![Booked up: President Steve Beaton says the Rotary Club of Tamworth has seen over double the number of people come through the doors at their bookstore as usual. Photo: Gareth Gardner Booked up: President Steve Beaton says the Rotary Club of Tamworth has seen over double the number of people come through the doors at their bookstore as usual. Photo: Gareth Gardner](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/andrew.messenger/0338ea1e-b28d-409f-842c-b05b30cb5e63.jpg/r0_0_4576_3000_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
After months in COVID-19 self-isolation, the residents of Tamworth have run out of books.
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That's the experience of the volunteers at the Rotary Club of Tamworth bookstore, who say they've had a doubling of turnover since reopening a few weeks ago.
President Steve Beaton puts that down to residents running out of things to read in lockdown.
"Yes they have, they've read all their books, a lot of people don't have big bookcases to store their books. They were just looking for the opportunity to come back here," he said.
![Boomtimes: Bookstore manager John Nash estimates they're selling double the number of books they used to. Photo: Gareth Gardner Boomtimes: Bookstore manager John Nash estimates they're selling double the number of books they used to. Photo: Gareth Gardner](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/andrew.messenger/6d212b59-bad8-4cf0-a1fd-3bc9dc670f6f.jpg/r0_110_4950_2893_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
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Once they might have sold $400 to $600 in four hours on a Wednesday, according to store manager John Nash.
But now they're selling over $1000 worth of books, he said.
Mr Beaton said it's been an enthusiastic response since lockdown ended.
"They come through the door and say thank God youse are open again fellas! Good on ya's!"
For 40 years the Club has sold books to raise money for charities.
Some of their recent beneficiaries include rural support charity Blazeaid, a school in Tanzania and the Westpac Helicopter Service.
- When: Wednesday and Saturday
- Times: 10am to 5pm
- Where: 10 Manilla Road, Oxley Vale, Tamworth