– Q. We see in the Kolel Toronto that sefarim are placed on boxes on the front of the entrance for people to take. Can one take some and give them as a present to a shul and so comply with the great mitzva that is tantamount to the writing of a SeferTorah?

A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that if the seforim offered are given following the tradition of a Sefer Torah donation to a shul, when usually the Sefer still belongs to the owner and is only given to the shul for the purpose of reading from it until the owner claims it back, it would indeed compare to the giving of a Sefer Torah for the primary owner. Yet, in such a case, the one collecting them may use them, but may not be able to give them away to others.

However, it is more likely that the seforim are a total donation for the one that needs them and will use them. And if he desires, since they are totally his, he may then proceed to give them to a shul following the tradition mentioned.
Horav Yaakov Hirschman Shlit”a also maintains that iy is more likely
that the donor just wants to give away completely the seforim he does
not need.