What to do with outdated magazines?

Gary892 · Dec 16, 2005

I seem to collect magazines like Jay Leno collects cars. Only my magazines are not collectables. I was looking at my poor desk as it was laboring under an ever increasing number of magazines and I though to myself, self, I wonder what my fellow apug members do with their magazines.
I don't want to throw them in the trash as this increases the land fill.

So I am asking, what do you do with your reading material etc...?

Gary

Dave Parker · Dec 16, 2005

I keep them, and build bookshelves, I make the rounds about once a year to read them, every once in a while I take them down to one of the retirement homes, belive it or not, the guys and gals love them.

But most of all they hang around for years and become dog eared...

Dave

James Bleifus · Dec 16, 2005

I'm also a magazine fanatic but I realized I was buying too many magazines and really pulled back. I gave my old magazines to other photographers who wanted them. You might consider giving them away or offering them cheap in the APUG classifieds.

Cheers, James

Mike Kennedy · Dec 16, 2005

Simple rule of thumb at my house........One comes in, one goes out.
Its the only way I can keep from being buried.
I picked up 100 back issues of Photo-Life from the 80,s at a yard sale for $5.00. Wonderful resource material and great reviews. Thats one of the reasons I cancelled my subscription for the upcoming year. Not one analog article in 2005.

Mike

Andy K · Dec 16, 2005

If my local doctor's surgery or hospital don't want them for their waiting rooms I take them to the recycling depot.

wiseowl · Dec 16, 2005

I pass mine on to a photographer friend, who then passes them on to an old folks home. Not sure what happens after that, but I dare say they end up at the recylcing plant eventually.

laz · Dec 16, 2005

Recycle, recycle, recycle. (You think you'll go back and read 'em but you won't!)

rjs003 · Dec 16, 2005

Donate them to the local nursing home and hospital. Other wise I start tripping over them. Photography magazines I keep, kind of like a reference manual.

Monophoto · Dec 16, 2005

I've pretty much given up on the "how to" magazines. Lenswork goes on the bookshelf. The "one in-one out" rule applies to the others - when the new issue comes in, I look through the last issue to see if there is anything that I want to keep. Articles get clipped and filed in looseleaf binders. If there are individual images that I especially like, I clip them and paste them in a sketch book. Whatever is left over goes to the recycle bin.

I have a collection of those sketch books that I look through periodically when I feel the need for inspiration.

Then there is Outdoor Photography. I didn't want it - I actually subscribed to PhotoVision but got stuck with OP instead. I drop it off in the recycling bin as I walk in from the mail box - it's not even worth bringing into the house.

gr82bart · Dec 16, 2005

I donate mine to local arts centre that still still teaches film based photography. I use to donate to the Evanston Arts Center when I was in Chicago. Now, I donate to the Creative Arts Workshop in New Haven.

Regards, Art.

Lee Shively · Dec 16, 2005

Magazines have a way of collecting in closets, bookshelves and magazine baskets near the chairs I use most often. After a few months, I go nuts and toss them all in the trash. Except for "Popular Photography". It goes from the mailbox to the trash immediately.

I keep the "Lenswork" and "B&W" magazines because they are the only ones with honest-to-God photographs in them.

BrianShaw · Dec 16, 2005

Off topic but I can't resist

Mike Kennedy said:
Simple rule of thumb at my house........One comes in, one goes out.

This has become my basic philosphy in life. Now if I could only apply it to children. The baby is cute and cuddly; the 8-year old is a nice kid... but talks back too often.

jp80874 · Dec 16, 2005

Gary892 said:
I seem to collect magazines like Jay Leno collects cars. Only my magazines are not collectables. Gary

Gary,
May I suggest that you may not be the ultimate judge of what is collectible. The magazines were interesting enough for you to buy. Maybe someone else picked up this interest later than you and wants to catch up. I have bought back issues of B&W, Aperture, Photovision, View Camera, etc. Many are dated from when I shot 35mm and had never seen an 8x10.

Put them on eBay. If you are wrong they may pay for some books or photo gadgets you may never throw away.

Another View
John Powers

blansky · Dec 16, 2005

I get about 15 magazines a month. What I do is look at them once then set them aside for a week or so, then go through them again and cut out any pictures or articles that interest me.

I have file folders with decorating ideas, building ideas, photography ideas, jewellery ideas for the missus, watches, women I'd like to .....(never mind) etc.

Then I recycle the rest of the magazines into the recycle bin.

95% of the magazines are full of stuff that is eye candy and very little is useful. I devour the eye candy and keep what's useful.

Michael

Peter Williams · Dec 16, 2005

I sell mine to Half Price Books for about a half a cent a piece.

What to do with outdated magazines?

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