Bibliophiles and books rejoice in a heritage-listed building in the heart of Brisbane CBD. Archives Fine Books is the largest second-hand and antiquarian bookstore in Queensland, a book mine where a bit of fossicking reveals literary gold. Read their suggested online resources, browse their extensive categories, it is like an Aladdin’s cave of amazing volumes but so much better in person. Now they are adding an Australian first.

Before I begin, let me tell you a tale. When I originally discovered Archives Fine Books, the old floorboards were uneven and creaked, books were crammed on shelving which ran into the gloom and rose to the roof like canyons of dark wood. Dull lightbulbs showed thousands of dusty spines and the air felt heavy with—what? Knowledge, books jostling, words waiting? A beam of light spearing through a grimy windowpane. A flash of something around the corner.

I must visit again to see what has changed, if anything has changed. It was the kind of atmosphere where I felt I was not alone. I felt other people around me but nobody was there. I also had to buy something. As I walked through a myriad categories soaring high above my buzzing head, I acknowledged the need to stop and inspect a particular section. A book drew my gaze and I prised it out, knowing I would buy it. Why? Not sure, not sure to this very day, but I knew that book wanted me and I wanted it. It was purchased, slid into a paper bag, the cash register yielded my change and I swiftly exited down the stone steps to the street.

Several forays followed but soon e-books impinged my reading time. Fast forward to 2023 and I have come to my senses. I am planning to revisit, older and creakier like the floorboards of 40 Charlotte Street. I am sure a book is waiting for me. I can hear the pages rustling.  

Meanwhile, have you heard of their unique book collection prize?
Read on—

The Archives Fine Book Collecting Prize:
https://www.archivesfinebooks.com.au/fine-book-collecting-prize.php

WRITE AN ESSAY | CREATE A BIBLIOGRAPHY | SHARE YOUR WISH LIST

The Archives Fine Book Collecting Prize is an occasional prize with a combined value of over $1,000 awarded for an outstanding book collection conceived of and built by a young Australian collector. The purpose of the Archives Fine Book Collecting Prize is to unearth and celebrate current book collecting passions and practices among young Australians so that every young and curious collector can play their part in invigorating existing traditions whilst they develop knowledge and build expertise.

Why a prize?

The first national book collecting prize has a combined value of more than $1,000 and includes:

A domestic return air-fare to EITHER the Melbourne Rare Books Fair (July 2024) OR The Sydney Rare Book Fair (October 2024);

A $250 voucher to spend at the Fair;

A $250 Archives Fine Books Voucher;

A one-year subscription to the Bibliographic Society of Australia and New Zealand (BSANZ);

A two-year membership with The Book Collectors’ Society of Australia (BCSA).

Why young people?

This year Archives Fine Books (Queensland) has expanded the geographical scope of their prize to be open to ALL young Australian collectors.

The impulse to celebrate young Australian collectors emerges from Archives Fine Books desire to see the whole book collecting scene in Australia grow and be invigorated. They know book collecting is usually a solitary pastime. By establishing the national prize, they hope to introduce young collectors to the existing community for inspiration and information.

Originally launched as a local prize in 2020 the inaugural
Archives Fine Book Collecting Prize was awarded to

Ms Emily Porter of Bray Park, Brisbane for her essay
‘A Horse Lover’s Library’
https://www.archivesfinebooks.com.au/pages/news/5/a-horse-lovers-library
and
Mr Timothy Roberts ran a close second with his essay
‘Love, Leather and Literature: building a collection of LGBT text resources’
https://www.archivesfinebooks.com.au/pages/news/7/leather-love-and-literature-building-a

Archives Fine Books
40 Charlotte Street
Brisbane QLD 4000
Phone +61 (07) 3221 0491

https://www.archivesfinebooks.com.au/fine-book-collecting-prize.php

To the best of their knowledge this in the first and only Australian Book Collecting Prize. They are seeking those curious young Australians who are already hunting and uncovering things they sense may have something interesting or new to tell us about ourselves and our world; and who, by their collecting foci, are preserving books and ephemeral items into the future.

Note: Entry deadline is 31^st December 2023 and the prize-winning collection will be announced in March 2024.

Visit: https://www.archivesfinebooks.com.au/fine-book-collecting-prize.php for suggested online resources.
Please read their Terms and Conditions of entry.
Information on how to apply contact Dawn Albinger

I wish I were of the age where I could enter this type of prize, but I think I am a little bit too eclectic now.
📚 Happy cataloguing!

❤ Gretchen Bernet-Ward