Mr Heffernan, who is Lifeline Canberra's director of community operations, said while revenue had dropped in 2012, attendances and expected income were back to where they had been two years ago this weekend.

He said that a range of tweaks and improvements, including opening at 9am on Saturday and Sunday rather than 10am, and providing a wider range of community activities and entertainment had contributed, but the single biggest factor in the event's success was the volunteer turnout.

An ''awesome'' 428 adult volunteers and 58 students from ACT schools had given up at least part, and in many cases all of their weekend to make the event a success.

Many of the volunteers had had years of experience on the event and, as a result, ''it runs itself'', Mr Heffernan said.

Participants see supporting Lifeline's 24-hour helpline as a worthy cause and just want to make a difference.

''I just wanted to help out,'' second-time around volunteer Mariel Lapus said.

Volunteers have their own specific areas of interest and expertise. Some are section leaders specialising in subject categories and others work in logistics.

Just moving, and then laying out, more than 200,000 books, magazines, records, DVDs, CDs, maps and the like is a major organisational challenge.

With more than 11,000 people expected to go through the doors of the Budawang Building at Exhibition Park by 4pm on Sunday, the bookfair was on track to raise more than $400,000. The March event cracked the $460,000 mark this year.

The average bookfair visitor spends about $25.

In an interesting development, many coach companies bringing tours into the city for Floriade included the event in their itineraries. David Ellery