The federal government's website http://www.usa.gov (formerly FirstGov.gov) has a lot of interesting government information. For example, surplus property auctions for state and federal agencies, including colleges, are listed at http://www.usa.gov/shopping/shopping.shtml. They list links to each state, where they're selling everything from Palm Pilots to sofas, all used and sold "as-is", many shown in photos. Many states also have on-line auctions. All the necessary info is on each website. If you're searching for a bargain, this is a good place to look.