[LM_NET] Books Still Out

[Paula Bainter <pbainter@USD327.ORG>]

We are at K-4 school of 250 students and over 40,000 circulations this
year. I have only one book that has not been paid for or returned this
year. (teacher's kid) It is something of a minor miracle. However, I
started getting books back at the very beginning of the year with a plea
to teachers.  So many of our kids can't afford to pay for lost books so
I enlisted teacher to push for getting overdue books back before they
get buried too deep.

Each Wednesday I sent out an overdue list. The first notice the student
received was just a reminder to return the book. As long as it was
returned within a week there was no harm no foul. The second notice the
student had to come in for recess that afternoon and every Wednesday
afterward until the book came back. I had them spend the time writing "I
will return my overdue book." I then sent the writing home with them as
a reminder. I never had more than 6 or 8 students in all year. 

I have always resisted doing this sort of thing but it does make
students accountable.  I checked the shelves each Wednesday for errors.
I had one student that was unfairly kept in due to a circulation error.
I apologized and let the student pick a free book from the reading prize
box.  I will do it again next year. It worked.



Paula Bainter
Library Media Specialist
Ellsworth Elementary School
110 East 3rd
Ellsworth, Kansas 67439
pbainter@usd327.org
785-472-5554 p.m. Fax 785-472-8110

Want good things to happen?  Do good things. 

"We are confronted with insurmountable opportunities."  - Pogo

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