Book Fairs

[Jeannine JJ Towler <jjtowler@PEN.K12.VA.US>]

Dear Ruth,
        I just held my Book Fair last week.  This was my second
 year using Troll Book Fairs.  (I had been using School book
 Fairs, but their quality and selection went down each year.)
        In one week, we sold almost $3,300 worth of stuff (in a
 school with a population of 650).  Troll sent us all kinds of
 great items besides their usual selection of good books.  We
 also had stuffed toy Dino dinosaurs, dumbbells, stationery, and
 lots of other miscellaneous items.
        Because we sold over $3,000 worth of items, we got
40% in cash, 20% in free books and 25% in bonus points--quite a
nice compensation for one week's work.
        I use parent volunteers to collect the money while I
"work the floor."  I also order materials for ALL age levels.
Then, on the Thursday night of the Book Fair week, our parent
organization holds a chili supper to encourage the school
families to come out.  The supper is from 6-8 and the Book Fair
runs from 5:30 - 8:30.  That is where we make about half of our
sales.  All the students have already visited the Book Fair
with their English classes and have seen what we have.  If they
couldn't buy it then, they encourage their families to come and
do their holiday shopping for everyone.
        Troll has offices all over and they have been very
accomodating with me.  For instance, last year when the chili
supper was snowed out and postponed until a week later, Troll
allowed me to keep everything for an additional week so we could
have the Book Fair.
        Well, before this gets any longer, I'll stop, but
please feel free to contact me if you want to know anything
else about Troll Book Fairs.

Regards,
JJ
 -
             --/         JJ Towler     jjtowler@pen.k12.va.us
   //\ ____/ /\(   Library Media Specialist, J.T. Henley Middle School
   )) ( )___)__        husband Bill, MVP (Most Valuable Partner)
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