Here is what you all said in answer to my question about Books Are Fun. Thank you
so much to everyone who emailed me back!
LM_NET Subscriber Feedback: Books Are Fun
They have set up in our office for faculty and staff to purchase. I think they only
gave us 1 free book per 10 bought. Have gotten up to 4 or 5 before.
I have had Books are Fun Book Fairs for several years. The incentives/profits are
similar to Scholastic in money or merchandise from the fair. We had a great
selection of books and had a significantly larger number of sales due to things for
all ages especially for adults who come and for High school students who came. WE
are a Pre-K through 12 school. I was told this fall that books are fun were not
doing book fairs in Oklahoma this school year.
Simple, easy and profitable
A Books Are Fun representative delivers books to our teachers’ lounge once a month
and he marks the date that he will return. All staff can browse the selection, mark
what they want on the order form, and put a check in the envelope that is provided.
He returns, checks what is needed, takes the money and leaves the books. The
library receives 1, 2, or 3 books depending on how much has been ordered. I mark my
choices before he returns. Sometimes there is not much to select from for an
elementary library, but there are some very interesting titles for adults and
preschool.
I dealt with my local rep. He isn’t doing book fairs anymore but he had 2 other
people working for him. He is into other adventures, t-shirts, etc. Anyway, they
set up the fair and restocked it. I could have had one of them actually run it for
me, but I didn’t. Since it is a division of Reader’s Digest, there were lots of
different kinds of books that aren’t in a typical Scholastic book fair. If you have
Books Are Fun come into your school and put books and other stuff in the lounge for
teachers/staff to purchase, that is the kind books that are in the fair. Discounted
books, usually 50-60% off were there, 2 books sets, pillows, stuffed animals,
thermos sets, etc. I made 30% profit. If there was a certain amount that I had to
sell to get 30%, I didn’t know about it. I sold as little at $2700 and a little
more than $4000 and always got 30% in money - not merchandise. If I wanted
anything, I would just but it. I am going to go on line and see who my rep would be
since my other rep isn’t doing books fairs. I have been asked more than once this
year when book fair will be. I had 3 last year.
They go over well here in our area. The vendor sets up a display in the teachers’
lounge or where ever. The teachers/staff put in their orders based on the books on
display. After a couple weeks, the orders are dropped off. The prices are often
very good.
I have had several book fairs with Books Are Fun. Everyone has nothing but good
comments. My teachers were tired of Scholastic. I was tired of same books, cases of
the same books, and setting up. I have around 600 students and sold over $4000.00.
Don’t know your situation, but this is big sales for me.
I don’t know how much profit we make, but Books are Fun has a variety of
merchandise at good prices. The LMS at my school brings in Books are Fun several
times a year.
I found that they had more than their fair share of “Christian” books, tapes, etc.
Perhaps that was just the bias of our local supplier.
We have a display from Books are fun about every 2 months. They are sold to staff
members. We get one free book for every 10 sold. I get a free book just for having
the display. They have nice things and the prices are good. Our people that deliver
are very nice and responsible.
I used them until the rep moved out of town and the new rep was pretty
non-responsive. It’s nice because they have a good mix of books and gifts. Even
with a very small staff I always got at least a few free books. The prices are good.
I had a book fair with them once, and it was amazing!! I made more money than I
ever did with other vendors.
We have Books Are Fun come in once a month and set up a display for the teachers.
Even with that limited population buying, we still have a few items that we get
free for the library every time. I know I buy a lot of things from them for gifts
because they are quality publications, and their prices are really good.
I have bought books from them over the past 10 years. What they do for our schools
is to bring in a display every other month or so with a variety of items ranging
from pre-school books, games, etc to adult items such as cookbooks, etc. There are
a few miscellaneous items like right now my display has a stadium seat, a CD
holder, and some scrapbook stuff. The items are discounted to the teachers and
staff. They display the items for about a week and then who ever is in charge of it
faxes in the order and the next day they deliver the items to the school. At other
schools I have been at, they come and fill the order on the due date. Our guy
doesn’t want to carry around all the items and since he is local it works for us to
fax the order to him the day before.
I use Books are Fun for staff only. It’s easy and you get free books for the
library, plus one for yourself if you’re the contact person. Good prices, too.
I did it for a time. They have some cute things. We would just sell to teachers by
putting out the things in the lounge. Every month (or however often if was), I
would get to keep two items for the library from that order. Usually I picked
things that I might use as a prize for a special purpose, such as a wall calendar.
It was easy. However, the woman who did it at our school moved away and I never was
approached again by anyone else. You won’t make a lot of money but you can pick up
a few things for the library. (Actually, I don’t think I made any money)
We set it up for our teachers in the lounge. They can buy what they want and we
usually get a free book for the library. Unfortunately, many of the books are
preschool and elementary so sometimes it’s difficult to find one for our high
school library. Our teachers do like it, especially around the holidays.
I have had Books Are Fun come to most of the schools where I have worked. It is
strictly a teacher shopping experience--they don’t generally do book fairs as such.
I think the success of it depends on your rep. We’ve been lucky--we haven’t ever
had any problems and generally get a few books a year for the library at no cost to
us.
Books are fun comes to our school and has been coming for several years. I have
never had any problems with them. The only issue I have, is that lots of times
there is not any books for high school to choose from. Other than that, all has
been great. Teachers use it to purchase presents for all occasions.
We have a books are fun display in the main office right now, so there are probably
also displays at our elementary schools, too. We don’t usually do a book fair with
them, but I know the Pink Ladies a tour local (rural hospital) have books fairs
sponsored by them a couple times a year and do well.
We had the Books Are Fund every month at my last school in Nebraska. It was great
for us there. That might have had a lot to do with the fact that we were 2hrs. from
a book store. We earned books for the library & the staff loved the bargains.
Is this the company that sends in books (mostly) for faculty/staff to buy? We don’t
tend to sell as many in our high school bldg. as our elementary does. The school
and/or library earn free items based on the sales total. We have never had a
problem with them that I know of.
We have been using it for about three years - and we are going to cancel. The local
distributor does not come with enough items to complete orders on the assigned day,
he no longer leaves a receipt with the purchases (just a post-it note with a name
on the stack of items one purchased). And, an issue with lack of change is
developing. These may just be local issues, of course.
We have had the Books are Fun for many years. We have gotten a lot of good books
for free over the years. You receive about 1 book for every ten that is sold. We
generally take items that they have displayed, but if there is not anything that we
want or need, we take credit and redeem it at a later date.
Annarose Foley, Graduate Student
SUNY Albany/MSIS for LIS/SLMS
Alanna_Trebond@hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:06:37 -0400> From:
alanna_trebond@HOTMAIL.COM> Subject: GEN: Books Are Fun> To:
LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU> > Hello! I am researching the Books Are Fun
(http://www.booksarefun.com) fundraising opportunity and am wondering if anyone has
put it to the test and would be willing to recount their experience with it!
Thanks!>> Annarose Foley, Graduate Student> SUNY Albany/MSIS for LIS/SLMS>
Alanna_Trebond@hotmail.com
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