AAUW Sale a Book Lover’s Delight

Rows upon rows of used books have filled up the second floor of the First United Methodist Church. Book lovers from around the state—and even past New Jersey’s borders—will descend on Freehold Thursday through Saturday for the annual American Association of University Women (AAUW) Freehold Area Branch book sale.

The organization has held the fundraiser since the early 1970s, according to AAUW member Trudy Iwanski, of Monroe.  Branch members sorted through 20,000 donated books from October through May in space provided by Freehold Savings Bank in preparation for the sale. The months of hard work is appreciated by the customers who return to the event year after year; Iwanski noted that the sale has drawn people from Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New York.

“People come for the variety and quality of the books,” Iwanski said. “We sort them all into different categories. Fiction and mystery are listed alphabetically.”

Prices range from 25 cents to $1.50, and on Saturday, customers will be able to get a bagful of books for $5. AAUW contacted the Freehold Regional High School District regarding the summer high school reading lists and organized those titles so students will be able to easily find them, Iwanski noted.

On Wednesday, about 150 people turned out to preview the titles on sale, Iwanski said. She estimated that the event would draw about 500 people, as it has in previous years.

Money raised through the annual used book sale goes toward the Lew Williams & Leila Sulkes Scholarships, which supports women going to college for undergraduate or graduate degree programs, and the Rose Fishkin Scholarship Awards, which goes to the highest-ranking female graduating senior in each of the six high schools in the Freehold Regional High School District.

The sale runs from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to Saturday.