HIT: Birthday Books

[barbara prentice <bprentice@TACONIC.NET>]

On Mon, 1 Apr 1996, I wrote:
>   I am writing from a small private secondary school.We are planning to
> start a "Birthday Book" project where we will ask parents to buy a book to
> honor their child's birthday. I would like to hear from anyone that has a
> program like this. I especially want to know if you send a list of titles
> with the solicitation letter.  If anyone has some information that they are
> willing to share, please respond to me directly:  bprentice@taconic.net
>   Many of you asked for a hit so here it is, Hope it's helpful.  Thanks
>to all who sent me replies.

>I started a birthday book club at my elementary school (K-4) last year when
>I took over as district media coordinator.  It was a lot of work getting the
>program started and promoting it, but it's been very successful.  Last year
>we had over $700 worth of new books purchased for the library and we are
>over the $600 mark this year.
>
>I started by getting lists of read-alouds, chapter books, favorites
>(Berenstain), and books that were on the accelerated reading lists.  With
>these lists, I proceeded to make up a three ring notebook that contains
>title, author, short annotation, reading level, interest level and price.  I
>am purchasing my books solely from Permabound because I can order small
>orders (10 or so) and still get my discount.
>
>I began by promoting the birthday book club at registration in the fall,
>with a table decorated with helium balloons and the birthday club logo.  I
>was willing to tell, over and over again, what the program was and how
>parents could participate.   When school starts, I get a list of all the
>students who have birthdays that month and send letters home to the students
>reminding them of the program and how they can participate.  If they are
>interested, they can request one of the notebooks from the library.  It goes
>home, parents and child sit down and look through the book and almost always
>an order comes back with the notebook.   When a book is ordered, a birthday
>cake stamp gets stamped on the title in the notebook.  That way parents know
>that the book has already been ordered.
>
>I have ordered birthday book club plates from Demco that go into the book
>when it is processed.  The birthday book then goes home with the child as
>soon as it is processed and entered into our database.
>
>At the end of the school year, I have a party for students who have had
>books donated to the library.  We have juice and cupcakes and it takes about
>5-10 minutes and then away they go out to the playground for recess.
>
>It has taken many hours during the summer to get the notebooks ready and to
>update them.  When I started the program I thought if all I got was one
>book, it was one book that didn't have to be purchased from my library
>budget.  I'm happy with the success that we've seen, and hopefully parents
>will continue to purchase books for their students.  I've also had
>grandparents purchase books and that's fun too.

>  We have a form letter that we send home with the students at the beginning
>of their birthday month suggesting that parents may want to celebrate by
>donating a book to the libary in their child's honor. I don't send home a
>list of my requests, but do make it plain that they may stop in the LMC and
>ask for suggestions if they would like. Many do.

>
>The idea is not original with us, but this is how we initiated the
>club.  We sent an introductory parent letter in Oct. when we opened
>the library.  The bottom half of the letter was a form to return if
>they were interested.  We ask for a $7.00 donation which gets the
>honoree a plate in a new library book.  The student can select the
>book from our latest acquisitions.  Although the $7.00 donation will
>not cover the cost of a new book, the accumulated funds will be used
>to purchase more books.
>
>The plate reads "Birthday Book, presented to Holcomb Lib......in
>honor or student name, followed by date of birth".
>
>We publish the honorees in the monthly parent newsletter and include
>a form for additional honorees.  There's a large birthday cake
>(poster board) outside the library door; student names and birthdays
>are added.  We have had several people make donations for
>grandchildren, etc.  In other words, our honorees are not all
>students at our school.


>Whenever I get my largest shipment of new books I display them and hand
>out birthday book forms at the same time.  Children have to fill out the
>form with the help of parents - questions that might encourage family
>discussion such as:  What were 3 of your parents' favorite books as
>children?  What 3 book characters would you like to invite to your next
>birthday party?  What happened at your mother's/father's most memorable
>birthday party?  When are your other family members' birthdays?  Which
>book would you like to give to a relative for their birthday?  etc.  They
>must then bring back the completed form along with $.50.  They pick out
>the new book that they want to have as their birthday book (first come),
>I place a book plate in the book with their name on it and deliver it to
>their room wearing my wild and crazy birthday book hat ( a laminated
>paper "crown" with candles, balloons, ribbons, etc. hanging from it)
>
>Originally I asked for the price of the book, but that left out so many
>of our students that I decided on a small sum that all could afford and
>that will give me $ to buy book plates, book marks and such.  Since we
>are a K-12 building, I tell them that if the book "wears out" or needs to
>be replaced for any reason I will give them the book if they are still at
>our school.
>
>In this program I do not try to coordinate with their actual birthday.
>My birthday book club at St. Tim's is very basic.  I send out newsletters
>periodically reminding parents about it and telling them what sorts of things I
>use the money for in the library.  I keep a box of brand new books that I have
>already purchased and I ask for a birthday book club donation of $10.00.  The
>honored student comes in a picks out one of these books and then I put a
>birthday nameplate in the book.  This student is the first to check it out to
>share with their families.  When it is returned, I have a special display area
>where all b. books go and they are among the most popular in the library.  I
>also make a cutout birthday cake and put the child's name and book title and
>display these on a bulletin board all year.  I am in a 1-8 with about 215
>children and I usually have about 30 donors a year.  I have another friend in a
>school with a slightly larger population and she has a form letter she has a
>parent volunteer send out a month ahead of each child's birthday reminding the
>parents of considering donating a book in their child's name.  She uses the
>same system of $10.00 donation and choosing from a box of pre-purchased books.
>She probably has about 300 students in her school and generates at least
> $1000.00 extra dollars a year.  Good luck!  _ Barb

>We had great success with younger students (200 books purchased the first
>year).  Sent home a letter on colorful birthday stationery.  I suggest
>you make it very easy to participate by allowing students to choose a
>book from your preprocessed new book order.  I put 50 books in a cabinet
>in the circulation desk.  The child chose one or two, I wrote the titles
>and prices down for them to take home, and they came back with checks!
>Parents were also encouraged to call and select a book by phone if they
>wished to surprise the child.  Buying the books yourself cuts down on
>donations of "almost new" paperbacks.  Preprocessing is important when
>the parent calls at 8a.m. and wants a book by 3rd period because today is
>the birthday.  Good luck with it!

>I have a birthday book program. I have a list of suggested titles that I
>add to constantly whenever I see a book I like or when I go to my book
>review meeting each month.  I advertise in the weekly school newsletter
>about 3 or 4 times a year and I give the list of suggested titles to
>anyone who calles and requests it.  When we receive a book, we place a
>bookplate inside the front cover that says: This book donated to the
>library by Mary Lynn Shields in honor of her 10th birthday on April 16,
>1996.  Then when we have processed the book, it is taken to the classroom
>and the donee may check it out or select a classmate to be the first to
>check the book out.  We also type a special thank you note on school
>letterhead stationery and give it to the child.
>    Hope this helps.