In 2023, the University of Queensland engaged more than 7,500 community members through a four-day book fair event held over a long weekend in May. People were invited to campus to buy affordable second-hand books, records, and magazines, eat at food trucks with crepes, coffee, and gelato, and participate in a Rare Book Auction that featured a first edition Winnie the Pooh and a 275-year-old cookbook.
This event, the UQ Alumni Book Fair was first held in 1979, making it the longest running book fair in Brisbane, Australia. In 2020, the book fair moved within the advancement portfolio at the university. With its team’s increased resources, the fair has expanded from a biannual event to an annual one.
The fair is designed to engage people across campus and the wider community. On Friday when campus is open, students stop by. Over the weekend, a Family Day includes activities like face painting, coloring bookmarks, and playing on the local playground, with advancement staff dressing up as fairies and princesses. Monday is a bargain day intended to clear the shelves.
“The buzz of the whole weekend really keeps you running,” says Braden Asujamaa, Alumni Engagement Coordinator.
