Over the past 10 months, the State College branch of the American Association of University Women has collected book donations from community members to use at its annual Used Book Sale. The sale will occur for its 62nd year from Saturday, May 11, to Tuesday, May 14, at the Penn State Snider Ag Arena.
AAUW is a nationwide women’s advocacy network that promotes gender equity and education for women and girls. The organization has a long history of advocating for women’s rights and for the advancement of women and girls in education and the workplace.
The State College branch of AAUW was founded in 1916. Since then, its members have continually sought out ways to improve the lives of women in Centre County.
“At the local level, a lot of the education and advocacy we work for is through the local groups that we fund from the book sale dollars. Groups that we fund reflect our mission. They’re all local nonprofits and they do things to change the climate for women and girls in Centre County,” said Connie Schroeder, the communications and marketing vice president for the State College branch of AAUW.
One initiative that State College AAUW supports is STEM education for girls. State College AAUW provides grants to local organizations that offer STEM education in after-school and weekend programs, at Discovery Space and more, Schroeder explained. They also support literacy programs, like Mid-State Literacy Council, and programs that aim to improve girls’ self-confidence, like the Jana Marie Foundation. Additionally, they work with Centre Volunteers in Medicine, providing funding for dental work, and offer scholarships for higher education.
The annual used book sale provides the funding that State College AAUW is able to use towards achieving their mission.
“It’s kind of an institution,” Schroeder said. “It started as a tiny little fundraiser back in 1962 that raised about $178. We’ve come quite a long way from there, and we are very proud of the work we do.”
Schroeder estimated that this year’s book sale will have around 200,000 books and will require hundreds of volunteers to pull off the event.
“We cannot do this sale without the community support,” said Donna Trapp, co-chair of the used book sale. “I have over 150 volunteers — probably about 75% non-AAUW members — who come and help get all 4,000 boxes from our workshop to the Ag Arena in one night. It is amazing how people are willing to give us their time. This also doesn’t include the hundreds of folks who help cashier, straighten tables, etc. during the four days of the sale.”
Books are sorted into 30 categories, including fiction, literature, biography, art, collectors, sports, hobbies, history, mysteries, hobbies and children’s books. This year, the sale will feature a new QR code system shoppers can use to view a map of the book sale and plan their shopping routes. The sale will occur from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday through Monday, and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday. All books will be half price on Monday, May 13, and on Tuesday, May 14, shoppers can fill a whole bag with books for $10/bag.
Cash, checks, major credit cards and Apple Pay will be accepted. Parking is free and there is no admission fee.
“We believe books are for everyone,” Schroeder said. “Everyone should be able to have access to books.”
In addition to books, Trapp noted, shoppers can look forward to buying puzzles, games, DVDs, CDs and sheet music.
For both Trapp and Schroeder, there is a lot to look forward to at the event.
“I look forward to the repeat customers — there are folks there every year and I love seeing them,” said Trapp. “There is also this energy on day one of the sale that is unmatched — I would imagine it is what performers feel like before a show. That is a great feeling.”
Schroeder echoed her sentiment, sharing, “The fun of seeing people’s reaction is something I always look forward to, but also, the knowledge that this money’s going to stay local and it’s going to programs that definitely need our help. That is great.”
