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Dear LM-NETTERS:
        I was overwhelmed with the responses that I received from all of you
and am attaching the responses about donating gift books to the media center.
I am sorry that posting the hit took so long.

From:  Joan C. Schneider   niantic@aol.com
        At our K-5 we have just started a PTA  Birthday Book Program, and it
has been very successful. Each week we process 2-3 books. We made arrangements
with a local book wholesaler to take $300 of newly published titles on
consignment to our PTA.  I designated a book cupboard in my workroom where
these birthday books are stored along with all their paperwork and supplies.
We encourage people to choose from those books.  I went with the PTA
coordinator to pick up the first shipment.
        In early September, we had surveyed the school and asked people who
were interested to indicate their interest.  We picked books with those people
in mind.  A couple of weeks to a month before the birthday,  another PTA
volunteer phones and asks if they are still interested in participating.
        I set up a template on the Mac and the PTA coordinator makes up
bookplates and we put a special label on the spine of the book.  She maintains
a special bulletin board outside the library with book, author, child's name,
donor, and birthdate for each book. Everytime I have a favorite book that is
falling apart, I put it in the cupboard to show its condition.  The PTA
coordinator keeps a list of such titles.  She also keeps a copy of the
consignment book list as well as my "replacement" books list at her home, so
she can answer inquiries by phone.
        The donor writes the check directly to the book wholesaler.  The PTA
coordinator bundles the checks and brings them over to the wholesaler once per
month. This local wholesaler also offers the donors a 25% discount if they come
into the store and pick something up directly.
        We make a big deal about presenting the book and reading the
bookplate...like at the end of storyhour, or I've been known to drop by the
classroom to present . Then the birthday child gets to be the first one to
check it out.  I'll never forget the tears when Jessica in grade 3 received her
book.  It was a surprise from her parents.
        One note, the program is a success, but the bulk of the work is done
by this volunteer coordinator.  I set up the parameters and templates, and I
reorganize our book processing work flow to prioritize those books.  I also
approve "outside" purchases before they are made, so collection development is
still in my hands.  We encourage hard cover books, because of all the time to
process,  and we tell the parents we want the book to last as long as the child
is still in the school.
        I have 2 books processed to be given out next week, 4 books already
processed for the following week.  If the rate of purchases continues, I will
have added 80-100 books before the end of the school year. By the way, 2 of
those books are the newest Magic School Bus...Dinosaurs. With a second grade
dinosaur unit and the series of TV, these books are in great demand.

From: Priscilla Seeley <pseeeley@magellan.iquest.com>
        We ordered  some really nice quality book plates with several
different headings:  In Memory of.....   In Honor of...    etc. from Demco or
someone like that.  When someone comes in  to donate a book to our library,
they immediately get a  sense that this is something we are ready for!  I keep
our *want list* on computer, so the person wanting to donate a book can look
through the list by subject, grade level, title, author, etc, and locate books
that we would like to have in our library. Sometimes they want a portion of the
*Want list* printed out so they can take it home and decide.
 (The list has  the prices ) One section of our *Want Lst*  is entitled:Award
Books, and they can always look at that if they don't have a particular subject
in mind.

From:  Kathryn K. Lafferty  klaffert@pen.k12.va.us"
        We have a birthday book program.  I have an extensive list of
books.  Most parents prefer to buy the book themselves and
bring it to me.  They don't think about ordering it months in
advance.  I just laminate the covers and process them myself.
We make an announcement over the PA that so and so's family has
donated book x in honor of so and so's birthday.  We put a book
plate in the front with the information on it, and the birthday
child gets to be the first to check out the book.

From: Tamah Graber    tgraber@umd5.umd.edu
        I do have a birthday club program whereby parents (or others)
donate books to the library in honor of a student's birthday.  What I did was
use some seed money from the PTA (they give a set amount to the media center
each year, and I used some of that money) and I bought several books on
different levels and on different subjects.  I bought two picture books, one or
two older fiction books, and several nonfiction books on subjects I know are of
interest to the students and on different reading levels).  I display them in a
case in the front of the school with a sign that says BIRTHDAY CLUB BOOKS.
When a parent wants to buy one, they pay me directly (the secretary does not
want to handle the transactions - it involves too much bookwork).  I have a
bookplate that goes into the book.  I make an announcement over the PA about
the book and who donated it and for what reason.  I write a letter to the
people who donate the book.  I like it this way, although I also take other
kinds of donations, because the books in the case have already been approved by
the county and we already have the cards for the books.

From:      Dave Nelson dnelson@esu3.esu3.k12.ne.us
        I charge $5 to defer the cost of the book.  I prefer that they choose
a book from our collection.  I don't like it if they bring a book in because we
need a PO for all our books so they go to out distribution to be processed and
barcoded.  We have stickers that we put in the book which read "donated by
______?"

From:  Deborah Chaney     chaney@tenet.edu
        The Irving (TX) ISD elementary schools have a  Birthday Book Club. It
is for exactly what you described-purchasing a book for the library in honor of
someone's birthday. The books are preselcted and sold at a cost of $10 per
title (regardless of actual price). In some libraries a huge cake on display in
the library lists the people and the titles of the books they have purchased.
It's good PR, and a good way to get a few extra books in the library in tight
budget times.

From: Margaret Whittaker  mswhitta@mailbox.edu
        I am the LMS at an independent school in Upstate New York. Birthday
books are a main component to my library book budget. This is the way ours
works: Each August, the parents are sent a form soliciting a Birthday Book
contribution. They are given the option of specifying subject - a few specify a
particular book, but that can be inconvenient in ordering - and this year we
gave them the option of CD-ROMs as well. When the child's birthday occurs,
notice of the book or CD-ROM is published in the weekly school bulletin and a
bookplate with child's name, b-day, and who gave it is put in the book and it
is then circulated. Usually, the birthday boy/girl gets to be the first to take
it out. Before the use of database sorting, mailmerge, etc., this procedure was
very time-consuming, but if a database is set up first (I would be glad to send
you a copy of mine) and sorted by month and date of birthday, the process is
simplified.
        Our school is K-12 and some of the kids can find books that were given
to them several years ago. They get a kick out of that. The K-6 kids are more
enthusiastic than the older kids, but I think they all enjoy the personal touch
it gives the books in the library.

From: dianed@tenet.edu
        We do at Stafford Municipal School District.  It works much better at
the elementary level than at the secondary level.  A parent, teacher, friend,
etc. may donate a book, either a specific title or money for a book to be
chosen by the librarian, teacher, or some other person.  We make a personal
book plate on the computer, such as "This book donated in honor of Suzy Smith
on her 12th birthday by Mother and Dad."  The donor can sometimes choose
graphics, contribute the message, etc.
        If there honoree is a student, he or she gets to check the book out
first.  Or the student can take it home to show the parent if it is in honor of
someone else, perhaps someone who has died.  That part you play by ear.  People
do this from time to time, but where it really takes off is during Parent's
Night of Book Fair Week.  Last year we had only one book purchased at the
secondary level, and the kid whose mother bought it in honor of his birthday
was so mortified he could hardly stand it.  However, many were purchased at the
elementary level.  A couple of teachers bought books in honor of their classes.
 Many parents bought books.  In fact, a number of
copies of Bluebonnet books (the Texas reading incentive program) for the next
year were purchased and donated. I'm hoping to push it more among secondary
parents this year.

From:  Elizabeth Bluemle (on Josie L's computer account)
           josie@blackbox.cc.columbia.edu
        We just started a Birthday Giving Program this year in our library. We
send parents a letter inviting them to participate two weeks before their
child's birthday month. We enclose a wish list and ask them to choose a book
from the list (which has prices on it) and send a check, or, as an alternative,
to have the library select the book in the amount of the check they enclose.
(We give them $5.00, $15.00, $20.00 and Other options. This way all families
can contribute if they wish, without spending a fortune.)
        In our school, the eleven-year-olds run a printing press. They design
special book plates for the gift books, and the tens, who are the school's
signmakers and calligraphers, inscribe them with the child's name and school
group. We coordinate with a local bookstore to order the books parents choose
(and pay for them via school check), and when the books, bookplates and
inscriptions are all in the library, we invite the child to come share the book
with the librarian and shelve it for the first time. (We don't do a public
ceremony so that children who don't participate won't feel bad.)

From: Judy Miller jumiller@freenet.columbus.oh.us
        This is the second year of our Birthday Book Club.  I am in a K-5
building.  OUr PTO was gracious in giving me $500 to start up the program. I
shop mostly at a local bookstore (Borders) where they give me a 20-25% discount
on hardcover books.  I also have a house account there, so I am billed monthly
for my purchases.  Since PTO gives me the money, I do not need a purchase order.
        I try to purchase a variety of books - pic, fic, nonfic.  We
process them, place a small (1/4" round) cupcake sticker on the lower edge of
the spine to indicate it is a birthday book, and keep them on a special shelf.
For $10 (check made out to our PTO) they may join the Birthday Book club,
selecting a book from that shelf.  A bookplate honoring that child and his/her
birthday is placed inside the front cover, and that child has the honor of
checking the book out for the first time.  I present the book in front of the
class and make a big deal out of it.
        There is a form I send home twice a year in our school newsletter.
Since this is my first time answering anyone - I don't know an easy way to send
you that except by good old fashion mail.  Let me know if you would like it.
Anyway, when the form comes back to me, I immediately make the bookplate, and
put the form in my monthly tickler file to remind me to ask that child to
select a book near his/her birthday.
        Last year we collected $480, and PTO gave that right back to me to
continue the project.  We're close to $300 this year already.  One idea that
has really created excitement is a huge birthday cake bulletin board on one
wall of our library.  On the display shelf underneath I have pulled last year's
birthday books, (easy to find with those cupcake stickers) and put package bows
on the front of each book with removable tape.  Kids flock to those books to
see why they have bows on them, and they have circulated so well!
It's been a great way to add to our collection!

From:       SMITHMMM@aol.com
        I have this program running very successfully.  I Select the books(150
ish) at a time  and the parents handle the Paperwork and the bookplates.  We
also give a bookmark that is laminated with the student's name and occasion.
We have not limited it to birthdays however.  It could be a gift to a teacher,
welcome to the "2nd" grade etc., in memory of, the sky is the limit.  Since
school began in Sept, parents have purchased over 100 books.  We charge a flat
rate of 20.00 for the books.  A pamphlet explaining all the options and
purposes of the program has been very helpful.  Also I have some parents
running the program, who are marketing experts in my mind.  Next they want to
approach the grandparents!!  Last year they provided over 400 books.  The only
thing I am responsible for is the selection beforehand.  We stress that this is
a donation and we try to accomodate but we are rounding out our collection.

From: Mary Holst  mholst@eis.calstate.edu
        I work in a district in california where we have 2 hours of library
assistant time a day, no certificated librarians in the K-5 schools. In the
middle schools we have librarians supported by SIP budgets, the hours vary from
3 hours in one school to full time in another. The libraries receive $2.00/per
child for books!  We love and hate gift books.  Two of our schools have strong
PTA support and have 2000-5000 dollar budgets.  In these schools we encourage
book "dedications" any book in the library is available for adoption or
dedication. for the list price of the book a certificate and book plate are
made up, the certificate is sent to the honoree.  We encourage
adoption/dedications at holiday times, teacher appreciation week, back to
schoolnight, open house and PTA meetings. We note any new dedications in our
weekly news letter. Checks are made out to the PTA and funds deposited into a
library account. The PTA takes care of the paper work. Other schools in our
district will have a special list to choose from for books to be given to the
library.  Acouple of schools have prepurchase 10-15 books and have them on a
special shelf available.
        Adopt-a-book has been popular as a program name at some of the schools
and at others there are reservations about using the term adoption and the
program is call dedicate-a-book.
One district wide request is that all books be purchased through the
district.  We have justautomated and buy all materials preprocessed and
barcoded as we d not have the staff time to prepare the books for circulation.

From: Louise Edwards  ledwards@eagle.esd189.wednet.edu
        Our parents donate books to our library for birthdays.  The parent
buys the book of their own choosing and gives it to me.  The only thing I dois
place a book plate in the book and get the birthday student's signature.  I
then make the announcement in the student's classroom about the new book, where
it came from and what it is about.

From: Debbie Whitbeck  whitbeck@tenet.edu
         I have a Birthday Book Club, where parents can donate a book to the
library on the child's birthday.  I use pre-purchased books (with library
bindings and cataloging, no duplication, etc.) that have
kid-appeal.  Students select their book from the B.B. Shelf, I put in a
nameplate with the student's name and birthday, post a sign in the
library, and make a special presentation in the student's classroom.  Of
course, the student gets to check it out first.  I charge the parents a flat
rate and supplement the purchases with activity fund.

From:  Meg Bradford  megbrad@freenet.columbus.oh.us

        I have done a "birthday book" "special recognition book program" the
last several years at 2 different schools.  In each place, I bought the books
and had them displayed in a certain place so that the students and parents
would know where they were. In my former school, the PTA helped start the
program so the checks were made out to them and they would give me money
whenever the books got low (under 10 titles).  I picked mainly stuff that would
be good for my collection and that would entice the students (Eyewitness books,
good fiction, etc.).  My new school does not
have a strong parent group yet (we're new) so my checks will go to CO and be
paid back to me via PO to the local bookstore.  Hope this helps!

From: Wade Houston Weiler  wadew@tenet.edu
        I have in the past tried to get a Birthday Book Club going. I tried to
keep it as simple as possible. I did a lot of advertising, but kept my
guidelines simple and short. The first year, it was kind of popular, but it has
kind of fallen by the wayside lately. I didn't really have a prescribed, or
suggested list from which to choose. Most people who wanted to dedicate a book
to the library in someone's name usually wanted me to select something. I think
I need to have my plan more organized than it is, and above all ADVERTISE.

From: Eileen Thompson  EileenT504@aol.com
        I have not instituted the practice yet but have talked to some media
specialists who have. They purchase a selection of books and put them on a
"gift" table for parents or children to select from. The parent pays the media
center. This way you can buy the books with cataloging and bar coding, and
choose books you would like to have and need in your collection. If you have an
"internal account" the purchase price can come from there and then as the
parents pay for gift books the money they pay you can go back into the account.

From: Joy Lambert      jlambert@tenet.edu
        We have a program which seems to work quite well.  Our P.T.A. was
gracious enough to provide $2000. to start our project.  This money was used to
order books I selected as appropriate for our elementary school library
collection.  The books are processed by our school district processing center,
then delivered on to our school.  These are kept together on a book cart in a
library storage area.  When a parent wishes to donate a book to our collection,
they make their selection and write out a check to our P.T.A.  This reimburses
the original funding set aside for our gift book program.  Since the book has
already been processed, all I have to do at the time of the donation is place a
bookplate in the front of the book and it is ready to check out immediately.
After several donations have been made, I send off another book order to
replenish our supply, using the funds that have been reimbursed to the P.T.A.
From: Karen Whetzel kwhetzel@pen.k12.va.us
        Yes, I do this. I got the idea from a middle school librarian
who uses this method to replace worn out books. She provided a
list at PTA meeting, the parents/students/etc. selected a book,
paid the replacement price, and got a name plate in the book
"Donated by ___" Also, they got to check it out first. I like
using a list of replacement books since some parents might
choose titles or bindings, etc. which I wouldn't want. We
publicized in newspaper and some businesses participated. We
put the business name on the plate. Also, a student donated one
at end of year in honor of her teacher; I took pictures and am
publicizing this one too. Another teacher suggested as an end
of year project, letting parents "honor" graduating students
with a book . . .We go through school account, have to write
receipts for auditors, etc. Parents write check to school. I
try to have some replacement books on hand for those that want
the book right then.,

From: Vicki Anne Lunsman  lunsman@tenet.edu
        We borrowed money from the PTO to buy the books the library needed up
front.  This way the parent or donater can view the books and then write a
check to the PTO  for his/her choice.

From: Dale Haggstrom   FTSLH@aurora.alaska.edu
        We are doing something new thi year.  The PTA asked if they could run
an extra bookfair along with mine.  I agreed to it.  They are ordering Alaskana
books and putting ribbon around the ones the library wants.  I went through a
list first and selected what I wanted.  The PTA is relying on the book store to
determine what will sell for the kids own purchases.  I do not know how it will
work but
I have had alot of parents come in and say they are willing to buy books for
the library like this.

From: June Muldner  ny000997@mail.nyser.net
           We have had an Adopt-a-Book program here for about 3 years. I make
up a list of books for parents to choose from, but if they have other ideas it
is usually ok. They pay for the books up front, making checks out to our PTA.
The orders go through the school purchasing department, thus avoiding sales tax
and getting any library discounts that apply. When the books arrive, they go
through central processing and are sent to me.
        We put on a bookplate announcing the gift's donor and honoree. The
bill gets sent to the PTA, who already has the money waiting to be paid. It
seems to work fairly well, except when books are no longer available at the
jobber's, or when the price has increased. I usually round up the price in the
catalog to the next whole dollar to cover any increases.

From: Sandra Ann Williams sandywil@tenet.edu
        Last year Baker and Taylor let me set up a special account
just for ordering gift books.  Books could then be purchased and get our
school district bid discount.  I even ordered over the telephone, I
recall.  It made it much quicker.

From: Dorothy Pope <dpope@sacam.OREN.ORTN.EDU>
        Our library has been accepting books for memorials, or whatever, for
seeral years.  Mostly, we receive memorials (In memory of) or (In honor of).
People contact us when they want to give books.  Sometimes they have a specific
book in mind or a specific subject area from which we choose the book
ourselves.  They give the money and we order the book. We write the family
involved to notify them that a book has been given in memory of or in honor of
_________.  We always send a thank-you to the donor.  We put a book plate in
front of the book with the name of the donor and for whom it is given.  We keep
a list of these with MicrosoftWorks Spreadsheet with the person remembered or
honored listed first,
then the donor, and the name of the book.  This way, we can easily locate the
specific book or books given in honor or in memory of an individual. We prefer
only hardback copies of books.  We prefer to select the book ourselves.

From: Sarah Janis Thorn  sthorn@tenet.edu
        We have a book donation program at my elementary school.  Our PTA gave
me some money to order some books to start out with.  I bought books (with
library binding) on various reading/interest levels and various subjects.  I
keep them on a shelf in my office, and parents come in and purchase them from
me.  We averaged the cost of the books and charge the same price for each.
Because we ordered the books from Baker & Taylor at our 29.4% discount, the
parents feel that they're getting a better deal than they would at a bookstore.
 Also it's convenient for them, and we get books that we need/want.  Money goes
back to the PTA, and I restock the shelf as needed.
    When a book is purchased we use one of our special stamps (one says "this
book honors" and one says "this book donated by") to acknowledge the people
involved.  If the book is bought by a child to honor a teacher or someone else
in our building, the child is given a bookmark to give to the teacher telling
him/her the title, etc.  If the book honors a child on his/her birthday, the
child receives a bookmark. This has worked for us, and once you set everything
up it's not a lot of trouble.

From: Nancy Martin  nmartin@esu6.esu6.k12.ne.us
        The elementary school where my children attended had a birthday book
program.  A local bookstore worked with the school.  The student would go to
the bookstore and choose a book (the school had a list of needed books, but any
choice was ok).  The student would pay for the book. Then, the bookstore would
deliver the book with a certificate inside the front cover saying who donated
it.  The media specialist always made a big deal about the birthday book and
put it on display.  Then the child who had made the donation was the first
student allowed to check it out.

From: Jean Townes    townesj@csos.orst.edu
        The elementary school which my son attended some years ago had this
kind of program.  They had a solution to getting only books that they wanted
and to enable kids from all economic backgrounds to participate.  They kept a
box of assorted new books that they had ordered for the library. The birthday
child could make a donation to the library of any size and then pick out a book
from the box that he/she wanted to be the birthday book.  A nameplate was put
in the book (I think) and that child's name was added to a train car which was
then added to the birthday train along the top of the wall.

From: Sister Penny Cunningham  pscunnin@mailbox,syr.edu
        Our birthday book program took off last year after I made a few
changes. This is how it works now:  At the beginning of each month we send a
hand addressed letter to the parents of each student with a birthday in that
month.  (Summer birthdays are done in April.)  The letter is personalized by a
mailmerge and includes a brief description of the program, two giving
categories ($10 and $16, changed from $5, $12, and $17 last year because we ran
out of our series of $5 Bible story books for the younger grades) and a copy
of the bookplate that will appear in the donated book.
        On the school day closest to the child's birthday I bring him or
her in to a table with all the books in the giving category that the
parents chose spread out.  All books are processed, just waiting for
sponsors.  When the student chooses, we check out the book on the spot so it
can be taken home and shown to the parents.
        The giving categories are an average price for the books that
will be shown to the students.  In other words, in the $10 category there will
be some that cost us $8.95, some that were $9.95, and some that were $10.95 or
$12.95.  No one has complained about the discrepancy, if they have even noticed
it.  I think they understand that it is an average. The parents send a check
made out to the school for their donation.  This goes into a special
"Designated Gifts" account.  I primed this account with some book fair money to
order the first set of books.
        At the end of the school year I got the inventory down as far as I
could with the spring and summer birthdays.  Our bookkeeping allows me to keep
a small inventory over the summer, but I had to order another large batch to
start the school year.  These books are paid for out of the designated gifts
account.
        In the parent letter, I list a few types of books represented in
each category (the popular American Girl series, books to support our
ecology theme this year...)  I have learned that keeping the list general
allows me flexibility when I see a book I would like to add to our collection
that I couldn't otherwise afford.
        Even the older students love the birthday labels in the books,
and all students have become more appreciative of our benefactors.  We teach
them to say a brief prayer ("God bless ___ for giving us this
book") whenever they see a donor label--birthday, memorial, or other.

From: Beth Bugnaski bugnaski@umd5.umd.edu
        This is the 2nd year I've run the "Seven Oaks Book Bunch Club".  I
keep it as simple as possible.  Guidelines are published in the school
newsletter several times a year. Response has been good.
1.Parents can come in Tue or wed before 10 am without an appt., or can call my
office to set and appt. when I'm not teaching.
2.I keep about 50 books (gleaned from my book orders) on a shelf; various
subject areas, even some reference books.
3. Parents select a book, and make a donation of 10.00 to the school. I
collect their cash or checks, and turn the money in to the school
secretary who receipts the parents.
4. The parents supply me with the info for the book plate (ie. child's
age on birthday, who book is donated by, or In memory of_____ and by_____). I
use a pretty font on the word processor, print the info, and cut and paste the
info onto the bookplate.  Bookplate goes inside front cover, and clear contac
paper over it. Actually, I have a parent volunteer who cuts, paste, and covers.
5. I make a perky announcement over the intercom about the child being
honored; that child is first to borrow the book, and we announce it in the
newsletter.
      Last school year this project generated about 400.00.  I used this money
for more books, gleaning more for the Book Bunch Club.

From: "St. Paul Academy and Summit School"      8666spas@informns.k12.mn.us
        The West Media Center at Breck School, 123 Ottawa Ave. N, Minneapolis,
MN 55422 has such a program for birthday books.  Contact media generalist,
Patty Flakne, if you get no 3-mail responses.  This program has been in
existence for at least 10 years and is a natural for the community

From:  Pat Gill        KWO_GILL@MEC.OHIO.GOV
        In the elementary schools in our district, generally the librarian has
purchased a selection of books from which a birthday person selects with $$. In
the high school we just started a program 2 years ago in which students donate
a dollar amount = to their graduation year.  This check is made payable to the
PTO or the the Library Activity Account.
        The student is given the option of listing a topic/subject they'd like
the book to be about, but generally the librarian does the selecting.  Of
course, we also accept donations of books that students want to give us as long
as they fit in with the district selection policy! In both cases, elementary or
secondary, we keep a list of the student making the donation, the title,
author, and call number of the book donated.  Also, we place a donation plate
in the front of the donated copy.  Generally, we put the books selected during
the previous school year in a showcase for display during
the final 2 weeks of school along with the list of donors so all the student
body and the guests of the graduates can see.  This also helps "beef up"
donations the following year.  In addition, our PTO includes a list of donors
in the first fall newsletter.

        I hope that this hit answers most of the questions that you might have
in regard to gifts books in the media center. Thanks again for all of the help.
I am now busy finalizing our system's program.

Linda Friel
friell@woods.uml.edu
Methuen Public Schools
Methuen, MA 01844


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