People were queuing outside the Skird St Community Centre half an hour before the doors were due to open at the annual Alexandra Rotary Club book sale yesterday.
The earliest arrivals were clearly no amateurs — they came armed with fold-up chairs as well as huge striped bags to haul away their treasures in.
Darfield resident Ian McIlroy joined the queue having made the trip from Canterbury, as he did every year, especially for the book sale.
He was particularly interested in history and had around 20,000 books at home and hoped to add to his non-fiction collection.
Jason, of Cromwell, said he was after vinyl records, preferably ’70s rock, and old comics.
Both were getting hard to find and he regretted the ones he had passed up at earlier sales.
Mother and daughter Nicky and Sian Davis were on holiday in Central Otago and enjoyed browsing the books.
They were looking for books for Sian’s 5-month-old daughter Greer.
Nicky said she was looking for page turners while Sian was searching for crime and thrillers.
Rotary club member Jillian Jopp said some people arrived with books to donate for next year’s sale.
The club had raised more than $500,000 from the book sales.
Funds raised were used for community grants and donations.
The Alexandra Rotary Book sale is on every day until Wednesday.
By: Julie Asher
