DOWNEY – The Friends of the Downey City Library are now accepting bids for its April silent auction, with proceeds benefiting the library.

Bids can be submitted in the library bookstore until April 29 at 12 pm. Bids are also accepted by calling (562) 299-6790.

This month’s auction items include:

“The Original Whitehouse Cookbook,” by F.L. Gillette and Hugo Ziemann. Initially published in 1887, this comprehensive compendium has recipes (some by Martha Washington and Mary Todd Lincoln!), cooking techniques, etiquette instruction, household care, and cleanliness tips used in the White House. Minimum bid: $12.

“Healing Secrets of the Native Americans: Herbs, Remedies, and Practices That Restore the Body, Mind, and Spirit,” by Porter Shimer. Uncover the secrets Native Americans have known and practiced for generations. Learn to harness the bountiful gifts of nature to heal the body, mind, and spirit. Minimum bid: $9

“The Native American Experience,” by Jay Wertz. A slip-cased, hardcover book with more than 200 full-color and black-and-white illustrations and 30 rare and newly researched removable facsimile documents of historical importance. Minimum bid: $15

“Science: The Definitive Visual Guide,” edited by Adam Hart-Davis. Encompassing everything from ancient Greek geometry and quantum physics to the wedge and the World Wide Web, this is a remarkable reference book that tells the story of science from earliest times to the modern day. Minimum bid: $8

‘In Focus: National Geographic Greatest Portraits (National Geographic Collectors Series).” Culled from National Geographic’s extraordinary archive, this collection spans more than a century and explores every corner of the globe and every aspect of the portraitist’s art. Minimum bid: $10

“A Guide to Backyard Astronomy: Your Guide to Starhopping and Exploring the Universe,” by R. Burnham, A. Dyer, et. al. Was there ever life on Mars? Will Earth be hit by an asteroid? Are there any other solar systems? This book guides you through the mysteries of the universe and tells you everything you need to know about becoming a proficient backyard astronomer. Minimum bid: $9

“A Guide to Skywatching,” by David H. Levy, Skywatching is your comprehensive, indispensable guide to the magic and mystery of the heavens, from the glow to the night’s first star to the splendor of the distant galaxies. Minimum bid: $9

“A History of the 20th Century: Conflict, Technology & Rock'n'Roll,” by Jeremy Black and Alex Woolf. From one of the world's leading historians comes an ambitious and sweeping history of the world in the 20th century, lavishly illustrated in full-color. Featuring remarkable maps, illustrations and photographs, this book brings the key events of the 20th century into exceptional clarity. Minimum bid: $14