UQ Alumni Book Fair

Within the University, the Queensland Commitment campaign seeks to break down barriers to education – including by the establishment of a greater number of needs-based scholarships.  More information about the Queensland Commitment can be found on the UQ website here.

A significant contribution to this campaign comes from the Annual UQ Alumni Book Fair.    To date, funds from the Book Fair have assisted with the establishment of 46 fully-endowed scholarships across the University – with new scholarships being founded every year.  

For the Law School, steps are in place to establish a scholarship in honour of Cedric Hampson QC (1933-2014) – one of the great figures of the Queensland Bar. More information about Hampson QC can be found on the Bar Association’s Hearsay website here.

The success of the Book Fair depends very much upon alumni participation.

Participation - Donating Books and Libraries

Many alumni participate by donating – or encouraging others to donate – books to the Book Fair.  It is the quality of these books, driven by the deep and varied interests of the donors, which make the Book Fair so unique and successful.  For those downsizing to apartments or retirement villages, the Book Fair presents a wonderful way to ensure that treasured collections of books receive a second life – whilst at the same time supporting students in need.   Rare books are given special treatment, being set aside for the UQ Alumni Rare Book Auction.  Vinyl records, CDs, DVDs and artworks are also accepted. The process of donating books is easy.  They may be deposited in the Book Shed at the St Lucia campus at any time during the year – or, in the case of rare books or larger collections, can be collected by volunteer supporters of the Book Fair.  More information about how to donate books can be found on the UQ website here.

Participation - Volunteering

A welcoming group of book-lovers volunteer their time to make the Book Fair possible.  This group is based in buildings on the Long Pocket campus of UQ, where all donated books are received, expertly classified and priced, and then stored in anticipation of the Annual Book Fair weekend.   The volunteers work throughout the year, at times that fit within their other commitments.  For the more serious members, the work of the Book Fair is almost a full time hobby.  On the weekend of the Book Fair, there numbers are swelled by student volunteers who assist in setting up the displays and assisting customers.  More information about how to volunteer can be found on the UQ website here.

Participation – Attending the Book Fair

In the end, the success of the Book Fair depends upon support of the many book-loving alumni who come to the St Lucia campus on the Book Fair weekend, to join in the events and find books of interest. With an array of books which can exceed 100,000, a great range of books is usually available.

The date of the Annual Book Fair for 2026 will be announced shortly.

Photos taken by Creative Futures Photography