Would you like to visit a visual library full of books and manuscripts, each one personally inscribed and donated by a celebrity? Would you like a chance to bid on these books in an on-line auction? By late Fall 1997, you'll be able to do just that by visiting the First Annual Virtual Celebrity Book Auction, via NALD's home page. Partners in this unique venture are NALD, the Canadian Congress of Learning Opportunities for Women (CCLOW) and Literacy Link Niagara. Funds raised will benefit adult learners across Canada through educational bursaries and literacy programs. More that 1,200 letters requesting the donation of a favourite book were sent to celebrities from the arts, entertainment, and sports worlds, as well as authors, activists and politicians. "We asked them to think of a special book that has helped them, influenced them or inspired them - fiction, non-fiction, drama, mystery, poetry, romance, autobiography, perhaps a childrens' story they loved," explained Gay Douglas, Executive Director of Literacy Link Niagara, the organization managing the project.

"Our goal is to receive a total of 150 books for auction." Visitors will be able to search the library by celebrity or by classification (music, movies, etc.) With a click of a mouse, you can see the book's cover, read the personal inscription and see the accompanying photograph. The bidding portion of the site will work like a silent auction. Visitors can browse the books and leave a secret bid in the guest book. The highest registered bid on each book will be automatically posted. For security purposes, no on-line financial transactions will take place. Bidders will be asked for identifying information only and winning bidders will be contacted after the auction is over to make arrangements for payment.

"This project is a partnership in the truest sense of the word," explains Ms. Douglas. "Each partner (in this project) has contributed diverse and vital resources to the project," explains Ms Douglas. "CCLOW is providing the celebrity mailing list from their 1996 celebrity book auction. NALD is contributing the technical expertise to construct and maintain the Website. Our organization is coordinating the project." Visit NALD's homepage regularly for more information as it develops. For more information on the virtual celebrity auction, contact Literacy Link Niagara, Room 202, Niagara College, St. Catharines Campus, 59 Wellandvale Road, St. Catharines, ON L2R 6V6
Tel: (905) 641-2252 ext. 2222
Fax: (905) 682-2298
E-mail: literacy@mergetel.com