Loom for an option at AOL to export your address book.

Thunderbird can use CSV files. With an add-on, it can also take vcf (vCard) files.

Natively Thunderbird uses LDIF too, but I have found it hard to work with LDIF files generated by other applications.

have a csv list from AOL contacts but cannot find an "import" option in Thunderbird contact tab

It's in the menu, under "Tools".

If you don't have the menu in the Address Book, press the <alt> key.

Quick solution with instructions on how to find the "tools" menu in address book. Many thanks for a quick answer.