The Friends of the Downey City Library holds monthly silent auctions to raise money for library programs. The April auction items include:

“The Love of Baseball” and “Something to Write Home About” (two great books to kick off the season; lots of statistics, pictures and great stories);

“The Complete Arkangel Shakespeare” (a collection of 37 Shakespeare plays on CD; includes a short description of each play);

“The Natural Navigator” (wonderfully detailed and full of fascinating stories combining natural science, myth, folklore and the history of travel to introduce the reader to the means of early travelers in finding their way, using nature’s own sign-posts);

“Jesus and His Times” (Reader’s Digest brings the everyday world that Jesus knew: the holy places, kings, Apostles, disciples, zealots and sinners);

“Graffiti L.A. – Street Style Art” (includes many examples of this art and interviews with artists; includes a CD and a graffiti “locater” map);

“The Civil War” (Bruce Catton and James McPherson recreate the four years in a new history  of the Civil War – will endure as a historical masterpiece);

“Art of Imagination” (an illustrated history of science fiction writing through the works of the artists who drew theater posters and magazine covers);

“Life Magazine-September 1990” (with there-opening of Ellis Island, Life gives us a little history of the place that welcomed more than 12 million immigrants to America);

“12 Comic Books” (The Simpsons, Jessica Jones, Triggerman, Slam, Halloween Comicfest, and Kill or be Killed – geared to adult taste; valued for their art rather than content);

“The Bird Song Anthology” (showcases the sounds of 100 North American birds, along with pictures, habit description and a sample of each bird’s call);

“The Secret Language of Birthdays” (366 personality profiles are based on a combination of astrology, the tarot, and many years of observation on more than 14,000 people – each day of the year is covered and famous people from history are included for each day);

“License to Grill” (packed with practical grilling instructions, anecdotes, and inventive recipes).

Items have opening bids from $6-$12 and are on display in the library lobby. Bids can be made through noon, Saturday, April 29th, on cards in the Friend’s Bookstore located in the young adult section of the library,