Celebrating 25 years this month, Armidale’s Rotary Book Fair is the longest, continuous running second-hand book sale in the New England and North West of NSW.
The annual sale attracts hundreds of eager book lovers, keen on snapping up a bargain or a special book. The sale also draws a large contingent of buyers and second-hand bookstore owners from Newcastle to the Queensland border.
Armidale Mayor, Sam Coupland, this week congratulated Armidale Central Rotary on 25 years of the sale.
“The longevity of any community event is significant, however to keep it going for 25 years and raise millions for local and international causes – that is remarkable and should be celebrated,” said the Mayor.
“I encourage the community to once again generously support Rotary’s annual fair and wish Armidale Central Rotary all of the very best for this year’s fair and many more to come.”
President of Armidale Central Rotary, Andrew Pratt said he was extremely proud of their 25 year milestone and thanked the community for its ongoing support.
“Each year there are between 40 and 50 thousand high quality books for sale over the eight days of the Book Fair, all donated by individuals, schools and libraries from the communities Armidale, Guyra and Uralla,” said Mr Pratt.
“Often the big, yellow book bin, into which people deposit their books has to be emptied four times a week because of the generosity of the local community.”
He said books at the sale mostly sold for either $3 for hardbacks and large format soft-cover, $2 for all general books in all categories, and $1 per book for children’ books, while CDs and DVDs sell for $2 each.
This year the upstairs area of the Armidale Jockey Club will be handed over to house ‘special books’ – these are books that are either rare because of their age, highly desired because they would retail in the $60 – $200 range or books of exceptional quality.
Each year the funds raised by the Armidale Central Rotary club are donated to local, national and international causes. The bulk of the funds raised by the club are distributed to local charities, schools and organisations.
Armidale Central had their first book sale at Lazenby Hall at the University of New England in 1998 when the club was offered books, surplus to the needs of Dixon Library. Prior to 2014, all books donated to the club were stored and sorted in Ces Spencer’s garage. Ces Spencer was a club stalwart and instigator of the Book Fair.
In 2013, the Armidale Jockey Club leased Armidale Central Rotary Club some land on the corner of Canambe and Dumaresq Streets where club members built the Rotary Bookshed, named in honour of Ces Spencer, who sadly died shortly before its opening.
The annual Book Fair runs from Saturday 13 to Saturday 20 May 2023 (inclusive) 9am to 5pm daily and is held at the Armidale Racecourse on Barney Street opposite The Armidale School (TAS).
