New Mexico Literacy Project

The New Mexico Literacy Project (NMLP) is a for-profit book donation and reuse operation based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 2024 by Josh Eldred, the project collects donated books, DVDs, CDs, and vinyl records from households, estates, and organizations across the Albuquerque metro area. Its mission is to keep usable books in circulation rather than let them end up in landfills, while also addressing the shortage of books in some local homes and classrooms. NMLP offers free book donation pickup, a 24/7 drop-off box at its warehouse on Edith Boulevard NE, estate library clearing, free electronics recycling pickup for computers and small electronics, and free pickup for clean, wearable clothing and household items. Every donated item is hand-sorted. Resale-worthy titles are sold through eBay and Amazon; children's books that cannot be resold are given free to Little Free Libraries and community literacy partners. Damaged books are paper-recycled, with glue bindings stripped so the paper is clean for the mill. Since launching, NMLP reports having processed over 500,000 pounds of books. Its public data project, the Afterlife Atlas, tracks 447,734 items scanned between 2021 and 2026, of which 79% were books and 21% were recorded media. The operation is run as a business to be sustainable, with the owner emphasizing that books come in any condition and no sorting is required from donors. NMLP is a small, locally focused enterprise with a strong emphasis on transparency and community literacy.

The New Mexico Literacy Project was founded in 2024 by Josh Eldred in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Eldred started the project after observing that thousands of usable books were being thrown away during moves, estate cleanouts, and spring cleaning, while many children in the area lacked enough books at home. He decided to operate as a for-profit business to make the effort sustainable, collecting donated books, DVDs, and CDs and hand-sorting every item. From the beginning, the project focused on keeping books in circulation. Resale-worthy titles were sold through eBay and Amazon, while children's books that could not be resold were given free to Little Free Libraries and community literacy partners. Damaged books were paper-recycled, with glue bindings stripped to produce clean paper for mills. The operation grew to include free pickup services for books, electronics, and clothing, as well as estate clearing. By 2026, NMLP reported having processed over 500,000 pounds of books. Its Afterlife Atlas, a public data project, documented 447,734 items scanned between 2021 and 2026, with 79% being books and 21% recorded media. The atlas provides a detailed breakdown of where donated items go, emphasizing that most items are not landfilled. The project continues to operate from its warehouse at 5445 Edith Blvd NE, Unit A, serving the Albuquerque metro area.

• 2026

  Afterlife Atlas reports 447,734 items scanned from 2021 to 2026, with over 500,000 pounds of books processed since launch.

• 2024

  New Mexico Literacy Project founded by Josh Eldred in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

• 2021

  Start of data collection for the Afterlife Atlas, tracking items scanned into custody.

A local, for-profit book rescue service that keeps donated books in circulation through resale, donation, and recycling, emphasizing transparency and community literacy.

• Used books

  Resold through eBay and Amazon or donated to Little Free Libraries and literacy partners.

• Recorded media

  DVDs, CDs, and vinyl records collected and routed to appropriate channels.

• Electronics recycling

  Free pickup for computers and small electronics; TVs and monitors only if they work.

• Estate clearing

  Clearing books, papers, media, and valuables from estates, often free when resale value covers the work.

1. 1Donate Books in Albuquerque — Free Pickup, 24/7 Drop-Offnewmexicoliteracyproject.org
2. 2About NMLP — Albuquerque's Book Rescue Missionnewmexicoliteracyproject.org
3. 3The Afterlife Atlas — where 447,734 rescued books and media wentnewmexicoliteracyproject.org
4. 4Little Free Library Restock — May 2026 Updatenewmexicoliteracyproject.org
5. 5New Mexico Literacy Projectwikidata.org