ABFFE Seeks Silent Auction Donations

April 05, 2006

The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) is urging publishers, booksellers, and others in the book industry to support the fight for free expression by contributing to the ABFFE Silent Auction, to be held from Friday, May 19, through Sunday, May 21, at BookExpo America in Washington, D.C. The ABFFE website, www.abffe.com, will feature a concurrent Online Auction, which will continue for two weeks after the conclusion of BEA.

ABFFE's auctions offer great deals on books, sidelines and services, tickets for concerts and sporting events, and much more. Most are contributed by publishers, but many booksellers donate items such as autographed books and book-related art.

"The success of the silent auction, which is ABFFE's most important fundraiser, depends on our friends in the publishing and bookselling community," said ABFFE President Chris Finan.

All donors will be acknowledged on signs at ABFFE's booth at BEA, and Silent Auction lot displays will encourage bidders to visit donors' booths if they are at the show. The Online Auction will include links to donors' websites. ABFFE reserves the right to determine whether items are placed in the Silent or Online auctions. Smaller donations will generally be placed online.

To participate in the ABFFE auctions, donors must submit a contribution form by Monday, April 10. Donors are also asked to e-mail good-quality .JPG images of their donations to auction@abffe.com by the 10th, so ABFFE can create a floor display for the Silent Auction and post images to the Online Auction. Auction items should not be shipped to BookExpo or to the ABFFE office. At the conclusion of the auctions, ABFFE will contact contributors and ask them to ship their donations directly to the winners.

A donors' contribution form and guidelines can be found on the ABFFE website.

For more information, or for assistance with the form, contact ABFFE at (212) 587-4025, ext. 13, and ask for Caitlin Delohery or Mary Phillips-Sandy. Donors may also e-mail questions to auction@abffe.com.

Topics: BookExpo, Free Expression,