OXFORD, Miss. – The Oxford branch of the American
Association of University Women is preparing for
its annual Jan Hawks Memorial Book Sale to benefit
the AAUW Educational Foundation, the world’s
largest source of funding for graduate women.
The sale is set for Monday and Tuesday (Feb. 25-26)
in the lobby of the University of Mississippi
Student Union. Hours are 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
The Oxford chapter has been organizing this
fundraiser for more than a decade and last year
received around 3,000 donated books, said Christina
Torbert, chapter president.
“That was an exceptionally large number,” she said.
“I hope we receive about 2,500 donated books this
year .”
The books include a variety of genres and subjects,
including fiction and nonfiction, scholarly texts,
popular titles and even the occasional textbook.
Pricing depends on the cover of the book.
“We generally charge $1 for hardbacks and 50 cents
for paperback,” she said. “We do screen the
donations for books of greater value, and those
books will be individually priced.”
AAUW is still accepting donations for this year’s
drive. Drop-off locations include the San Francisco
Bread Company, First National Bank on the Oxford
Square, Chaney’s Pharmacy and the UM Sarah Isom
Center for Women in Johnson Commons.
The Oxford branch of AAUW has 25 members, including
university faculty and members of the local
community. Requirements for membership include an
associate’s degree; however, student memberships
are also available.
“Potential members should also have a belief in the
benefits of equal education for girls and women,”
Torbert said.
Annual membership dues are $64, and student
memberships are available to undergraduates for
$32.
For more information about AAUW, visit
http://www.aauw.org. For
more information on the organizations Oxford branch,
contact Torbert at
ctorbert@olemiss.edu.