FARMVILLE – The silent auction sponsored by Central Virginia Arts (CVA) to benefit the Farmville-Prince Edward Community Library has been a little too quiet.

On Wednesday morning, with just over a week to go, there were items for which nobody had made even a single bid.

And other items-including framed paintings, photographs, jewelry, Confederate money, and other artwork-had but a bid or two.

After nearly a month. The silent auction has been underway since November 16.

Shhhhhhhhhh?

Libraries are quiet places but the silent auction deserves a shout-out.

Some noise.

“This is a terrific opportunity to own an original piece of art,” library director Peggy Epperson said Wednesday. “Most people think of art as being expensive, something you only see in a museum.

“This is an easy way,” she said, to own an original work of art.

And help the library at the same time.

The artwork-and there are dozens of items-is on display at the library and each one is numbered. There is an ink pen and sheet of paper for each item, with which anyone can make their bid, sign their name and give their telephone number, in case their bid is successful.

“It's a very easy process,” CVA Exhibits Chairman Tom Dennison said Wednesday.

All of the proceeds from the auction, again, will be given to the Farmville-Prince Edward Community Library which, despite being new and wonderful, requires funding to continue working to fulfill the dreams everyone has for the facility at Wilck's Lake.

And all of the artwork being auctioned has been donated by area artists and collectors, who will receive no payment, nothing at all but the satisfaction of having helped the Farmville-Prince Edward Community Library raise funds.

“Last summer we looked at what we'd like to benefit,” Dennison said, “and we were very conscious of the new, wonderful library that we have.”

Of the artwork, he said, “there are a lot of originals there.”

Funds raised by the silent auction will be used to buy a scanning device necessary to make the second check-out desk functional. “We just plain don't have the budget for that,” Ms. Epperson said, describing it as a “crucial” piece of equipment. The library was designed with two check-out desks but has so far been able to afford to get only one of them up and running.

The bidding ends next Friday, December 17, at 7 p.m. during the 6-8 p.m. “grand finale reception” scheduled at the library but, no, you do not have to be present to secure your item if yours is the winning bid. CVA will call you, in that case.

So, when the library is open for the next week, so is the bidding.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!