It’s books galore again at this year’s Bookarama, with public enthusiasm for the event still as high as ever.

The annual Rotary second-hand book sale, which raised a record $56,000 last year, looks on track to reach another substantial amount, with a long queue of bargain hunters waiting outside before the doors opened this morning (May 5).

Ōamaru Rotary Club member Christine Dorsey said a “huge amount” of volunteers, both Rotarians and non-Rotarians, have been putting in big hours to get the books sorted for the nine-day sale, at the former Noel Leeming building on Ōamaru's Thames Street.

“There’s some really good quality books,” she said.

“It’s great the community gets behind this. Lots of people buy books one year, read them, and then bring them back the next year.” 

There were always too many books to display all at once, and so people who could not get along in the first few days did not need to worry about missing out. There were new books being brought out all the time, Christine said.

The sale runs every day, 10am-5pm, until Sunday, May 14, when it ends at 12 noon.

Bookarama is buzzing on opening day. PHOTO: Supplied/Christine Dorsey