no book fair

["Doris Renfro, Lib., So. Range Mid. Sch."]

I just completed a "book swap" a few weeks ago to celebrate our Ohio Right to
Read Week.  Our school is a middle school, grades 4-8, of about 450 students.
Mostly grades 4-6 participated.  The week before the swap, I gave out book
bucks.  On Monday, I gave Monday Moola (blue).  The next week, students holding
blue Monday Moola book bucks could come to the library on Monday to spend their
book bucks.  Students who waited til Friday to bring in their books to swap had
to wait to spend their pink Friday Funds book bucks on the following Friday.
(each day had a different color and name of book buck)  Monday Moola could be
spent all week.  Tuesday Cash could be spent Tues. through Fri, etc. etc. etc.

Over 700 books were swapped.  I added in a few late Thursday and Friday to make
up for the poorer selection.  Some students did not redeem their book bucks.
Teachers had first choice of these leftover books for classroom libraries
before the remainder were donated to a local library book sale.

I felt it was a very successful activity.  But not a yearly activity.  I
usually do it every 3 or 4 years.  Also, I retained the right to reject books
that were brought in.  No hard back books and all books had to be the reading
level of grades 4-8.  No Stephen King and no Clifford, the Big Red Dog books
were accepted and 4th and 5th graders needed a note from home permitting them
to "buy" Fear Street type books.


Doris J. Renfro
Gr. 4-8 Librarian
South Range Middle School
Greenford, OH 44422
sran_dr@access.ohio.gov

"Anyone who has got a book collection/library and a garden wants for
nothing."   Cicero