Joliet’s Pilcher Park site for 25th annual book reuse and recycling event this weekend

Will County — The Will County Resource Recovery and Energy Division will host its 25th annual book reuse and recycling event from Friday through Sunday at the Pilcher Park Nature Center, 2501 Highland Park Drive, in Joliet.

According to the Will County news release, the annual event “provides thousands of free books to attendees, saving them from going unused or sent to the landfill.”

Individuals and organizations are welcome to drop books off at the event, and browse through the selection of donated items.

Books that are not claimed by new owners by the end of the event will be shipped to recycling facilities.

Genres available for donation and collection include fiction, nonfiction, children’s, romance, hobby, travel, health and living, religion, textbooks, periodicals and cookbooks, according to the release.

In 2024, more than 1,800 people attended the event and 80,000 books were re-homed, and 10,000 additional books were recycled, according to the release.

Schools, libraries and individuals can bring used and unwanted hard cover or paperback books for reuse or recycling between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily during the event.

Attendance, donation and all books at the event are free for all Will County residents, however, organizations wishing to drop off large quantities of books in advance can contact organizers at 815-727-8834 to arrange a drop-off appointment in the week proceeding the event.

More information can be found on the Will County Green website.