Marleen Black works at a past American Association of University Women book sale. AAUW annually has a book sale to raise money for scholarships and events.

The Iron Mountain-Kingsford Branch of the American Association of University Woman is celebrating its 100-year anniversary in 2021. The local branch is the oldest branch in the Upper Peninsula and the sixth-oldest branch in the state. This is part of a series of articles highlighting AAUW’s local projects that support the community and where they plan to go in 2021 and beyond.

By Catherine

Pirkola

For The Daily News

IRON MOUNTAIN — One longstanding activity of the Iron Mountain/Kingsford AAUW branch is the yearly book sale.

Scholarships and other branch events are funded by the sale.

The book sale began in the 1930s. Members brought in books and sold them to each other. In fact, in 1940 the local branch received an award from AAUW of Michigan for having the largest per capita receipts for a book sale.

The branch opened the sale to the public in the 1960s and it became a yearly event in the community.

Now the AAUW book sale usually takes place at Midtown Mall in Iron Mountain.

Each year our local branch reaches out to the community for book donations in the fall and spring. Donation sites are throughout the community.

Committee members sort the donated books. Bestsellers, fiction, sci-fi, history, children’s books and many others are set up on tables lining the halls of the mall. During the sale, book-loving customers leave with armfuls and bags full of books.

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 the 2020 book sale had to be canceled. The books are stored and waiting for a sale in 2021. IMK AAUW plans to have the sale as soon as COVID restrictions allow.

The group will announce the sale dates in a few months.