Need to raise funds for your school library media center this fall? Why not host a read-a-thon? Whether your school is meeting on-campus, distance learning, or both, a read-a-thon may be just the thing to unify your students toward two common goals -- enjoying great books and raising money for the library, too! Find Out about My Experience! The video that is linked below describes my experience with the Read-a-thon.com organization. In 2018 and 2019, I hosted read-a-thons through them and was very happy with our results! Unfortunately, my 2020 read-a-thon had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but I am hopeful that my school will be able to have one this year! The first video link below will take you to my YouTube channel page. The second link is my FREE read-a-thon planning guide! I hope both of them help you decide whether or not a read-a-thon is right for your school! Host a Read-a-Thon video Read-a-Thon Planning ... Keep Reading...
School Library Money Matters
Money Matters Have you started thinking about your 2020-2021 budget yet? I’m guessing that 99% of school librarians ponder funding quite a bit in the summertime. Let’s face it, in our school libraries… money matters! Getting books and e-books into kids’ hands is not an inexpensive endeavor. Renewing subscriptions for online resources and setting up library centers creates a dent in even the most generous collection of funds. Fortunately, most of us manage a district budget, book fair proceeds, and an assortment of payments for lost or damaged books throughout the year. Sustaining our programs usually requires every bit of those funds. On top of that, most of us probably dream (and scheme) about acquiring more money to keep our programs growing! Without a doubt, keeping up with the money is an important part of a librarian's duties. In fact, one of the first things a new librarian needs to do is make friends with the school’s bookkeeper. Of course, at my school this fall, I’m the ... Keep Reading...