WARNER ROBINS -- Jane Gramley and Sandy O’Brien are tired.

Since May the two women, along with 25 others, have been sorting and stacking books in the space they use at the Houston Mall.

They are ready for the Houston and Peach County American Association of University Women’s 47th Book Sale, which starts Thursday and ends Saturday.

“As you can see, there are a bunch of boxes,” said O’Brien, as she gestured to the hundreds of boxes filled with books.

O’Brien is only in her second year with the organization.

Gramley, who has been a member of AAUW for 40 years, is much more seasoned at getting ready for the sale.

“This is probably the most we’ve ever had,” Gramley said of the amount of books they’ve received in donations.

The sale’s main focus is the Reading is Fundamental program.

The club uses the money from the book sale to purchase new books for students in one of Houston County’s Title I schools.

Last year, the group raised between $5,000 and $6,000, Gramley said.

Categories for the books include a how-to section, romance novels, children’s books and even books on how to become a police officer.

“I don’t think there is a topic we don’t have,” O’Brien said.

Each year, the organization puts barrels out near Happy Hour Service Center for people to donate books. They also will pick up books from houses.

With the Houston County Friends of the Library also having a book sale to benefit literacy, the two groups coordinate with each other on the last day.

“We shuffle books around,” Gramley said. “We do have a good association with Friends of the Library.”

The ladies are hopeful for a good turnout this year. There is usually a line for the preview Thursday evening, which is $5 and lets book buyers get first pick of the books for sale from 5-6 p.m.

“After 47 years we’re getting the hang of it,” Gramley said as she sorted a book about comics into a box.