Brisbane's longest-running book fair
UQ’s beloved celebration of books is back! Lose yourself amongst the magic of over 110,000 pre-loved books, magazines, records and more.
Carefully sorted into over 400 categories, it’s time to discover your next 5 star read without breaking the bank.
For as little as $1, you can give these books a second-life while supporting student scholarships, critical research and UQ educators.
The UQ Alumni Book Fair is made possible thanks to a dedicated group of volunteers who form part of Alumni Friends. Since 1967, Alumni Friends has raised over $11 million to support UQ students and researchers.
Register below to join us at our biggest and best UQ Alumni Book Fair yet!
Have a question about the UQ Alumni Book Fair?
Rare Book Auction
Hundreds of works will go under the hammer in 2023, including a remarkable first edition copy of Winnie-the-Pooh, with the oldest book in the collection published in 1706!
Community members and collectors across the world can access rare books donated from private collections, selected for their rarity, provenance, artistic value, historical significance and more. With such a wide selection of books, this auction is sure to be a treat for any book enthusiast!
Funds raised from the Rare Book Auction go towards student scholarships, critical research and UQ educators.
Please note, bidder registration will be taken at the event and a valid Photo ID will be required to participate at the auction. If you can’t make it to the auction, you can place an absentee bid from anywhere in the world.
Browse the Rare Book Catalogue.
All books in the catalogue will be available for inspection from 3:30pm on the day of the Rare Book Auction in the UQ Centre Foyer.
If you’d like to discuss donating a rare book, please reach out to the Alumni and Community Engagement team on +61 7 3346 3166.
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 over 100 volunteer students to make the Book Fair a success! If you are studying any of the following areas, we'd be grateful for your assistance: marketing; writing, editing and publishing; stock control and distribution; finance; database management; and sales.
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
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!