I'm not familiar with AOL, so the first part is up to you. Check your AOL web site and see if you can export the contacts as a csv or vCard file. If you can, then you can create a Google account and import your address book to that.
By setting up a Google account as an Exchange account on the iPad, you can sync your contacts.
Another possibility is that AOL has a LDAP or CardDAV server. Again, you'll have to find that out yourself. But if it does you can set that kind of account up in the iPad. After tapping Add Account, choose Other for those options.
Hopefully som AOLers will wander along with better advice.