For many Canberra bibliophiles, the three-day Lifeline Bookfair is a highlight of the season. It has become synonymous with high quality bargain books, DVDs, vinyl records, CDs, puzzles, and games – and the best of two years’ worth of donations will be on offer at Thoroughbred Park in mid-December.

“We have two years of donations, pent up and ready to go,” said Carrie-Ann Leeson, Lifeline Canberra CEO. “They’ve all been sorted, priced, and stored very carefully and lovingly for this very occasion when we can – with restrictions – get out and do a mass event.”

This time, around 15,000 visitors are expected over the three days. (Numbers will be limited inside due to COVID restrictions.) Ms Leeson does not expect the 25,000 people who would come normally.

“We’re going to have to build back up to that in the years to come,” she said.

One hundred pallets will be brought out, containing 150,000 items – including children’s books, fiction, non-fiction, humanities, Australiana, science and technology, and magazines – so there is sure to be something for everyone. And if more books are needed, Lifeline will send pallets from its nearby Mitchell warehouse.

“We’ll keep bringing the books out as long as they’re selling,” Ms Leeson said.

With thousands of items for sale, Canberrans often find books that are meaningful to them, she said.

Some turn up out-of-print books for which they have searched for many years. One woman, for instance, came to the Bookfair for 30 years trying to fill the gap in her collection, but one book eluded her. Three years ago, to her astonishment, she located that book – and now has the complete set.

Others find bargains. A student purchased a textbook for $100; she found the same book for only $4 at the Bookfair, in VG+ condition. “She was obviously very stoked about that; she was able to return the other book, and keep that money for something else,” Ms Leeson said.

Kids get lost in a good book in the children’s section, while people who donated books see their book on sale – “and know they’re doing an amazing thing for the crisis support line” (13 11 14).

The Bookfair is Lifeline’s major funding event – “the mainstay and the lifeblood of our organisation,” Ms Leeson said, as it works to prevent suicide.

Providing crisis support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to Canberra and the nation costs millions of dollars, she said. Lifeline receives around $200,000 every year from the government, but the Bookfairs generate “a great deal more than that”. (This year, however, will probably only bring in half the takings of the EPIC fairs, because of juggling visitor numbers, restrictions, comfort levels, and stock levels.)

“Every dollar that we raise at the Bookfairs goes straight to the crisis support line,” Ms Leeson said. “So people know that when they come in and grab a handful of books, if they spend around $26, that’s a life-changing call.”

At the moment, Lifeline receives 3,200 calls a day – midway between its pre-lockdown average of 2,500 calls a day and lockdown’s record-breaking peak of 3,700. Call numbers may have fallen by 500, as people return to work and everyday activities, but Lifeline is dealing with longer, more complex calls.

“The challenge is to get more crisis supporters onto the phones to answer more calls,” Ms Leeson said.

Fortunately, Canberrans are signing up to work the crisis support line. This week, 100 people attended a volunteer information session – a record; normally, only 50-odd attend. Almost all will sign up; and so might 10 or 20 more who did not attend the session.

“Lifeline has been there throughout the pandemic; it hasn’t dialled back its services, but in fact, scaled them up,” Ms Leeson said. “People recognise that, and want to give back.

“We’re eternally grateful for individuals who choose to give their time to Lifeline in that way, because it’s no small undertaking. Being a crisis supporter is incredibly strenuous … but the service they provide on the phones is life-saving and life-changing.”

In February, Lifeline will hold its fiftieth birthday Bookfair at Exhibition Park. To mark the occasion, the Collectors’ Room will return; Lifeline has promised “some very special pieces” for sale. It will, Ms Leeson said, be one of the charity’s biggest Bookfairs – “as big and as exciting as we can go”.

COVID restrictions and cleaning processes will be in place; and COVID marshals will monitor the Bookfair. Ms Leeson anticipates government inspectors coming through every few hours.

“Hopefully, people’s comfort levels will allow them to come out to the Bookfair knowing that we’ve got all of the safety measures in place,” Ms Leeson said.

In the meantime, Canberrans can visit Lifeline’s Book Lovers Lane at the Fyshwick Markets (Thursday to Sunday), or their online Ebay store.

The Lifeline Bookfair will be held at Thoroughbred Park, 1 Randwick Road, Lyneham, from Friday 17 to Sunday 19 December. Gates open Friday 9am–6pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am–4pm. Entry by gold coin donation or ‘tap and go’. For more information, visit lifelinecanberra.org.au/books/bookfair

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