Hello everyone, We'll be sending some more messages soon about the forthcoming SHOT meeting and associated SIGCIS events. One of our traditions is an auction of donated books relevant to the history of computing, which has provided a major part of our travel support grants for graduate students. It is also a fun part of the lunch, and we do our best to keep it moving as quickly as possible. In recent years more than a thousand dollars each year has come from the auction. Most the books have come from MIT Press, which we very much appreciate. We do have a box of books from MIT this year (thanks to Margie Avery and Katie Persons) but because of some changes in the way the press handles its inventory it is not quite as big those in previous years. Indeed MIT has been so generous in the past that it's been a struggle to get everything auctioned off in time. So I'm calling you all to look at their shelves and see if there are any spare desk copies, review copies, promotional copies, etc. of history of computing books you can bring to the SIGCIS lunch in Copenhagen. Or, if you are not going this year, you could also mail me a book or two. I'm leaving on Wednesday next week, so there is still time if they are mailed quickly. Donations to SHOT (and hence to SIGCIS) are treated as charitable contributions under US tax law. Another point: we can accept payment in cash or in US dollar checks. So please bring plenty of cash with you to the lunch so you can drive up the bidding in a good cause. Best wishes, Tom