Lifeline Canberra Bookfair organisers are preparing for the vital weekend following a record year of crisis calls. Photos: Lifeline Canberra.
Off the back of the busiest year in Lifeline’s 61-year history, which saw eight of the all-time top-10 busiest days recorded, organisers are now gearing up for the iconic event that helps shore up the charity’s life-saving efforts — the Lifeline Canberra Bookfair.
Lifeline CEO Carrie-Ann Leeson says December and January are consistently the organisation’s busiest periods, and so far this year has been no exception.
“The festive season is a joyful time for so many, but also very much a time for reflection that can exacerbate feelings of grief and loss that some people are managing,” she says.
“Last December, those feelings were compounded by the Bondi tragedy.
“When you start to see this conflation of emotions and community-wide devastation, it’s no surprise this time is the busiest of the year for our crisis support team.”
Drawing people from all over the country and a ferocious show of support from the local community, both as volunteers and customers, the bookfair always promises literary treasures at bargain prices.
Some 350 volunteers work throughout the year, both at the warehouse and throughout the event, to pull off the biggest bookfair in the nation’s capital. It will once more see hundreds of thousands of items filter in to stock and restock across the three days, to ensure an enriching experience all day, every day.
“We’re unpacking treasures all weekend long, in the order donations arrive, so there’s always something special coming out — from Friday through to Sunday,” Ms Leeson says. “You never know what might appear on Sunday morning, which is why some people come back all three days.”
New stock filters through all weekend, enticing shoppers to come back every day.
The collector’s room has hosted many incredibly valuable items, everything from first-edition Harry Potters to 100-year-old medical journals.
“We do justice to every donation because we recognise it’s such an act of generosity to hand over a book you’ve paid for to support Lifeline’s crisis support services,” Ms Leeson says.
Books are meticulously sorted by genre, and displayed on tables with clear signage. Team leaders are on hand in every area to help customers.
The event also includes a family day on the Saturday, with kids’ activities such as face painting and balloon making, a gelato stand and much more.
“We’re bringing back everything people have come to love and expect from the bookfair,” Ms Leeson says.
The bookfair has gained iconic status over the years, with members of the public queuing sometimes as early as 2 am on the Friday to be first through the doors.
Last February, the queue was close to 2000 people when the doors opened at 9 am. Ms Leeson says they moved through a well-oiled machine.
“It’s very well organised, and we’ve done everything we can to ensure queues move quickly,” she says.
“The vibe itself is warm-spirited and wonderful. It creates a safe and inclusive environment for everyone, which is unfortunately a rarity in many public spaces.”
Lifeline has a little over $200,000 in funding a year, but provides support to 10 per cent of the Canberra community annually, which costs millions.
The bookfairs are the lifeblood of Lifeline’s fundraising activities, and huge contributors towards the cost of training crisis support workers and hosting other services, such as bereavement groups.
“Aside from the fundraising, the bookfair is a chance for the Canberra community to put faces to names, meet the volunteers and staff and remove barriers they may have when reaching out to us,” Ms Leeson says.
“They come to know that Lifeline is for them, and feel comfortable and safe calling us. That’s one beautiful, unintended benefit.”
The Lifeline Canberra Bookfair runs Friday 6 February from 9 am to 6 pm, Saturday 7 February from 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday 8 February from 9 am to 4 pm at Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC).
