Avoid the crowds, turn off your alarm and start your Black Friday shopping early at Harney County Library! We have a large, eclectic collection of unique items available for bidding: from paintings to jewelry to quilted wall hangings and much more. All are available at our annual, silent Art Auction from now until Dec. 18. Visit the library any time before the deadline to view the items, place a bid if you are interested and possibly, fill your Christmas gift list.  

The reason we hold this auction every year is to raise funds for our Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB) teams. OBOB is a friendly competition with the underlying purpose of encouraging reading. There are three different age groups, grades 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12. Kids in each group read a pre-selected list of books chosen by a team of librarians each year. Teams from all over Oregon compete in regional tournaments against each other by answering questions about the books on their list. The top teams, the ones that answer the most questions correctly, go on to the statewide competition in April.

The library has sent two teams the past several years, one composed of grades 3-5 and the other, grades 6-8. The regional tournaments are held in Central Oregon requiring food, gas and lodging which is where the Art Auction comes in. Art items are displayed from now until Dec. 18. Anyone can view the items at the library and bid on them until the final day of the auction. Proceeds are used to fund the teams’ travel expenses. 

Note: We are happy to take donations without the need to buy art or even visit the library! Please call 541-573-6670 or email cheryl@harneycountylibrary.org.