Love books? The Michael Egan Memorial Book Fair is on again early next month at Dubbo Showground’s Centenary Pavilion, where thousands of pre-loved books in good condition will be available for purchase by the region’s bibliophiles.

The book fair has been an annual event in Dubbo since 2010, staged originally by Dubbo Macquarie Rotary – where the late Michael Egan was a charter member – and then taken over by Dubbo West Rotary in 2023.

The book fair is a major fundraising opportunity for the community service stalwarts, and every purchase means support going straight back into the community. It also honours the memory of its namesake, Michael Egan, who passed away in 2007 from cancer, aged just 49.

This year, the Michael Egan Memorial Book Fair will take place over the weekend of May 2-3. Softcover books will cost $2 each and hardcover books $3 each, book fair coordinator Colin Shanks told Dubbo Photo News. A gold coin donation on entry would also be very much appreciated, he said.

Some 48 pallets of books have already been donated to the event, with more to come when Dubbo West Rotary stages the final public book donation day on Thursday, April 30, at Centenary Pavilion.

Operating between 10am and 2pm, the “drive-thru, drop off” donation system makes it very easy for members of the public to get their no-longer-wanted books to the actual book fair site just days before it takes place.

“It makes it easy for people dropping off and, of course, makes it easier for us,” Michael added.

“We sort them straight onto the trestle tables ready for the sale on Saturday.

“We’re also very grateful to JM Forklifts. They loan us a forklift each year which is certainly helpful to move all the books around,” he said.

Books donated to the book fair should be clean and in good condition, Colin said. Non-book items like CDs, DVDs etc should NOT be donated as it is very difficult for Rotary to sell them.

“It is a book fair, after all,” he added.

The last book donation day took place in October 2025 and generated so many books the planned January 2026 drive was not needed, Colin said.

This year, Dubbo West Rotary will be assisted at the book fair by volunteers from the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Dubbo Support Group. This group, which supports the local RFDS in Dubbo and surrounds, will be one of the beneficiaries of funds raised through the book fair this year, Colin explained.

Other beneficiaries are yet to be decided but will include a cancer-related activity, he added.

“It's important to us that some of the money raised each year goes to either cancer support or cancer research, which is a tipping of the hat to honour Michael Egan,” Colin said.

For more details about this event, see the “Coming Soon” section of the Dubbo Photo News Community Diary or follow the Michael Egan Memorial Book Fair on social media.