The Lifeline Canberra Southside Book Fair opens on Friday, five months after the northside event was cancelled due to COVID vaccine protests at Exhibition Park in Canberra.
The summer book fair was only able to open for one day before the decision was taken to cancel the remaining two days for the safety of volunteers and patrons.
But that was then, this is now. And book lovers are primed for three days of searching for good reads, bargains and hard-to-find treasures in the heart of Tuggeranong.
Lifeline spokeswoman Jenine Woodman said more than 5000 items - books, CDs, DVDs, comics, magazines, stamps, coins, puzzles and games - have been brought in on 90 pallets from its Mitchell warehouse to the Tuggeranong Southern Cross Basketball Stadium for this weekend's book fair.
The southside event continues to grow and is now at its biggest to date - the tables stretching over three basketball courts.
One of the exciting finds this year is a British first edition of the 1941 Patrick White novel The Living and The Dead. There is also a first edition copy of the 1960s classic One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
The thousands of items arrive for the fair in neat cardboard boxes and are carefully arranged by volunteers such as retired Macarthur public servant Margaret Tailby who has been volunteering at the book fairs for 18 years.
She especially loves setting up the puzzles and games, with all the games and children's puzzles checked to ensure all the pieces are in the box.
"I love games and puzzles, I love the company and when I retired, I wanted to do something to put back into the community," Mrs Tailby said.
Her husband Gary has also been a volunteer for more than 10 years.
"It's always interesting to see some of the books coming in that may be rare or books that have been out of print for 70 years and so on," Mr Tailby said.
Lifeline Canberra general manager Adam Miller said all money raised by the book fair would go to its local telephone crisis service 13 11 14, with $26 worth of books sold funding one potentially lifesaving call.
Mr Miller said Lifeline received 2500 calls to its crisis line last month, an increase of about 30 per cent from pre-COVID times, with interest rate rises, the increased cost of living and fears of future lockdowns creating a deep sense of unease in the community.
"The numbers are not going down," he said.
Vouchers to Henry's restaurant at the Canberra Southern Cross Club will also be up for grabs over the weekend.
"We're so grateful that our sponsors have come back to support us," Ms Woodman said.
And in other good news for book fans, Lifeline's Book Lovers Lane store at the Fyshwick fresh food markets has moved to larger premises on the site, now on the corner of Nyrang and Mildura streets, with its own street frontage.
"It's double the size it was," Ms Woodman said.
- The Lifeline Canberra Southside Book Fair is at the Tuggeranong Southern Cross Basketball Stadium at 7 Pitman Street, Greenway on Friday (9am to 6pm), Saturday (9am to 4pm) and Sunday (9am to 4pm).
- Entry by gold coin donation or tap and go.
