Every month, the Friends hold a Silent Auction. Interesting, unusual, and nearly-new books are continuously offered. Bidders determine the prices.
See the Silent Auction glass display case near the reference desk for the newest entries and to make a bid.
The Silent Auction focuses on singularly attractive or hard to find books – all collected from donations. Each Silent Auction grouping is displayed in the case for 4-5 weeks along with a brief description, internet pricing of similar items, and bidding information.
To Bid – enter your bid amount on the appropriate index card in red binder hanging next to Silent Auction display case in YV Library. Bids typically increase in $5.00 increments. Stop by the library several times to see if someone has raised your bid and bid more if you really want the item(s). Winning bidders are notified by phone.
____________________________________________________________
NEW! Silent Auction items available until
6:00 pm on Tuesday, May 29
Item #1 House of Morgan + The Nine
House is “a stand-out history of modern finance & the story of one of America’s great banking families. The Nine reveals the complex dynamic of the 9 people who decide the law of the land. Starting bid: $15 Minimum raise: $5
Item #2 39 Clues 1-10 + Book of Secrets
The Cahill family can either take $1 million or find the source of the family’s power. Many search, including Amy, 14, and her brother Dan, 11.
Starting bid: $20 Minimum raise: $5
Item #3 6 baseball movies + SF 2012 World Series 2-DVD’s
Official 2 disc World Series set & … The Final Season, 42, Trouble With the Curve,
A League of Their Own, Moneyball (Oakland A’s) & Major League.
Starting bid: $15 Minimum raise: $5
Item #4 3 Disney stories + DVD
Peter Pan 2 disc platinum edition + Peter Pan (2015), Pinocchio (2015) &
Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996).
Starting bid: $15 Minimum raise: $5
Item #5 One Pot + One-Pot & Clay-Pot Cooking
“One of the best cookbooks I have … 180+ recipes from around the world …
300 color photos.” Starting bid: $10 Minimum raise: $5
Item #6 Most Beautiful Villages of Tuscany
37 villages and small towns, chosen for their beauty & history – nearly
300 color photos. Starting bid: $10 Minimum raise: $5
Item #7 11 Great Illustrated Classics for Kids
Call of the Wild, Dracula, King Solomon’s Mines, Tom Sawyer, Picture of Dorian Gray, Treasure Island, Last of the Mohicans, Moby Dick, Oliver Twist, Around the World in 80 Days & Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Age 8 & up.
Starting bid: $25 Minimum raise: $5
Item #8 Original framed acrylic painting
Artist Barbara Cella donated this view of Castle Rock Park, Walnut Creek.
Starting bid: $45 Minimum raise: $5
Item #9 Great Book of Sports Cars
Descriptions & photos of 200+ of the world’s greatest automobiles by the auto editors
of Consumer Guide.
Starting bid: $10 Minimum raise: $5
______________________________________________________________________
Silent Auction Enters 20th Year at YV Library in 2017
For 20 years, a little known East Bay treasure hunt has been taking place at Ygnacio Valley Library. Each month the Friends of YV Library’s ongoing Silent Auction offers unusual items and nearly new books for sale. And the bidders determine the prices. The glass display case near the reference desk is often the first place frequent visitors stop to see the newest entries.
The Silent Auction focuses on singularly attractive or hard to find books – all culled from the donation bins – which are displayed in the case for 4-5 weeks along with a brief description, which includes the internet price of similar items on major websites like Amazon.
Although starting prices are predetermined – they range from $10-25 – bidding sometimes becomes quite competitive. Knowing all proceeds go to the library, bidders seize the chance to own treasured books from their childhood – like one retired woman who bought 40 Nancy Drew mysteries for more than the online price – or to purchase a special gift for a loved one – like the man who bought his wife the complete set of Agatha Christies for their anniversary.
Sometimes the auction has a special theme, like the Civil War, or special books for Father’s Day, or Hollywood stars around Oscar time, but usually it provides a balanced mixture of titles for children, young adults, history buffs, architecture lovers, travel afficionados, mystery sleuths, and lovers of the unusual – like a set of vampire thrillers.
Patrons place bids on index cards adjacent to the display case. Posted on the cards are a required starting bid and a minimum raise for each succeeding bid. The ending date is also posted. At the end of the auction, winning bidders are notified by telephone and then have one week to pick up their items at the library.
Besides providing a steady source of funding for the Friends, the Silent Auction is just plain fun. According to the librarians, there’s almost always someone peering into the display window. As seasoned bidders have learned – sometimes to their dismay – it isn’t enough just to place a bid and wait for the end of the auction. Savvy bidders know to check the index cards frequently to ensure they haven’t been aced out by a higher number, and it isn’t unusual, when the Silent Auction coordinator calls a winner about one book, for them to ask, “But didn’t I get the other one?”
Hotly-sought items in past auctions have included the complete works of Charles Dickens, a tea set of English bone china, the Outlander historical novels, and the complete Harry Potter, along with travel, nature, sports, military and automotive titles.
