AUS’ Used Books Sale initiative supports students and community

American University of Sharjah’s (AUS) Used Books Sale initiative is a 13-year-old tradition that has had a remarkable impact on AUS students and the wider community since its launch.

Organized by the Community Service and Outreach (CSO) division in the AUS Office of Student Affairs, the initiative is held at the start of every semester, offering AUS students and faculty the opportunity to buy preloved academic books to use in their coursework and research. 

“We would usually put on sale 400 to 500 used books per semester, which we collect from residential halls and from donations from students, faculty and the AUS library. Around 200 individuals benefit from this initiative every semester. We donate the remaining books to Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, which they use in their used book festival,” said Aisha Ali, Community Service and Outreach Manager at AUS. 

The Used Books Sale offers AUS students the opportunity to volunteer at the CSO booth and help students and faculty who are searching for the books they need. 

“I am very grateful I got the chance to make a small difference selling one book at a time. It was a wholesome experience seeing knowledge seekers and novel lovers come to our booth looking for books to use,” said Joudi Bilat Abdallah, an industrial engineering student and volunteer. 

The Used Books Sale also supports other volunteer and charity initiatives CSO holds, including the Hand-in-Hand initiative in which students renovate houses of underprivileged children and schools in collaboration with reputable government social service institutions.

CSO offers a wide selection of volunteer programs and events that cater to diverse student interests with focus on the various needs of different sectors of the society and has built strong partnerships with a number of national and international organizations. 

For more information about CSO and community service opportunities, click here.