Regent book sale co-ordinator Alison Cunningham said the public response to the 10-day sale, and the funds raised were an "amazing result" for the theatre.
"It has been such a tough time for venues unable to hold any shows, so Dunedin, you did us proud," Mrs Cunningham said.
"Your support has been incredible, starting with the generosity of book donations and then all the purchases over the 10-day sale.
"Thanks to everyone who came," she said.
"We hope your books and jigsaws help to fill your shelves again and get you happily through the end of Covid."
Book buyers had responded very positively to the "red setting" format, which divided each day up into 90-minute sessions and limited numbers at each session to 200.
People had loved having the space and time to browse, the relaxed atmosphere, the huge variety of books, and the terrific prices, she said.
Mrs Cunningham thanked all the volunteers who collect and sort books year round, those who helped run the sale, and Task Force Green and Dunedin Central Rotary for helping to haul in the tables and thousands of boxes of books.
The team at the Regent Theatre had also thrown themselves into helping with the sale and were thrilled to see people in the theatre again.
Mrs Cunningham said there were hundreds of boxes of $1books remaining, which had not made it out on to the tables over the 10 days, and plans for these were under way.
BRENDA.HARWOOD @thestar.co.nz
