HIT:Book Swap, Part I

[kahoover <kahoover@FTC-I.NET>]

Karen Hoover, Library/Media Specialist
Cherryvale Elementary School
Sumter, SC
kahoover@FTC-I.NET


Wow!  This was my first time posting a question on LM NET and was I ever
impressed with the MANY helpful responses I got!  Many, many thanks to
all of you (and a special thanks to Rena Deutsch of New York who
graciously helped tutor me in the fine art of cutting and pasting).
Obviously, there are a lot of books eagerly exchanging hands in our
schools.  The printed word is NOT dead!

There were a number of requests for a hit - hence, in several parts,
here they are:


I'm in a K-5 library. We have a book swap twice a year with grades 1-5.
We for each book turned in. We do this by grade level. Then we spread
out all
the first grade books on tables and at a given time the first graders
with
tickets come in to choose new books. It's worked fairly well, with a few
discards of my own thrown in. We ask that students only bring books that
are
on their grade level so that it's an even exchange.



I'm in a K-5 library. We have a book swap twice a year with grades 1-5.
We
collect up to 5 paperbacks (in good condition) and give the child a
ticket
for each book turned in. We do this by grade level. Then we spread out
all
the first grade books on tables and at a given time the first graders
with
tickets come in to choose new books. It's worked fairly well, with a few
discards of my own thrown in. We ask that students only bring books that
are
on their grade level so that it's an even exchange.



Hi!  We have a book swap just for teachers here at my elementary.  It is
not in the library, it is in the computer lab where there is a spare
book
shelf.  The teachers usually take what they will read for a couple of
weeks, replace them with books from home, or bring back the ones they
Originally took.  If you have such a book swap for STUDENTS, then I
think
you have to let them control themselves, or go crazy trying to keep up
with
the book swap books and your library books.  Is there any way maybe you
could have someone else do the book swap or do it in another room?  Good
luck!




We have done a book swap in our middle school for the past five or six
years, with varying levels of success.  I ask them to bring their titles
from home to a specified teacher in each grade level- 6-8 in our case.
They
issue the kids tickets, like raffle tickets, for the number they bring
in.
 Then the teachers bring the books to me and we sort through them.  My
only repeated limitation to them is no books that younger brothers or
sisters read.  Otherwise, I tell them they are to bring in books that
people
their age want to read.  That seems to work, except for an occasional
hard
core romance, which I usually screen out (and wait for a kid I know who
reads those comes in).  The last time we did this, we didn't get many
books
in, but I don't know why exactly.  I usually give them four days to
bring in
things and then do the swap on the fifth day- virtually all day,
especially during lunch.




Our book exchange has been very successful.  When students drop off
their books, they are issued a coupon to exchange on the day of the
big swap.  They can get a coupon for up to 5 books (meaning the most
they can take away is 5) to keep things manageable.  I encourage them
to bring more than 5, in case they (and their parents) are "weeding"
at home.  That way, there's a bigger selection (and if a few students
brought in really cruddy stuff it's not such a factor).  Leftovers
are given to teachers or the flea market.  Carol Wax, Librarian,
Antilles School, St.Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands



I have had great success with book swaps and have developed a simple
system.

1.  I have the book swap at recess and have a couple tables set out to
put
the books on that
     the kids can circle.

2.  Seed the table with paperbacks that have been donated to the
library,
that you have received
     as book fair incentives that you don't want to add to the
collection,
etc.  This will give the children
     more of a choice if the quality of books they bring in isn't too
high
or if all the books seem to be picture
     books or fiction, rather than a mix.

3.  Do not accept books ahead of time--you can, but this makes for more
work and then you have to
    have a system of noting who brought books in in case they lose the
"book bucks", etc. that you give
    them in exchange.  Also, you have to store them--so it is easier not
to.

4.  At the appointed time (at recess), students come into the library
with
the books they want to swap.
    a.  Limit the number to 3 or they may not be able to find adequate
exchanges.
    b.  Accept hardbacks if brought in, but make it clear to the
students
that this is a "paperback" book
         exchange and that they may not find a "fair" trade.
    c.   Try to look at the titles as you take the books.  I learned to
do
this after spotting a lurid
          romance or two on the table that wasn't appropriate for
elementary.  I will reject books by telling
          students that it is a "good" book, but not appropriate for our
grade level.  I will sometimes take
          books more for the H.S.  or Jr. Hi level (some of the Stine's,
etc.) as I really want the children to
          participate, but just plan to pass them on to a H.S.
librarian.
That is another reason for "seeding"
          the swap table with appropriate trades.
   d.  As the students hand over their books, give them a "book buck"
for
each book they hand you and then
        put their trades on the table.  Students who are waiting for
others
to hand over their books may look
        at the books, but not take any yet.

   e.  As the students come in, I also hand them a # along with their
book
bucks.  When it is time for the swap to start, the person with #1 goes
first to pick, then #2, etc.  That way, we avoid a free for all.
A child can only pick one book at a time and has to wait till everyone
has
had a turn before he goes on to spend the rest of his book bucks if he
has
submitted more than one.

NOTE:  Plan to have book swaps on consecutive days.  Many children
forget
to bring books to swap, but
           they see or hear how much fun it is and continue to bring
them
in the rest of the week.  It is not
           a lot of work to do if for a few consecutive days and if you
always have extra books to seed the
           table with, a child always has a choice.

           I warn children not to part with a book they love because
they
won't get it back if they don't find
            something they want to trade it for.  We do this with the
understanding that trades may not be fair and that they need to come
with
the idea of "donating" their book to the swap if they don't find
something
they want.  However, most do.

(Please use my name if you post this as a hit.)

Cheryl King, Librarian, Agana Heights Elementary, Box DE, Agana, Guam
96910
FAX:     (h.) 671-563-1091       Phone:(h.) 671-563-1073   (w.)
671-477-3550
E-Mail:  Cheryl.King@KUENTOS.GUAM.NET

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