Wareham’s Book Shed Is a Treasure Trove of Tomes

WAREHAM (WBSM) — There’s no better feeling than cracking open a book for the first time and preparing yourself to enter whatever world awaits.

However, as physical media has been replaced by digital, it’s becoming harder and harder for folks who appreciate holding an actual book in their hands to find good quality used books.

That’s where the Wareham Recycling Center’s Book Shed comes in.

Sure, you can grab used books at a place like Savers or similar stores, but you’re paying $3 or more for those books. Yes, you can visit a library book sale and get them for much cheaper, but you need to scour library newsletters to find out when the best sales are happening.

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At the Book Shed, there are two opportunities each week to grab yourself a handful of new-to-you reads for the low suggested donation price of 50 cents for paperbacks and $1 for hardcovers.

The John B. Dixon Recycling Center first began in 1986 by a small group of volunteers, including its namesake, and has continued on through similar efforts for nearly 40 years. Marilyn Russell has served as coordinator since 2008, and her and a team of volunteers keep the recycling center running.

“Most of the people who come to the center are dropping off their recycling, but some of them are into the book shed. We also have a swap shed where people can come and take household items,” she said. “We’re the only facility around that has these things.”

Books Galore in the Wareham Book Shed

The Book Shed is packed to the gills with books of all sorts – hardcover, softcover, fiction, non-fiction, even some magazines, CDs, DVDs and record albums.

Looking for some Stephen King, Dean Koontz, John Grisham or Robert Ludlum? There are multiple titles from each. Maybe something from the Chicken Soup for the Soul series? Check.

The best part is, you’re paying so little for these books that you’ll happily pass them on to another fellow reader once you’re finished, so these books live on forever.

It serves as a reminder of Wareham’s late, great Ken-Mark Books, a treasure trove of tomes where you could walk out with books by the bagful for only a few bucks. While the Book Shed may only be a fraction of the size of what Ken-Mark was, it’s definitely the store’s spiritual cousin.

You Can Drop Off But They’re Not Looking for More Books at the Moment

While the recycling center has bins for you to bring your assorted recyclables, the staff asks that you hold off on donating books as they’re currently overstocked. In fact, the center works with a youth-run non-profit out of Boston called More Than Words that comes and picks up the extra books.

In addition, the House of Rage smash room in Dartmouth will visit and pick up all the light bulbs, glass and other breakables to add to its inventory of items, so much of what is dropped off is repurposed right from the center itself.

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Visiting the Wareham Recycling Center

The Dixon Recycling Center is only open twice per week: on Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and on Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon. It is located off Maple Springs Road behind the Park and Ride lot, just off Route 25/495.

Unlike other recycling centers such as the one in Rochester, you don’t need a trash sticker from the Town in order to visit.

“We don’t require a sticker,” Russell said. “Our committee chose not to charge people. If they want to leave donations, then OK.”

Russell said that on Wednesday afternoons, there are usually about 50 cars coming over the course of the two hours. On Saturday mornings, the center gets about 90 to 110 cars.