Book Fairs

[vividha khare]

It's easy for elementary kids to get excited about book fairs what about high school. How to make them interested. Anyone who has been hosting book fairs for high school?

I am looking for ideas and suggestions......

[Laurie Scriven]

I am interested also.  Scholastic doesn't provide much for high school and we no longer have Borders.  Any vendor suggestions?

[Emily Auerswald]

We're running into this, too.  We have a school-wide (PK-12) book fair at Barnes & Noble each year/  Each division's library has a "wish list" table of books, and choruses sing throughout the evening.  The LS library receives loads of books... we are lucky if we get a couple.  I have chalked it up to not only the US students having an interest, but their parents, as well.  After a decade of schlepping the kids to every event and taking part in every fundraiser, I think they're a bit tired of it (understandably!) - so if a kid can drive himself to a performance, then by all means, they let him go on his own!

[Deborah Lyman]

We tried a book fair last fall of 2010, for a week, through Scholastic.  It was the first book fair, ever for our school.   We also had it opened one night of parent conferences.  The issue we had was actually with Scholastic because they really don't offer much of a selection for 9-12.  They "peak" at the middle school level.

We were trying to fund raise for eReaders and we didn't even make enough for a cash profit, just enough for "points" through Scholastic.  The points are used for whatever they have in their catalog...again very little for the HS level.

All the English classes came through, we book talked some of the books but because the selection wasn't really on their level, there wasn't much being purchased.  I discussed this problem with the rep. and she assured me they would look into it.

 

You are right.  In all my years as an elementary librarian, we had profits in the thousands, but last year transferring to the HS I thought I'd carry on the tradition as the "book fair librarian".  It just didn't work out for us.  Good luck with yours!!

[Elizabeth Nebeker]

I know this was asked a few years ago, but it is still relevant. I will be a new HS librarian in the fall and I am also moving from elementary. Book Fairs made a lot of money for the library, so I am hoping that I can figure something out for high school. I agree that Scholastic is limited, so I have contacted a local book seller and we are working on creating a selection of book relevant to the high school. I am excited about this because I am supporting an independent business and hopefully creating something my patrons will appreciate.