[CALIBK12] overdue books!!! A fun solution.

[ladewig]

For Darla and others:

 

I have, at various times during the year, a "contest" or "drawing" to
encourage book returns. Since my students come on a fixed schedule, they
MUST bring back their book(s) on their library day that particular week in
order to participate. In October, I have a Guess the Weight of the Pumpkin
contest - and as they check in, if they have all items in, they get an entry
slip. If not, they don't. The only exception I make is for absence, band
practice, etc. which usually doesn't affect many students. At Valentine's
Day, I fill a jar with candy hearts and they get to guess how many there
are. They love this and it is amazing to see the breadth of their guesses.
(Did they really think Mrs. Ladewig could carry in a pumpkin that weighed
500 pounds?!!!!)

 

Today I just announced our annual "Snow Globe" drawing - I bought one for
each grade level 4th - 6th  (3 globes) and will randomly choose 3 names,
then check their library record to be sure they had their books in on time
at the last checkout. If their book(s) are lost, they must have them paid
for by Friday morning, Dec. 21. I bought the snow globes (plastic) at
Walgreen's. They occasionally have them on sale for 2 or 3 for $1, but this
year I paid $1 each, since a lot of their selection is defective (I want
smiling snowmen, not frowning ones!).

 

One year for Read Across America, I had the younger ones guess the number of
colored fish ("One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish") in the "tank" (a
clear acrylic jar). The "fish" were Pepperidge Farm snack crackers.

 

You could also get a box or two of the inexpensive gingerbread cookie men
and fill up a jar, or read and green jelly beans, etc. Just before spring
break I do a "Jelly Bean Egg Guess" for the 3rd graders.

 

I've also had a "Book Mark Day" and handed out "nicer" bookmarks rather than
scrap construction paper strips (I always have a box of those at the end of
the counter) or ones I've made on the office copy machine.

 

I don't award the jar of candy (although you could) - I usually give out a
paperback book, etc.  You could take the candy to the staff room or whatever
(I don't want the winner getting sick, and I don't want kids counting the
items and telling me I was a bean or two off!).

 

Most of my students are pretty good about getting books back on time, but
some need a little extra incentive. This is a fun way of giving lots of kids
a chance to try (guessing contest) as well as some kids the incentive to
finally get their lost books paid for.

 

For guessing contests, I wouldn't go below 3rd grade - it's too time
consuming to have them all write down their names, etc. on the slips.

 

Joanne Ladewig  (A.K.A. "Library Lady")

Library Media Tech

Lawrence Elementary, GGUSD

Garden Grove, California

shatz at verizon.net

 

Comments are my own and may not represent the views of GGUSD

 

  _____  

From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu
[mailto:calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu] On Behalf Of Magana. Darla
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2007 12:53 PM
To: calibk12 at listproc.sjsu.edu
Subject: [CALIBK12] overdue books!!!

 

Hi Collegues,

Any "new" ideas for helping our young patrons to understand the importance
of returning library books on time?  We don't charge fines and we don't want
to charge fines, but we are hoping to impress upon the young scholars  that
libraries are wonderful and full of free stuff, but the system only works if
you turn your stuff back in!!

 

Thanks for your thoughts,

Darla

 

 

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