Our Library Donation Sale

(sample bookfair items, courtesy of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood)

Occasionally a parent will ask if the library ever holds a traditional book fair. The short answer is "no." The long answer comes with some history. We have held book fairs in the past, at least four times with Scholastic and several other times with independent booksellers. Here's why we don't do them anymore:

• Sales. I don't like selling things to children at school. It is plain confusing for children to have a library that is free all year and then starts charging $$ for books. School should be a commercial-free zone, as much as possible.
• Tears. I felt so sorry for the children who forgot their money or whose families chose not to purchase books. There were lots of tears. When I gave this reason to one vendor, he sanctimoniously explained to me that it helps children develop character when they learn that they don't get everything they want. I think we can work on character development through literature and personal interaction, not through sad events around $$$ at school.
• Junk. Scholastic would send lots of tv tie-ins, fashion accessories and books with necklaces, feathers, stickers, and other gimmicks. Our children are already inundated with marketing. When the volunteers and I would hide those items, a Scholastic rep would drop by and pull them all out. "You'll never make $$$ if you don't sell these!" she insisted.
• Scope. As I tried to help parents find the right book for their child, I could think of a dozen library books I could recommend, but none that were for sale. The breadth and depth of the offerings was paltry.
• Diversity. I was embarrassed by the lack of diversity in the offerings. I wrote to Scholastic, asking "Where are the books featuring children of color?" Their reply was along the lines of, "You didn't request the 'multicultural' book cart and your school's demographic didn't seem to need it." How do I begin to answer that? It's unconscionable.
  
• Interruptions. The book fair would monopolize the library for a week. We had to cancel library classes. The children would parade through with their teachers , missing school time that could better be spent learning or reading.
• Access. Our families, in general, don't lack access to children's books. We have lots of public library users. Our kids get to bookstores often. The proof? Every year, our families donate hundreds of books to book drives for needy children.
  

So, our only fundraiser is the library donation sale. Our library is full of books with bookplates, treasured markers that note that the book a gift in honor of someone special. Children love finding the names of family members and pets. Many children come and visit "their" book throughout their elementary years, as though it were a special friend in the library.

Come to the Barbecue, October 2! We will have hundreds of books "for sale," shelf-ready titles that the library needs. It's a tangible way to show your child that you support the school, and many families enjoy selecting a book or two together. See you there!