What began as an idea inspired by a successful Rotary bookshop in another regional town has grown into a thriving community space in the heart of Cowra.

The Cowra Rotary Club’s second-hand bookshop in Kendal Street has marked its first anniversary with an expansion, showcasing more books than ever and reaching the milestone of more than 12,000 books, CDs and DVDs sold.

The volunteer-run shop provides locals and visitors with an affordable place to browse while raising money to support the club’s community work.

The idea for the shop came from a community member who had seen a second-hand bookstore operated by Rotary volunteers in Temora and suggested the concept to a local Rotarian.

Rotary members saw an opportunity to provide Cowra with something it lacked - a dedicated second-hand bookshop where books could be carefully categorised and displayed like they would be in a traditional bookstore.

“We thought there’s nowhere in town where you can walk into a properly laid-out, categorised bookshop,” Bookshop Manager Bob Griffiths said.

The project also gave the club an opportunity to breathe new life into a previously vacant building, originally known as the Railway Bakery.

The premises are available to the club at a peppercorn rent, while Rotarians and community supporters took on much of the work required to bring the building back into use.

“After ten years of being vacant, there was quite a bit of work to do,” Mr Griffiths said.

“We are very grateful for the community support.”

The transformation has been a genuine community effort, with Rotarians, the building owner and local businesses contributing time, skills and materials.

Midstate Electrical carried out electrical work free of charge, while the club also purchased a second-hand air-conditioning unit from the company contracted to decommission and remove the units from the former hospital before its demolition.

The unit was subsequently installed at the bookshop, helping make the space more comfortable for volunteers and customers.

Mr Griffiths acknowledged the many Rotarians and community members who helped turn the building into a welcoming shop.

“The purpose of the shop is not just to raise money,” he said.

“It is to provide a community service.”

Every book gets a second look

Behind the shelves, there is a significant amount of work involved before a donated book reaches a customer.

Books, CDs and DVDs are not simply dropped off and placed straight onto the shelves.

Each item is processed by volunteers, with books cleaned, checked and priced before being sorted into the appropriate section.

The collection is now divided into more than 110 categories and subcategories, helping create the feel of a traditional bookshop rather than an op shop.

Sport alone is divided into numerous subjects, while military history is organised by campaigns and periods, covering conflicts from World War I through to more recent history.

Other sections include fiction, local history, art, music, children's books, Aboriginal history and many other subjects.

The system continues to evolve as new donations arrive and volunteers identify new areas of interest.

Volunteers also play an important role in developing the collection, bringing their own interests and knowledge to different sections.

A volunteer with an interest in sport might help organise that section, while another with a passion for military or local history can help develop those collections.

For volunteers, the benefits extend beyond simply helping run a shop.

One of the project's important aims was to create a place where people could meet others and become more connected to the community.

Rotary members have seen people who may otherwise have limited social interaction become regular volunteers, make friendships and enjoy conversations with customers.

The shop has also given the local Rotary club a more visible presence in Cowra, providing a point of contact with the public through its shopfront.

Rather than Rotary being something people encounter only through meetings, fundraising activities or community events, residents can now walk through the door, meet volunteers and see firsthand what the organisation is doing.

A bookshop, not an op shop

One of the distinctive features of the store is the effort that has gone into its presentation.

The aim was always to create a genuine bookshop experience rather than simply a room filled with donated books.

The children's area is one example of that approach.

There is currently a Teddy Bear picnic theme in the window, including some teddies in the kids’ reading room.

Kids can come in here, sit on a cushion or chair, relax and have a read.

Supporting Cowra and beyond

The bookshop forms part of the Cowra Rotary Club’s wider fundraising and community service activities.

The club also raises money through catering at race meetings and community events, barbecues, and bottle and can collections.

That money is then returned to the community through donations and support for local organisations and causes, as well as Rotary projects further afield.

The club reported distributing around $54,000 during the previous year, including $37,000 to local organisations, with additional funds supporting wider Rotary initiatives.

For the club, the bookshop provides another way of generating funds while delivering a valuable community service.

It has also attracted customers from outside Cowra, with regular visitors travelling from surrounding towns to browse the shelves.

Some visitors have even made a point of returning to the shop whenever they are in Cowra.

A space that keeps growing

The bookshop has continued to expand as donations have come in, gradually taking over more rooms within the building.

What started as a single book-filled space has developed into a much larger operation, with new sections appearing as the collection grows.

For now, the focus is on continuing to build the collection, support volunteers and provide a welcoming space for readers.

The success of the shop demonstrates what can happen when a community takes an underused building, combines the efforts of volunteers and local businesses, and gives donated items a new purpose.

For Rotary, it is not simply about selling second-hand books.

It is about creating a place where people can connect, encouraging reading, supporting local causes and giving another piece of Cowra’s main street a new lease on life.

The club is keen to hear from anyone interested in volunteering, with application forms available at the shop.

And with more than 110 categories, constantly changing shelves and volunteers continuing to develop the collection, there is always a reason to go back and see what has arrived.