Records smashed at Dannevirke Host Lions book sale

A large crowd looked for literary treasures in the fiction section on Wednesday morning.

Dannevirke Host Lions book sale has exceeded all records and expectations, raising more than $18,750 in five days - $4000 more than last year's record sale.

Dr Abbie Ward gets a hand from Lion Trevor Moore to take out her final selection.

Chief co-ordinator Lion Barbara Ferguson said it proves that despite all the electronic forms of entertainment available, people still love to read books.

Slightly fewer books were on sale because the Palmerston North Red Cross book sale is postponed until September but thanks to locals cleaning out their bookshelves during lockdown and several small truckloads coming from Masterton, a massive range of fiction and non-fiction titles made its way to Napier after the sale.

Signs were excellent on Wednesday morning when more than 80 people waited outside the Dannevirke Town Hall for the sale to open. Many had come from Hawke's Bay and one book enthusiast left Wairoa at 3am to be at the opening. By 9.30am 200 people were inside and by 5pm sales exceeded $8000.

Up to 30 Lions attended each day sorting books, bringing more up from under the stage, helping buyers to take out their purchases and selling raffles.

They had worked hard bringing tables from schools around town, setting up signs and categorising books so by Tuesday midday the sale was ready to start.

With the help of the DHS First XI football team, many of the leftover books were on the way to Napier an hour after the sale closed.

A mountain of jigsaw puzzles disappeared on the first day and when students from St Joseph's and Huia Range schools came on Friday the student selection disappeared as each child could have a bag full for $1.

By noon Sunday the price dropped to $10 a carton and $1 for a bag for everyone> Lions helpers took out huge loads and there were still customers as the 2pm call was made.

A copy of CF Goldie His Life and Works sold to a private book collector but several other treasures will be advertised on Trade Me.

More than 100 empty cartons were stored to be filled from September's Red Cross sale for next year and with precious books from the Lions sale preserved for next year.