Thousands of books are being sorted into categories for Ashburton’s annual Bookarama, to be held September 23 to 28.
Many hands are making light work for the Rotary Club of Ashburton event.
Club members have been joining with Ashburton Inner Wheel members at the former Wastebusters site in the industrial estate for the past three weeks, leading up to moving all the books into the Bookarama site of the Sports Hall on Tancred St this weekend.
Co-ordinator David Mead said it had been a busy three weeks, as volunteers each weekday picked up books from the multiple drop-off points.
‘‘Once we put the boxes around town, then we have to clear them every morning. Some days we have to clear them twice a day,’’ Mead said.
From the most popular drop-off point of Ashburton New World, up to 100 books were collected each day.
Volunteers have been sorting books into categories, including small paper backs, crafts and hobbies, large fiction, children and specials. Specials are considered good books in top condition that will attract a higher price, say $5. The remainder are expected to be more so around the $2 to $4 range.
There will also be hundreds of other items such as jigsaw puzzles, LPs and DVDs.
Mead said he and fellow members would ‘‘like to think’’ this year’s total raised from sales will be higher than last year. Last year saw the highest amount ever raised in the history of the event – $67,000. The first Bookarama was held in 1980.
Money from Bookarama has benefitted a wide range of Mid Canterbury projects over the years.
Meanwhile, the club is on the lookout for more people to join and help with Bookarama. After a membership drive earlier this year, the club got about half a dozen new members.
Mead said it was a case of the more the merrier.
‘‘We are still looking for new members and if people want to be part of Bookarama and projects we do, come along and join,’’ Mead said.
