It is time to be making room onthe bookshelf as Timaru North Rotary Club’s Bookarama looms.
The event has been running since 1976, with funds raised going to various charities around South Canterbury.
Running from tomorrow to Sunday at Trinity hall in College Rd, hundreds of thousands of books, DVDs, CDs and board games will be available to buy at great prices.
Bookarama convener Gavin Craig said the annual event was still very popular.
‘‘A lot of people still love to read books — of course there are all the other means nowadays, but there is still that love for books.
‘‘We do also get a lot of valuable books, especially in the New Zealand section, that people have just discarded and people come along and go ‘Oh, I want that’.’’
The volunteers have a shipping container to work through, categorising and displaying each book individually.
Mr Craig said it was a massive team effort to put the event on.
‘‘We have people coming in all week to work on it. We have all the setup and then the pack-down as well.
‘‘We are lucky we have good people to support us. A lot of them aren’t even necessarily in the Rotary club, which is great. ‘A lot of work goes into it but as long as you come out with a result it’s worthwhile.’’
The event was usually held in November but due to existing bookings at the hall the club was asked to hold it a month earlier.
‘‘We’re not sure what effect that will have on the Bookarama. It did mean some of our own members were away with it being the school holidays, so we lost a bit of manpower.’’
Mr Craig said there was always a big rush on the first morning.
‘‘People naturally perceive that the best stuff is there early, and first in, first served. There will be plenty there and we will be replenishing it as we go.’’
Doors will open at 9am tomorrow (Friday), Saturday and Sunday and close at 7pm tomorrow, 5pm on Saturday and 3pm on Sunday.
