National Library Week

[Ken Hawley <khawley@CAM.K12.IL.US>]

Several have requested that I post a "hit" on activities for National
Library Week....here they are:

Suggested National Library Week Activities

1.  Favorite book drawing.  Students drop their name in a box with their
favorite book title listed.  Have a drawing at end of week with one to five
names drawn (depending on the prize) for winners.

2.  A contest each day of NLW, based on books and authors.

3.  A contest requiring the use of library resources (scavenger hunt type of
thing) with prizes for the winners (pencils, pens, gift certificate from
bookstore, etc.)

4.  Matching teachers to their favorite books contest.

5.  Give a small treat to  your staff each day of NLW.  For example, "Stick
with your library." (with gum); "Be a Smartie, visit your library." (Smartie
candies); "Your library can be a Life Saver!" (Life savers)

6.  Have a motto for each day.  For example, "Hats off for books!" ; "If you
read a book this week, wear red" ; "Count on your library (estimate # of
jelly beans in a jar) ; "Sock it to books" (socks) ; "Shoo boredom away with
a good book" (shoes) ; "Pop into the library for a good read" (small cup of
popcorn with every book checked out)

7.  Have a "read-in" after school or maybe sometime during the day...similar
to Drop everything and read.  If after school, parents could be invited and
older siblings to come too.  Lots of photos could be taken and posted in
hallway and/or bulletin boards.

8.  Have a daily library trivia contest...examples include, "how many books
does our library have," questions about books, authors, libraries in
general.  Provide little slips of paper for the kids to write their names
and answers, and the correct slips go into a box for a daily "raffle" drawing.

9.  Have a "ReadAloud Day" during NLW.  You can select a different
theme....Magic, Dr. Seuss, women, a beach party, reach for the stars, fairy
tales, the wizard of Oz., etc.  Teachers could (as long as they are provided
with the books) read a book going with this theme out loud to their class.
Classes having library time that day could have an additional book read to
them during that time.

10.  Create a "Library Spirit" Week...similar to the school spirit week.
You could have "celebrity reading day" (invite local politicians, news
people, principal, etc.) to read.  "Wear a Shirt you can read day"...go
around and tally the shirts and come up with a percentage for each
class..teachers could do this in their classroom.  "Catch you reading
day"...have some unknown creative people be "police"...give each child a
book mark the day before, and during this day the "police" will go around
and catch people reading...if they are, they will get a sticker or stamp on
their bookmark.  Best time to do this is during recess, before and
afterschool, lunch, etc..don't let kids know when police are out on the
prowl.  Another idea is "Dress as a book character Day"...tally the
participation in each class again.

11.  Have guest speakers come in and share their favorite childhood stories
and discuss the importance of lifelong library use.  Guests can include town
supervisor, mayor, school board members, principal, etc.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
To quit LM_NET (or set NOMAIL or DIGEST), Send an email message to
    listserv@listserv.syr.edu    In the message write EITHER:
 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
  * NOTE: Please allow time for confirmation from Listserv.
For LM_NET Help & Archives see:  http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=