Books bonanza: Geelong Book Fair returns

TENS of thousands of paperback and hard-cover books will take over Geelong West Town Hall next weekend as part of the Geelong Book Fair.

The biggest of three book fairs throughout the year hosted by Rotary Club of Geelong West, the event will display more than 20,000 books available to buy at either $1 or $2 each from August 2 to August 4 inclusive.

Rotary Club president Michael Clyne said Rotarians always cleared the calendar when the book fair came around, eager to help in any way they could to ensure the event raised as much money as possible.

“The book fair has been running for the past 18 years and the money we have raised has always gone back into the programs we support locally, nationally and internationally, as is the objective for all Rotarian fundraising,” Mr Clyne said.

“I wouldn’t say we’re the biggest book fair in the country, but I’d hazard a guess we’re the biggest book fair in the region by a substantial amount and the community always manages to turn out in the thousands over the three days.

“To date, I’d say we’ve raised approximately $400,000 in the years we have run the fair and it takes a lot of hard work from our club’s members.”

Mr Clyne has co-ordinated the book fair for the past eight years, but it is his first year running the event as president of the Rotary club.

The fair will distribute funds to causes such as Barwon Health and its Project North initiative, Geelong Youth Engagement, and local primary schools.

“We try to spread out the fundraising to various organisations locally and we’ve committed $100,000 to Project North over five years, which will improve the dental health of residents in our northern suburbs,” Mr Clyne said.

“It’s great to welcome the local community and spread the word of Rotary; we always expect about 100 people queued up at the front door at the start of each day.

“It appeals to a wide demographic. People say books are going out of fashion, but this fair suggests otherwise without fail each time we hold it.”

Mr Clyne said a decent financial haul at the book fair was close to $25,000.

The Geelong Book Fair will run each of the three days from 9am.