UQ Alumni Book Fair 2026
Friday 27 February: 9am–9pm
Saturday 28 February: 9am–7pm
Sunday 1 March: 9am–5pm
Location: UQ Centre, Union Road, UQ St Lucia Campus
Free event
Over 130,000 books, records and other pre-loved goodies will be available at the 2026 UQ Alumni Book Fair® from as little as $1.
UQ's beloved annual celebration of books is brought to you by Alumni Friends and our dedicated volunteers who have been busily sorting community donations. Every dollar raised goes towards student scholarships and research at UQ.
On Saturday 28 February, our Alumni and Community Day offers free activities for book lovers of all ages with story time, book talks, interactive stations and – new this year – a Kids Character Costume Parade, with prizes up for grabs!
Register for the Book Fair before 12pm on Thursday 26 February 2026 and you'll automatically go into the draw to win a box of books of your choosing. Terms and conditions apply.
Location: UQ Centre, Union Road, UQ St Lucia Campus
Getting here: Casual parking is available under UQ Centre. Paid parking applies on Friday, 7am–9pm. Parking is free on Saturday and Sunday. More information about parking at UQ.
St Lucia campus is conveniently accessible by bus and ferry. More information about public transport options.
Rare Book Auction
The Rare Book Auction is an opportunity for community members and collectors across the world to access rare books and other limited-edition items donated from private collections.
Funds raised from the Rare Book Auction go towards scholarships, bursaries and research grants to help further the education of students at UQ. In 2025, the UQ Rare Book Auction raised $19,305 for student scholarships, research and educators.
What makes the books so special? It could be their rarity, their provenance, their artistic value, their local historical significance, their academic influence, or even quality of their printing and binding.
If you’d like to discuss donating a rare book, please reach out to the Book Group on +61 7 3346 3166.
The next Rare Book Auction will be held in 2027.
Volunteer to support the Book Fair
The Book Group donate approximately 10,000 collective hours to make the UQ Alumni Book Fair a success – breathing new life into more than 110,000 books, records and other items.
Their work is critical to both the University, and the care of our planet, saving thousands of books from landfill every year.
If you’re a fellow booklover who would like to get involved – we would love to hear from you!
Volunteering as a current student
If you're a current UQ student, volunteering at the Book Fair is a great way to expand your skills and knowledge. Each year, the Book Fair organisers engage with more than 200 volunteer students to make the Book Fair a success. If you are interested in being a part of the volunteer team, please contact us to make the Book Fair a success!
To volunteer throughout the year, or at the Book Fair Event, please email uqalumni@uq.edu.au or phone +61 7 3346 3166 between 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday.
Donating books (paused until Monday 10 January)
We welcome donations of books of all types, magazines, vinyl records, posters, DVDs and CDs. Donations for the UQ Alumni Book Fair and Rare Book Auction can be left in the Book Shed, in the car park behind Building 82E, Seddon West, St Lucia campus, any time of day. The Book Bunker is also available for donations at UQ’s Long Pocket Campus, 80 Meiers Rd, Indooroopilly (adjacent to the Banksia loading bay). Please note that the Long Pocket Campus is not open outside office hours.
If you have over ten medium-sized boxes of books and live in Brisbane, the Book Group may be able to help collect your books from you. To discuss a collection, please call the Book Group on +61 7 3346 3166.
Your donations are very appreciated!