Canterbury towns: Chertsey, Ashburton & Akaroa
Outside Christchurch, Canterbury’s best secondhand book stop is right on State Highway 1: Chertsey Book Barn, a vast roadside barn north-east of Ashburton that calls itself the largest secondhand bookshop in the South Island. It is open every day, and RNZ dropped in on it in January 2026.
Ashburton itself lost its book exchange some years ago, so in town the Salvation Army Family Store on Wills Street is the place for cheap paperbacks. Over on Banks Peninsula, Akaroa’s volunteer-run Coronation Library sells donated and ex-library books to keep its 1875 building standing.
Rangiora, Kaiapoi and Rolleston are covered on our Christchurch page; Timaru and Geraldine are under South Canterbury. Everything here was checked on 1 November 2026.
1 dedicated bookshop · 1 op shop with books · 1 specialty book outlet · updated 2026-11-01
Jump to: Chertsey · Ashburton · Akaroa · Crawl guide · FAQ
Chertsey — secondhand books & op shops
Dedicated bookshops
Ashburton — secondhand books & op shops
Op shops & charity stores with books
Akaroa — secondhand books & op shops
Dedicated bookshops
Canterbury towns bookshop crawl guide
Driving south from Christchurch, Chertsey Book Barn is about an hour down State Highway 1 — allow at least an hour inside. Carry on 20 minutes to Ashburton for the Salvation Army store, then on to Timaru Booksellers.
Akaroa is a separate day trip (about 90 minutes from Christchurch). Combine Coronation Library with a walk along Rue Lavaud, and aim for a weekend (or any day but Tuesday in summer) because the library has no fixed hours.
FAQ
Is Chertsey Book Barn open every day?
Yes — 9am to 5pm, seven days, per the Christchurch Community Directory and its Facebook page. The owner occasionally takes holidays, so check Facebook before a special trip.
Is there a secondhand bookshop in Ashburton?
Not in town any more — the book exchange has closed. Chertsey Book Barn is 20 minutes away on State Highway 1, and the Salvation Army Family Store on Wills Street sells donated books.
Can you buy secondhand books in Akaroa?
Yes, at Coronation Library, 103 Rue Jolie, where volunteers sell donated books for $3 (softcover) or $4 (hardcover). There are no fixed hours: it is usually open most days in summer except Tuesdays, and weekends are the best bet year-round.
Not listed (closed, unverified or no books)
- Ashburton Second Hand Books, 191 Burnett Street — directory listings only; the ODT reported Ashburton’s book exchange had closed by 2024.
- Red Cross Ashburton and Methven, St Vincent de Paul Ashburton, Déjà New (Little River) — open, but books not confirmed by the operator.
- Methven Bookshop, The Good Story (Akaroa) — new books only.
Nearby regions
Timaru, Geraldine & South Canterbury · All South Island regions