Album in sale tables
After months of collecting, sorting and packing, 2000 cartons of books will be loaded out of the old Raumati pool building this tomorrow and taken to the Waikanae Memorial Hall in readiness for this weekend’s 21st Lions Monster Bookfair.
The book fair will be open from 8am on Saturday until 2pm on Sunday where 65,000 books will be unpacked and sorted on to tables and laid out for viewing and selection.
Lion Joe Franklin says the quantity and variety of books is ‘mind-blowing’ and as always, there are titles to suit everyone — sports gems plus hundreds of military titles, biographies, hardback and paperback fiction, health, poetry, music, cooking, gardening, travel and children’s books and puzzles.
An unusual feature is eight photograph albums.
Mr Franklin said it was not known where they came from.
“We suspect we get collections following people moving into retirement villages, or perhaps ever after deaths.
“Among the albums is one that is 121 years old, inscribed ‘To May from E and G.B — Christmas 1897 — for kindness received.’
“It contains a collection of black and white photos of scenery, obviously taken by a tramper.
“Another album from the 1980s has pictures of a then very happy wedding day and one wonders why it’s no longer wanted. Perhaps things went sour in later years and only brought back bad memories.
“There’s another with photos of beautiful children. The albums will be on display at the fair and anyone with a legitimate claim to them is welcome to take them away.”
This year’s recipients will be the June Oakley Memorial Trust, The Malaghan Institute, Birthright, Kenakena School, Whareroa Farm Trust, Wellington Free Ambulance, Kapiti Women’s Centre, The Waikanae Museum, The Shed Project, Gillies McIndoe Research Institute and the New Children’s Hospital Wellington Playground Fund.