The Alcuin Book Auction

This must be my favourite event of the year: what can be more enjoyable than getting your greedy hands on some remarkable brand new books at a bargain price, in an auction filled with humour, after enjoying a lunch where you can meet and chat with fellow bibliophiles/auctioneers, and all for the good cause of supporting the Alcuin Awards? It is a long question, I know, but that's how many good reasons you have to attend this amazing event.

These books fought hard for a place in the Alcuin Awards Hall of Fame and now it is time for them to grace your own homes just in time for Christmas. The over 200 books for sale were submitted to the Alcuin Awards in 2013 or won the competition in 2012, and some of them are not available elsewhere. These are not just ordinary books; they are skilfully designed and beautifully produced, and were considered by our Canadian publishers to represent their very best work. The books belong to the following categories: Children, Limited Editions, Pictorial, Poetry, Prose Fiction, Prose Non-Fiction, Prose Non-Fiction Illustrated, and Reference. For a peek at last year's winners, also for auction, you can visit our online catalogue. And now it is your chance to have fun playing the auction game and bid like a pro, dealing in cents rather than thousands of dollars.

The event is preceded by an optional lunch where you have a chance to meet and chat with fellow book lovers. As an added bonus, you will have the opportunity to see the books closer if you come half an hour earlier. The lunch costs $18 and you need to book your seat at Eventbrite by November 8. Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions by emailing membership(at)alcuinsociety.com. The event takes place on November 16 (lunch starts at 12 pm, auction starts at 1 pm) at UBC Golf Club on 5185 University Boulevard, Vancouver.

All proceeds will go towards supporting the Alcuin book design competition. This is the only Canadian competition of its kind, to advocate excellence in publishing and book design, and encourage Canadian designers and publishers to do their best work in an attempt to help print endure. We accept cash, cheques and VISA for the auction.