“Fast service just drive up and drop off … was looking for a place to drop off books besides goodwill…”
— Timothy Lucero, Local Guide · ★★★★★ Google review
If you're standing in front of a stack of boxes deciding between Goodwill and NMLP, here's the honest comparison from somebody who has a vested interest in one of the answers — and who has tried to write the comparison straight rather than tilted.
Disclosure: I run NMLP. Goodwill of New Mexico is a 501(c)(3) workforce development organization with a fundamentally different mission than mine. The comparison below tries to identify which donor situation favors which channel rather than to recommend one over the other in all cases. Both are legitimate. They serve different donor needs.
The comparison table
| Factor | Goodwill of NM | NMLP |
|---|---|---|
| Tax status | 501(c)(3) | For-profit NM business |
| Tax-deductible | Yes — receipt at door | No |
| Free pickup | Through ReSupply (a separate paid service) — see goodwillnm.org | Yes (no condition rules, operator loads) |
| Drop-off option | Yes — any store | Yes — 24/7 outdoor drop bin outside the gate at 5445 Edith Blvd NE |
| Book condition rules | Staff decide at intake; see goodwillnm.org/donate | Any condition (except biohazard) |
| Where books go | Priced for its thrift stores or sent to its Clearance Corner; unsaleable items go to its recycling program (per goodwillnm.org/faq) | Hand-sorted: resale to direct buyers + community literacy partners + LFLs + paper recycle for unsalvageable |
| Mission | Workforce development | Books-to-readers, regional book reuse |
| Volume capacity | Large (multi-store network) | Medium (one operator, one warehouse) |
Which donor situation favors which channel?
Goodwill is the right call when:
- You itemize deductions and want the tax receipt
- Your books are clean, current, and meet Goodwill's intake rules
- You're already going to a Goodwill store for other donations
- You believe in workforce development as a mission and want your books to fund that program
- You have a small donation (one or two boxes) easy to drop in your trunk
NMLP is the right call when:
- You don't itemize deductions (the standard deduction is dominant for most filers in 2026)
- Some of your books are worn, stained, ex-library or old textbooks and you'd rather not guess what a store will keep
- You can't load and drive (estate cleanout, downsizing, mobility constraint, out-of-state coordinator)
- You want the books hand-sorted locally, with readable copies going free to Little Free Libraries and community literacy partners
- You want the cleanout done in one visit rather than arranging a separate service
The hybrid play
Best of both worlds for the donor who itemizes and has mixed-condition books:
- Pre-sort. Pull the clean, current, hardcover and trade-paperback into one stack. Pull the damaged, ex-library, textbook, encyclopedia, and unsorted-bulk into another stack.
- Set aside anything you specifically want to keep. If a particular book has sentimental value, pull it before pickup. Otherwise, no triage required.
- Drop the clean stack at Goodwill. Tax receipt at the door. Documents the deduction.
- Call NMLP for the bulk. 505-250-3804. Free pickup of the rest of the books.
- Result. 501(c)(3) deduction on the saleable share. No-cost convenience on the unsorted share. No books in the landfill. Every book in the right channel for what it is.
The honest critique of NMLP
Things Goodwill does that NMLP doesn't:
- Issue tax receipts. Goodwill is 501(c)(3); NMLP is for-profit. If the deduction is what you need, Goodwill wins by definition.
- Workforce development. Goodwill of New Mexico's job-training programs are real and serve a population NMLP doesn't touch.
- Multi-location coverage. Goodwill has stores across the metro; NMLP has one warehouse on Edith Blvd. For a donor who lives in the Far Heights or Rio Rancho and wants drop-off-only, the drive to a closer Goodwill is shorter.
- Operating hours. Goodwill stores have business hours and staffed intake; NMLP's drop bin is 24/7 but pickup is by appointment with one operator. For a donor who specifically wants a staffed handoff during a weekday afternoon, Goodwill is more available.
Related
- Lifecycle of a donated book in Albuquerque — sourced investigation of every channel and what each does with the books.
- Complete guide: 18 Albuquerque book donation channels compared.
- Tax-deductible book donation in Albuquerque — honest map of which channels issue receipts.
- Goodwill alternative for books — companion essay.
- Library & Friends Bookshop vs NMLP — sibling comparison covering ABQ-Bernalillo County Public Library + Friends of the Public Library Bookshop side-by-side.
- Savers vs NMLP for book donation — sibling comparison covering the for-profit thrift chain’s three Albuquerque locations and partner-nonprofit fundraising model.
- Salvation Army vs NMLP for book donation — sibling 501(c)(3) church-affiliated thrift comparison, Family Store drop-off.
- arc Thrift Stores vs NMLP for book donation — sibling 501(c)(3) thrift comparison; arc supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- Habitat ReStore vs NMLP for book donation — clarification: Habitat ReStore at 4900 Menaul Blvd NE does not accept books. Routes book donors to NMLP and explains what ReStore does take (building materials, appliances, furniture).
- Bookworks Albuquerque vs NMLP for book donation — clarification: Bookworks at 4022 Rio Grande Blvd NW is a 41-year-old new-books-only independent bookstore (Nancy Rutland, founded 1984) and doesn’t accept used-book donations. Routes used-book donors to NMLP and explains how to support Bookworks (buy from them).
- Title Wave Books vs NMLP for book donation — sibling indie used bookstore at 2318 Wisconsin St NE with a trade-in program (store credit, not cash).
- Better World Books vs NMLP for book donation — sibling mail-in channel (for-profit B Corp; donor pays postage).
- ThriftBooks BuyBack vs NMLP for book donation — sibling mail-in seller program (cash or store credit per ISBN demand).
- Animal Humane Thrift vs NMLP for book donation — sibling 501(c)(3) thrift funding Albuquerque pet rescue and veterinary services.
Last reviewed 2026-05-06. NMLP is a for-profit New Mexico business; donations are not tax-deductible. Goodwill of New Mexico is a 501(c)(3); EIN searchable at apps.irs.gov/app/eos. Corrections: hello@newmexicoliteracyproject.org.