Receive donated books for one collection

The organiser shares the acceptance rules before the collection window opens—such as hardbacks and paperbacks in good condition, no water damage, missing pages or broken spines. The volunteer applies these rules to every donation. If someone arrives with items that do not meet the criteria, the volunteer explains the rule and declines those items. The organiser can answer questions before the window starts if the volunteer needs examples or clarification about edge cases.

The volunteer politely explains which rule the item does not meet and declines the donation. For example, if a book has water damage or missing pages, the volunteer says the collection only accepts books in good condition. The donor takes the declined items away with them. The volunteer notes common reasons for declined donations and reports them at the end so the organiser knows whether the rules need clearer communication for future collections.

The volunteer keeps a running count and updates it after each donor leaves. If several people arrive together, the volunteer receives donations one at a time, checks each batch against the rules, and adds the count before moving to the next person. Writing the count down after each donor helps avoid losing track. At the end of the window, the volunteer totals all the individual counts and reports the final number to the organiser.

The volunteer tells the organiser as soon as they know they cannot stay. The organiser finds another volunteer or shortens the collection window and tells everyone the new closing time. If a second volunteer takes over partway through, the first volunteer hands over the current count and the acceptance rules, shows where donations are being stored, and confirms what time the handover happens so the organiser knows who was responsible for each part of the window.

The volunteer confirms the end of the window by reporting the total count, a breakdown if helpful—such as how many paperbacks and hardbacks—and where the donations are stored. The volunteer also mentions any common issues, like how many items were declined and why. This confirmation tells the organiser the collection is finished, the volunteer has left the drop-off point, and the donations are ready to collect or sort through.

The volunteer explains that the collection window has closed and they cannot accept late donations. If the organiser wants to allow late arrivals, they agree a grace period before the window starts—such as ten minutes after the scheduled close. Otherwise, the volunteer directs latecomers to any future collection dates the organiser has shared. Sticking to the agreed window time keeps the arrangement fair and lets the volunteer finish on schedule.

If a book seems borderline—such as a cover with minor wear but intact pages—the volunteer uses their judgment based on the organiser's examples. If the organiser said good condition means all pages intact and readable, slight cover wear is usually fine. If the volunteer is uncertain about several similar items, they set those aside, accept the clear yes items, and ask the organiser to decide on the borderline ones before the next collection window.

Agree cover for short breaks before the collection starts. Tell the organiser when you will step away, ask who will receive donations during that period, and hand over the running count. If nobody can cover, pause acceptance and clearly state when it resumes. If an unexpected problem requires leaving, tell the organiser immediately, secure the books as agreed and let the organiser decide whether to arrange a replacement or close the collection early.