STATE COLLEGE — The 63rd annual AAUW State College Used Book Sale set a record for the beloved community event in sales and attendance, helping empower women and girls.
The Used Book Sale was held from Saturday, May 17, through Tuesday, May 22, at the Penn State Snider Ag Arena. The event attracted 7,627 customers this year, a 4.5% increase in attendance from the year before.
“The increased attendance at this year’s sale tells us that readers still seek out paper books. I have seen that smile of discovery as someone spots a particular title or author,” Mary Ann Blair, Used Book Sale co-chair, commented. “Our generous community supplies the books and our volunteers and community partners continue to make the sale a treasured event.”
This year’s Used Book Sale resulted in $211,475, and after the cost of maintenance and other expenses for the event, AAUW State College hit $161,475 in sales. The funds raised at the annual Used Book Sale will go toward community grants, which help advance equity for girls and women, a fundamental part of AAUW State College’s mission.
The funds will also be used to support other nonprofit organizations that empower women and girls in areas like health, literacy, STEM, self-sufficiency, economics and more.
Additionally, sponsorships are awarded to women in college to attend a leadership conference and the funds will help supplement a branch scholarship endowment for adult women to return to their studies. Any additional money helps fund the branch’s mission-based programs, priorities and operations.
The record attendance at this year’s Used Book Sale aided in offsetting the expenses associated with running the sale.
“The cost of running the Used Book Workshop throughout the year, where book donations are accepted and processed, has increased significantly. Penn State parking costs continue to rise, and corporate and community sponsorship for parking costs at future sales would be deeply appreciated,” AAUW State College remarked in a press release.
The 64th annual Used Book Sale will take place Saturday, May 9, through Tuesday, May 12, 2026, again at the Penn State Snider Ag Arena.
AAUW State College will begin collecting book donations for next year’s sale on Tuesday, July 8, at the AAUW State College Used Book Workshop located at 2197 High Tech Road, State College. More information can be found online at aauwstatecollege.org.
