Wow, thanks Kris! What a hot topic!
I think at some point Mrs. Skorupski might want to write a Dear Mrs.
Skorupski column on this topic for Library Sparks! If you were one
of the respondents in this hit (below) and your idea is unique AND
you'd be willing for me to quote you or ask you further questions,
could you please drop me a line? If you don't, I promise to only
generalize about your ideas if I include them in an article.
>*I have a popsicle party=21 I buy the kind in the plastic sleeves that
>you can freeze. You can buy boxes of 150-200 at Wal-Mart or Sam=27s Club
>for about =246.50. When each class comes in, the kids who have returned
>their books go over to the story-telling area to have popsicles, listen
>to music, do floor puzzles, and read joke/riddle books. Kids who don=27t
>have their books in, sit at tables and write a letter to their parents
>asking for help to remember their books. I have done this for 4 years
>now and the results are amazing. I have parents who come in the morning
>of their child=27s party to pay for lost books because their child =
>doesn=27t
>want to miss the party=21*
>
>Other suggestions:
>an extra 15 minute recess time or something like that
>
>get to wear a special thing, like a hat that day (hats aren=27t allowed
>at our school, so that would be a good thing
>
>FOOD=21 Get them little candy bars, or little bags of skittles
>
>How about a raffle? Kids get a raffle ticket for every book they turn
>in by a certain date. Then you draw for 1st, 2nd, 3rd prizes and make a
>big deal out of it. Gift cards to Barnes and Noble?
>
>A couple of times I have had book fair after books are due and they
>have to have taken care of the overdue book to purchase. Boy, did that
>ever work=21
>
>for everyclass that COMPLETELY clears their collective checkout records
>(returned books, fines paid, etc.), we will have either a popcorn or a
>popsicle party
>
>Are you comfortable using the computer and do you have Print Shop? If
>so, you can easily create cute, personalized stickers and print them out
>on Sticker paper from Staples. (=2410 for 30 sheets) You can fit about 12
>stickers on a page, or more if you make them smaller. Make square
>stickers so that you can cut them with the paper cutter. I made
>stickers with our school name and mascot and the kids went wild=21
>
>Last year, I purchased a huge bag of mini tootsie rolls and a box of
>red sweedish fish (both for about =2410). If students have all of their
>books returned on the last library check out day, they could choose two
>pieces. All of the other kids were able to choose their =22treat=22
>whenever they did return their books. For those few that seem to not
>return books, I told them if their card was not cleared at the end of
>the school year they would not =22move up=22 the next year. Kids at my
>school can check out a number of books equal to their grade. So, a first
>grader that didn=27t return or pay for lost books at the end of the year,
>would not =22move up=22 to be able to check out two books in second =
>grade.=20
>They would stay at one. At my library, that =22moving up=22 is a big =
>deal=21
>
>I usually offer the incentive to the teacher whose class gets all their
>books in - we do an extra reading time in the library while the teacher
>gets extra prep time.=20
>
>Seeds for planting? Bulbs? Maybe you could get the local gardening
>store to donate some?
>
>You could do a =22Make your own bookmark=22 with blank oaktag and have =
>them
>create one with glitter, stickers, rubber stamps, hole punchers,etc?
>
>Have you considered nutritious snacks? If you have a Sam=27s Club or
>Cosco membership, they can be reasonable.
>
> Also -- gel pens are still a big hit. Again a bulk purchase may be
>within your budget.
>
> Have you talked to the fast food merchants? I told them my goal and
>they donated older toys from their kids meals.=20
>
> Our Dairy Queen ha
>s =241.00 gift certificates, it=27s not cheap, but it
>could an entry into a raffle -- return a book and get a chance for a 5
>=241.00 gift certificates.
>
> After school fun time -- water balloon toss, etc. more an activity
>time.=20
>
> What about jacks, simple card games, ink pens with florist tape
>wrappeed around a flower. These are big hits with our girls.=20
>
>You could make up grab bags and raffle them -- keeping it a mystery
>what is in what bag-- but having some for boys, different ones for
>girls.
>
>We rely on local restaurants and businesses to help us with that. Our
>local grocery store has HEBuddy bucks the children use in their machine
>to earn points that can be used to earn prizes at graduated levels (the
>more points the better the prize). Several of our fast food restaurants
>help with free burger coupons, free fries, free kids=27 meals, etc. =
>You=27d
>be surprised at how generous they can be if it is something that will
>also generate business for them.
>
>One thing I do is the day all library books are due I have a
>storyteller come and tell stories. Their =22payment=22 to attend is to
>bring in their library books.
>
>What I do is that I only allow 1 book check out the last month to
>cutdown on the number of books going out.
>This is my reward for returned books. 2 weeks before school is out I
>have centers set up around the library: color by number, make a book
>mark, puzzles, etc. However, those that didn=27t bring their books back
>or owe me money for damaged/lost books don=27t get to participate. They
>sit at a table and =22read=22 a magazine. Then I tell them that next week
>they get prizes to play games if they return their books. Usually they
>do so promptly.
>Then the next week I play Bingo during library time. The game goes on
>depending on how many prizes I have. If I don=27t have too many I =22drag
>it out=22. I hand out posters I=27ve collected during the year (especially=
>
>the ones that announce the book fair - I just cut off the bottom part
>with the dates), pencils, erasers, trading cards (the ones that come in
>my
>magazines that I pull out), old magazines, McDonald=27s toys, thrift
>store finds, party favors, dollar store stuff, etc... Again, no books =3D
>no play. By this time only a handful haven=27t returned their books. Of
>course, not everyone gets a prize but they all get to play - which they
>don=27t get to do very often in my library - so this is a reward unto
>itself.
>I try to get stuff during the summer and continue to save stuff up
>during the entire school year so I don=27t have to spend any money at the
>end of the year. The most I=27ve ever spent was =2420 dollars.
>
>I=27m sitting in a dunk tank on Field Day...if the students do not have
>any overdue materials, they get a ticket that will give them the
>=22chance=22 to dunk me. The dunk tank rental is being paid for by the
>PTSA, so other than embarrassment, no cost to me=21=20
>Last year I did snow cones during lunch, the year before I did French
>fry coupons from
>
>Burger King (not a wise choice, I had several parents complain that
>they =22had=22 to take their children to BK).
>
>Could you do something like a chance to go outside for 20 minutes and
>give out freeze pops? or something like that? Outside air is free and
>the freeze pops are very cheap=21
>
>May I suggest that you give a prize to the ones with the clear records
>first. Be sure to reward the ones who take care of business
>
>Why not give a reward to the students who are completely cleared? Ask
>a local grocery to donate and give out cones or ice cream Sundays.=20
>Often times PTSA will assist in purchase.
>
>Something that I have always done, is when students came to library, I
>asked them to use my phone and call home to leave a message on
>answering machine reminding them to put book in backpack.
>
>I also ask the teachers to assist by having a desk and locker clean
>out.
>
>I=27ve gotten tootsie pops and handed them out to those who have all
>bookschecked in on the final due date.
>
>Bookmarks; pencils
>
>I used to bake =22home made=22 cookies for the first class (or 2) that
>goteverything return
>ed=21
>
>I have done Brownies for Books, but this is very labor intensive.
>
>Do you think you could find a neighborhood restaurant that would be
>willing to give you a coupon for free dessert w/purchase of dinner? The
>kiddos probably don=27t get a dessert when they go out, so this would help
>the parents and treat the kids, as well as bring in a sure revenue to
>the restaurant.
>=20
>Or look around town for other =22free=22 coupons you could pass along---a
>swim pass, a free ice cream cone.
>=20
>Would there be a book store that would be willing to go in on a joint
>venture? A pizzaria? Does a local grocer have a =22neat=22 deli that would
>give a free hot dog with drink purchase? Would a Chuck E. Cheese store
>offer you tokens/coupons to give out?
>
>At one school where I worked, I offered a =22treat=22 to the first class
>that was totally clear. Teachers got into it and =22encouraged=22 the
>kids...I gave the winning class several boxes of the =22all natural=22 =
>fruit
>popsicles. That seemed to be a hit. At my most recent school it was a
>long standing tradition that report cards were not released to kids who
>were delinquent. The parents came to get the report cards and paid at
>that time. That worked very well, too.
>
>What about pencils, buttons, bookmarks, or stickers from Demco,
>Brodart,
>Oriental Trading Company, etc.?
>
>I know, I know - but I use CANDY - jolly ranchers and starbursts. I
>offer alternatives to students who can=27t have candy - bookmarks, free
>donated book, or sugar free candy. I also get on the phone and =22nag=22
>the parents.
>
>My standard class reward is to invite the kids to bring their lunches
>into the library to eat and then I give them brownies with whipped cream
>or ice cream for dessert. They love it=21 They hate eating in our
>cafeteria, which has all the appeal of refugee center and love coming to
>the library and sitting at tables like civilized human beings. I get
>around all the USDA food rules because I=27m not feeding them sweets in
>the cafeteria. In fact they eat more of their lunch with me since I
>won=27t let them have a brownie till they have finished their milk=21 I
>tell them it=27s a Mom thing.=20
>I don=27t reward everyone - I normally reward the first 4 classes to
>clear their records - it=27s amazing what a little peer pressure and a
>brownie will do=21 I get giant economy size boxes of Giradelli brownie mix
>at Costco.
>
>We have used a special assembly for those students who have all books
>returned and fines paid. You have to have the cooperation of the
>teachers who will keep the students who don=27t qualify. We have a
>teacher who has a tai kwan do demonstration team that will do a hour
>show for free. Of course, cost is a big issue. We have also given out
>tiny Toostie Rolls. I can=27t say that either has been tremendously
>successful.
>
>How about giving coupons - for ice cream in the cafeteria at lunch or
>cookies at lunch - maybe even a =22get out of class=22 early coupon - I =
>even
>gave 2 free copies from the xerox machine (we charge a nickel per copy).
>The kids loved it=21
>
>This doesn=27t exactly fit what you are wanting, but here=27s one thing
>that we do. It works fairly well. I give each teacher a class set of
>coupons on Monday. Throughout the week, the students turn in their
>=22lottery=22 tickets. We will only let the student turn in the ticket if
>the library record is clear. Then on Friday, I draw out a certain
>number of names for prizes. We re-check each child=27s name to make sure
>the library record is still clear. If not, we draw out another name to
>replace the one who has fines/overdues. Then we give out prizes such as
>dollar store coloring books, playing cards, etc. This way, I don=27t have
>to give out a huge number of prizes, but it does encourage all students
>to participate. They then have a chance of winning.=20
>
>Well I collect paperbacks from my bookfairs and books left over from my
>reading clubs. The first class to get all books in gets a free book for
>each student.
>
>Pencils are good
>
>If you use planet http://planetreport.com/Site/form.html and get their
>free stuff you
>can use that. I have done brownie explosion parties-I
>make brownies, they add whip cr=E8me and sprinkles. =20
>
>I have a bucket of games-they can have game day.
>
>Homemade cookies.
>
>Popsicles.
>
>Pop popcorn and give out in coffee filters (the cheapest container
>there is)
Toni Buzzeo, MA, MLIS <mailto:tonibuzzeo@tonibuzzeo.com>
Maine Library Media Specialist of the Year Emerita
Maine Association of School Libraries Board Member
Buxton, ME 04093
http://www.tonibuzzeo.com
Our Librarian Won't Tell Us ANYTHING! A Mrs. Skorupski Story,
illustrated by Sachiko Yoshikawa (Upstart 2006) BRAND NEW!!
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