but I'd never try to sell them — I can buy most anything I want used off Amazon or wherever else for four or five bucks, no way I would bother to look for a book that's not delivered to my door.

I did the bookcrossing thing for a while, and it was fun — for a while — and then it got tiresome, printing out those labels, taping them inside the book. But the idea is fun, anyways, so anymore I'll just set books out, in coffee shops or anywhere else, really, with a postit that says "Free" and I'm on my way.

Used to be fun to leave them in airports but now of course they are seen as terrorist objects by our security theater buffoons, plus I never go to airports anymore anyways.

I don't know about Fresno but here in Austin there are a few coffeeshops that have used books for people to browse while they while away a few cups of coffee, you could just take them over and give to them.

Same with a used book store, if you still have any in town — the store will benefit, the books won't end up in a dumpster, you'll be shed of them. (A lot of used book stores now are into the whole sell online thing, not a bad place for them to be.)

Or list them free on craiglist or freecycle, and that way they'll come to you and pick them up, not a bad thing.

People just aren't seeing books as collectibles in and of themselves any more - first edition, signed, or no, doesn't matter. THey're large, heavy, dust-gathering, and how often do you really refer back to them? Not very.

Put them out at the curb and send a Curb Alert on Craigslist, or offer them on Freecycle. In fact I find Freecylce is a great way to get stuff to people who really want it and will use it and give it a happy home.

first edition, signed - The disinterest in signed first editions is what really shocked me as I was researching past eBay transactions. My own disinterest I blamed on my depression and attention deficit, as well as just becoming a surly bastard toward books in general a couple years ago. However, this general disdain among the reading public is something I never foresaw.

"Curb Alert" - I had never seen this phrase, but it's a good one. I will most likely use it.

Hey - just sent you an email, Ardiril.

Wow, no wonder people can't sell books on ebay. I have six books now that combined have 8 views after 24 hours on a weekday. That's pathetic.