Indigo free book giveaway draws a crowd to The Core

Calgary resident Iryna Semegen got a free book as part of Indigo's Love of Reading Foundation giveaway Saturday

Iryna Semegen discovered that today was the day Indigo Books was giving away 10,000 books in the most contemporary way imaginable.

“I actually saw the ad on Instagram,” Semegen said.

“We went last year, and it was such a cool thing to do, build up your library, get some (free) books.”

The initiative was launched in tandem with the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation as a way to increase accessibility to books for Canadians.

This year, the book chain offered Canadians a selection of six different books they could take home for free, while supplies last: Secret Daughter by Shipli Somaya Gowda, Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood, The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny, A Fine Balance by Rohinton Minstry, The Break by Winnipeg’s Katherena Vermette and A House in the Sky by Calgary author Amanda Lindhout.

“I love reading non -iction, so these are the two me and my husband chose,“ she added, (she chose Secret Daughter and A House in the Sky). So hopefully we’ll get to read them today."

Semegen said there’s no secret why the event has proven to be popular.

“You know, books $20, $25 -- not everybody can afford that. So to have an opportunity to get one for free, like, That’s so incredible.”

Jerry Reddigan was there to get a free copy of Louise Penny’s The Grey Wolf.

Why Grey Wolf?

“Because I’ve read all of her books so far, and this is only one I haven’t read,” Reddigan said.

Reddigan said a free book day was a win-win--for customers and for the book chain.

“Basically, you get in the store, you can see all the books that are new on whether standing in line and you can have a coffee before you get here. Tim Horton’s,” he said.

“Because there’s nowhere else that will give anything free. So for Indigo to do this, it’s a great promotion -- and I’m sure there’s people that’s never been in the store before.”