Book lovers rejoice – thanks to thousands of volunteer hours

A plethora of rare books, novels and well-loved classics will be up for grabs at the biennial University of Queensland UQ Alumni Book Fair and Rare Book Auction.

The Alumni Friends of the University of Queensland Inc Book Fair and Rare Book Auction will be offering a treasure trove of over 150,000 books, LPs, CDs and magazines at bargain prices from Friday 21 - Wednesday 26 April 2017.

Book Fair Representative, Margaret Blaszczyk said the popular event attracted book lovers from all over Queensland, many of who arrive early in the hope of finding a unique treasure or personal favourite among the items on offer.

“The excitement is palpable,” she said.

“Each day, a queue forms from early morning. Even people who aren’t sure if they will buy a book come along to this exciting free community event.

“When the doors open at 9, patrons race in, heading to their favourite category to find that sought-after title from a favourite author, a vinyl LP they wish they hadn’t parted with years ago, or a nostalgic vintage book.”

Alumni Friends committee member and Book Fair volunteer Gary Lambrides said the Book Fair was a culmination of thousands of hours of work by dedicated volunteers who worked to catalogue and process donations.

“After two years of receiving and preparing generous donations from all over Queensland it is now time to present for sale a huge range of books, music, art and collectables,” Mr Lambrides said.

“The reward for the volunteers is in seeing the joy of the find by the next owners – the life cycle of these donated items continues.”

All funds raised from the auction and fair, which takes place during the Alumni Friends Golden Jubilee Year, will go towards supporting UQ students, educators and researchers.

Funds are disbursed by the volunteer-run Alumni Friends of The University of Queensland.

Dates and Locations:

The Rare Book Auction will be opened by UQ Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Peter Høj on Friday 21 April at 6pm for a 6.30pm start at the UQ Women’s College Playhouse. 

The UQ Alumni Book Fair will be held from Saturday 22 – Wednesday 26 April 2017 at the UQ Centre.

Media: Dr Catherine A. Lawrence: c.lawrence@uq.edu.au +61 7 3365 1561

Left: Book Fair volunteer Gary Lambrides