[LM_NET] Hit: Book Fair Advice

[Laura Lott <libitz012@GMAIL.COM>]

I had MANY responses and a big thank you for every one of them. I had to
combine some to keep the email short(er). My fair is the last week in Oct.
and I think that these will help out.

Thanks!!
Laura Lott
Library Media Specialist
Tallassee Elementary School
Tallassee, Al



 If you can attend a workshop, I recommend it.  Between the workshop and the
online materials, you should be off to a good start.

Is there anything in particular that you need?  We ask for Spanish books
because our students study Spanish.  My mom's school asks for extra bargain
books because they have a low income population.  See what your rep can do
to tailor the fair to your community.

Our Scholastic rep has someone come and help set up our fair.  If they don't
offer, it wouldn't hurt to ask.

I advertise wherever possible -- website, school newsletter, posters, send
home flyers.  I print out Avery labels with details of the fair and labels
indicating when individual classes are visiting and then have volunteers
stick these on the flyers to send home with students.

On the flyer there is an order form.  I discourage having kids bring in
checks with the amount filled in because we had so many problems with kids
wanting different books or books being sold out.  Then the check is wrong.
Or the parents just add the total up incorrectly.  We encourage blank
checks(!) and they indicate a maximum amount on the memo line -- no more
than $15.00 for example.

Don't be afraid to not put out all the merchandise.  There are certain
things that I don't sell for various reasons and I just leave it in the
box.  Some people like all of the "junk"(pens, posters, toys) and some
people don't.
We also use the fair to sell spirit wear and school logo stuff, usually we
do quite well.

She taught me to check the selections that Scholastic was sending and make
adjustments.  Just because Scholastic sends certain books doesn't mean that
they are what your students want.  We placed a book order before we ever
sold a book because I wanted other books.  Also, I don't sell the impusle
items...over-priced notebooks, pencils, etc.  You want volunteers who are
there to help not socialize.  I prefer only one person handle the money at a
time.  Less problems that way.

Don't be nervous.  If you are organized ahead of time and plan everything
out, you'll be fine. Most of what we've been (negatively) discussing here
has more to do with the "after the fair" things such as profit margins,
etc.  How are you planning on having your students come to your fair ?  Have
you sent home the flyers, etc. ?

That being said, take all the help from Scholastic that you can. I have a
representative that can come to my school and show me how to set up a fair.
I don't use her anymore since I'm scheduled to do my 29th fair, but since
this is your first, ask them for help. Also, if you have parent volunteers,
use them. I'd suggest at least 2 for each class' visits. They can collect
money and straighten the books between classes, thereby freeing you up to
talk to the kids and show them books and help them find stuff etc.
If you have 2 parent volunteers, have two separate tables and two separate
moneyboxes. That way you can have two checkout lines and it makes it faster
and more convenientt for you, the kids and the teachers. I don't know how
big your school is or how much money your kids have, but I have 1300
students in a middle class neighborhood. I fill each of my moneyboxes (2)
with 20 ones, 4 fives, 2 rolls each of pennies, nickels, dimes, and pennies.
I run my fair for 5 days, so each night I check the moneyboxes and run to
the bank to get more change if necessary.
Posters - If you get posters, this is what my phone rep has told me I could
do. Take one of each poster and hang it carefully on a wall (tape or tacks)
and put a sticky note on it with the number that corresponds to it's
position in the poster box. First poster in the box is #1, second is #2 etc.
This way the kids can see all the posters and if they want one, they tell a
parent volunteer who gets it out of the box. This saves a lot of wear and
tear on the posters by keeping all the kids from looking through the poster
boxes, makes it easier for the kiddies to see what's what, and when the fair
is all over, the posters are yours. You can use them to decorate the
library, use as incentives, etc. I give mine to my library aides, if they
want them.
What to do with your profits is up to you. I don't know exactly what kind of
offers you have, but spending your points in their catalog doubles your
value and is a great way to really add books to your library. I've done this
for so long, I feel as though I have every book Scholastic has to offer *g*,
so I just take the cash value nowadays. There are lots of other ways they
have for you to increase your profits. I'd suggest since this is your first
fair, make it simple until you get the hang of it. Using student aides,
having a family night, getting sponsors for classroom collections are
wonderful, but can be overwhelming to a newbie. Pace yourself. I also have 2
fairs a year: one in the fall and then a buy one/get one in the spring. You
get bonuses for that too.
I'm sure there's more but I think these are the big things I'd tell someone
just getting her feet wet. Get and use help, have plenty of change, keep it
simple for starters and then have fun.

I have done scholastic bookfairs for over 20 years. Here is some advise.
Talk to your rep. Mine is wonderful and will even send the person assigned
to my area to help me and work with me. Often they have workshops. If one is
offered in your area go to it if possible. It is really helpful. Talk to a
local LMS that has done one and see what works in your area, every area is
different. I moved across town and this school is totally different than my
last one. I can run the one now with myself and 1 volunteer each day. At the
other school I usually had 3-5 volunteers with each class. If there is a
parent who helped at the book fair last year or a faculty member I would ask
them. If there is any way to talk to the last librarian I would do that too.
I am currently helping someone who is at a school I left 5 years ago. I do
not know how the last LMS did it, but I know what I did at that school and
hopefully that will help her.
Read the manual they send with the planning kit. It has a lot of material in
it to help. The week before the bookfair I show each class the DVD/Video and
talk up the sale. I do not do a lot of decorating or contests, you can add
them after you are more comfortable with the whole book fair thing. Try to
schedule an evening parent time, I found mine work best if they are
connected with something else in the school. This brings in more parents. I
use to open before school and allow students to come in. This caused too
many problems with kids not being at class when they needed to and not being
out of the library by the time my first class came. I now open with my first
class and do stay open 1/2 hour to 1 hour after school for parents.
The company will send signs in the planning box. Put them up around the
school, this as well as a letter home are more of my advertisement. I do get
it put in the school newsletter and on the front sign. In the planning box
will be a flier for each child. I write a letter explaining everything to
parents as well as include a schedule of class times so they can come with
their child if they want to.
 My PreK does not have scheduled times so sending this letter allows their
parents to have the info and know when they can come. I also attach a
special note to K parents since it is their first book fair. I do not have
copies of the letters here at home, but if you would like I can send them to
you later.
Scholastic provides a cash register and credit card scanner that I have used
the last 3 years. I love it. It makes it very easy and each child gets a
printed receipt. This really helps if there are any questions over whether
something has been paid for or not. It lists every item so if a parent is
concerned over the money spent it shows them what it was spent on. At the
end of the day the machine totals the sales, tax, etc.
I keep the monies locked in my office and at the end of the week fill out a
deposit slip and then give everything to my secretary. She double checks and
then takes it to the bank and makes the deposit. I fill out the financial
form from Scholastic (It is an excel spreadsheet and all you do it put in
the numbers it asks for). I give this finished form to my secretary and she
sends the company the check. The profit can be taken a variety of ways and
you can do what you like. I take some in cash, and most of mine in vouchers
which I then use in their catalog. I choose to do this instead of taking
books from the shelf. Books on the shelf do not come with MARC records and
it is easier to add them to the collection when I have the records. This
also allows me to purchase DVD's, furniture, decorations, etc. There have
been years when I needed the cash more and on those years I would increase
the % of cash. It is up to you. The form allows you to try various figures
and then decide on what works for you.

When I talk to my rep I have gotten very specific about what I want and what
I don't. If there are any particular books or sets of books you want, let
them know. If there are things you do not want, let them know. I asked not
to have software or hardback books (too expensive), I also asked not to
include a lot of the "junk". I do however want as many sale or lower priced
books as possible. They have been very good about this.

I do not allow book exchange during the book fair. It is too much for me to
do both. If a student brings in a book I put it on the cart and return them
when I have time. I can not shelve because the shelves are blocked by the
book fair carts. I also communicate this to the teachers so the students do
not bring their books to library that week. I am on a fixed schedule so I
use my own schedule and that is their  book fair time if you are on a
flexible schedule you will want the teachers to sign-up for a time. I see
students once a week and that is their book fair day.  Now I tell the
students without money to feel free to make a wish list and go home and
share it. I take a small area away from the book fair and put on a video as
well as putting I Spy books, magazines, comics in the area so students who
are not looking or shopping have something to do. This is especially
important with the younger students. I make it well know at the beginning
that  nothing from the book fair go into that area unless it is paid for. If
you have an extra volunteer you can have someone monitoring this area.

Make sure you have a way of knowing what is paid for. Since I do the cash
register I know who has purchased and who hasn't, but if you have volunteers
you may want to use stickers on the UPC or a stamp inside the front cover. I
personally like the sticker because it is easy to put on and see. With the
last few fairs I had they have sent enough plastic bags. I put the materials
in the bag with the receipt. Students are told to leave the receipt in the
bag because if I feel I need to check the bag the receipt will tell me what
they bought and paid for. This can slow things down then they buy several
pencils one at a time, but it helps if there are any questions.
Scholastic also offers a Teacher Wish List Program. I did not do this for a
long time, but once I started I have continued it each year. I use a science
fair backboard and place the teacher envelopes (provided by scholastic) on
it.I know this is a lot of information, but I am trying to give you all the
info I can. If you want copies of the letters or want to ask me any
questions feel free to write.



-- 
Laura Lott
Library Media Specialist
Tallassee Elementary School
Tallassee, AL
libitz012@gmail.com

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