I have several books that I borrowed from friends over the years and, for one reason or another, tarried in returning. I've been making an effort to return them all, and have returned all but three (each of those three books belongs to a different person). I do not want to contact those three people for any reason if I can help it. With one of them it wouldn't be so bad, though definitely odd. But I must keep the door shut for the other two—-both would definitely take the return of the book as an indication I wanted to renew ties, and I definitely do not.

Do you have any suggestions for settling this debt that doesn't involve contacting these two people? My first thought was looking up the cost of the two books, and making a charitable donation to a literacy group for that amount, with the intent of trying to even the scale.

Thanks for your time & insight.