AAUW Used Book Sale: Turning old books into new opportunities.

If you’ve got books collecting dust on your shelves, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Midland Branch is ready for them.

Donation barrels for the group’s spring Used Book Sale will be out starting Friday, March 27 at Kroger, 2808 Ashman St., and Family Fare, 2026 N. Saginaw Rd. Collection continues through April ahead of the sale, which returns to Midland Mall April 24–26.

For more than 60 years, the AAUW Midland Branch has turned donated books, puzzles, CDs and DVDs into something bigger: scholarships for local women and girls.

The event, held twice a year and run entirely by volunteers, raises more than $25,000 annually to support education in the Midland community.

More than a book sale

For a lot of Midland residents, the AAUW Used Book Sale is already a familiar tradition. It’s where readers stock up on summer books, parents hunt for children’s titles, and shoppers browse for everything from recent releases to vintage finds. But behind the stacks of fiction and nonfiction is a mission that’s stayed steady for decades.

“We used to collect and sort books in the basements of members’ homes and assorted vacant sites,” says Carol Arnosky, president of the AAUW Midland Branch. Former sale sites include a vacant downtown paint store, the Community Center and the former Circle Mall. 

“We were very happy when we were able to find a true ‘home’, both for sorting and the actual sale in the Midland Mall in 1993. In recent years, we also sell puzzles, CDs, and DVDs. What has stayed the same? Hard working volunteers, great quality of books, very generous community.”

How the sale supports local women

The money raised through the sale helps fund scholarships and leadership opportunities for women and girls in the area.

“We give six scholarships annually to local Midland women, administered through the Midland Community Foundation,” Arnosky says. “In 2026, we will give two $3,000 scholarships to High School graduates, two $3,000 scholarships to women who have deferred their education and want to go back to school, a $1,500 Trade and Technical scholarship and $1,000 to the Midland Believes scholarship. We also provide the funding for two local college students to go to NCCWSL ( National Conference for College Women Student Leaders).”

That means every donated novel, puzzle, or DVD can help support someone pursuing college, trade school, or nontraditional students returning to the classroom.

A lot of work behind the scenes

By the time shoppers see neatly organized tables in Midland Mall’s center court, a lot has already happened.

“Our well-oiled machine of approximately 20 folks work for the entire month of the sale (April and September) performing tasks that have been analyzed and perfected over 60 years,” Arnosky says.

“We rent an empty store at Midland Mall for our Sort Room, and we process approximately 20,000 books and other items that have been generously donated by our community. The books are sorted by condition, publication year, genre, etc. and we keep only the best for our sale.”

Then, just before opening, the final setup begins.

“On Thursday evening before the sale, our team, with the Exchange Club’s help, bring the approximately 10,000 items (mostly books) to Midland Mall’s Center court where they are neatly placed on tables by genre,” she says.

Why people keep coming back

Part of the sale’s staying power is simple: people know what they’re going to find.

“We have so many returning customers every year,” Arnosky says. “We love to see and greet them as they line up at 9am on Friday morning. They know that the books for sale are in excellent condition and the prices are great! Children’s books are very popular, as well as recent publications ($5-$7 each) and many vintage/collectible books. Avid readers appreciate our huge selection of fiction and non-fiction titles.”

For first-time shoppers, the hope is that they leave with a few good finds and maybe a reason to come back next year.

“We hope the shoppers find some good treasures to take home and read, give to a friend or have story time with their children,” Arnosky says. “We strive to be a very neat and organized sale with an excellent selection of good quality books in all genres. If you like to read and/or collect, or are looking for a fun summer read or a serious biography, we will have a huge selection to choose from.”

And for donors, there’s value in simply knowing their books will be useful again.

“We appreciate every book that is placed in the barrels, and so we are very thankful for the donors who help to fill up our sale,” she says. “They should feel good because their books will find a new home for others to enjoy.”