Tomorrow's Star Regent 24 Hour Book Sale will be a spine-tingling affair, literally.
''We're expecting the usual big crowds. We've got better books than ever,'' organiser Alison Cunningham said yesterday before the 34th annual book sale.
''It's the usual eclectic mix. There's a nice selection of original mid-century hardbacks, a lot of military books and a very good selection of New Zealand books.
''The science fiction goes very fast and art is always popular, too. You've got to get in early for those.''
More than 50 volunteers are involved and handle about 250,000 books during the year.
''We only have two months off,'' Mrs Cunningham said.
''After the sale, we clean up and take June and July off, then we're back into it.''
Leftover books were kept off-site at Roslyn Mill storage.
''They're stored upstairs, so every single book has to be hoisted up and down. It's a bit of a logistical mission.''
All the books on the main stage would be $1, or less, and priced books were on sale downstairs.
Live entertainment includes cellist Helene Du Plessis, a ukulele band and the Oxo Cubans.
The annual sale was started in 1979 to raise funds for the theatre and draws bibliophiles and book dealers from across New Zealand.
The book sale and the Anything But Books Sale, in February, raise about $100,000 every year.
Tomorrow's sale opens at noon.
