AAUW State College to hold 62nd annual used book sale May 11-14

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The American Association of University Women (AAUW) State College branch will hold its 62nd annual used book sale May 11-13 at the Penn State Snider Agricultural Arena on the University Park campus, located diagonally across from Beaver Stadium at the corner of East Park Avenue and Fox Hollow Road.

The sale will run from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily on May 11-13, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on May 14. Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own cloth shopping bags.

The books offered at the event are donated by local community members in the 10 months prior to the sale. AAUW State College members and community volunteers have been sorting and processing the books in that time at the group’s workshop near the State College Regional Airport on High Tech Road. The workshop will re-open for donations for the 2025 sale on June 18.

An estimated 200,000 books are for sale. Books are priced to sell, and sorted into 30 different categories. The children's section alone boasts over 25,000 books. Other popular sections are fiction, literature, biography, art, collectors, history, mysteries, hobbies, and sports. Puzzles, games, sheet music, CDs/DVDs and audio books are also included in the sale.

In keeping with Penn State regulations, no more than 400 shoppers (and 50 volunteers) are permitted in the arena at any one time. Monday, May 13, will be half-price day, and Tuesday, May 14, is bag day, when a bag of books may be purchased for $10.

The 2023 AAUW sale netted about $135,000, the highest yielding sale to date. All dollars raised stay local, assisting groups who in some way reflect the AAUW mission to advance equity for women and girls. STEM programs for girls, literacy and self-esteem are key priorities. In addition, AAUW State College awards three-to-four major undergraduate scholarships each year to returning adult women students.

Parking is free and there is no admission fee. Cash, checks, major credit cards and Apple Pay will be accepted. The event is a major recycling effort, with book donations that might have otherwise been destined for the landfill.

Learn more by visiting the AAUW State College website or email questions to info@aauwstatecollege.org.