[CALIBK12] FW: Lost textbooks - a "$100,000" reward?

[Darla Brown]

Hey Joanne: This reminds me of a tradition in the junior highs/middle schools in the Bakersfield City School District: The day before our global due date (or whatever you call the date all books are due-this was usually a Friday) we had "Treat Thursday," and advertised heavily in advance. I bought a few large bags of Tootsie Pops and sat down at a table at the door to the library during breaks, lunch, etc. Every student who turned in a book "early" (even if it were overdue) would get a treat. It worked wonders, and never cost more than $20!
Mrs. Darla Brown, TL, M.Ed.
Teacher Librarian
Garces Memorial High School
"60 Years of Excellence in Catholic Education"
661-327-2578 x133
dbrown at garces.org


From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu [mailto:calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu] On Behalf Of ladewig
Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2008 8:35 PM
To: CALIB POST
Subject: [CALIBK12] FW: Lost textbooks - a "$100,000" reward?

Just for fun it might be interesting to see what a reward of "$100,000" will do. That is, a "$100,000 Bar" brand candy bar, of course!  What if you announced a certain week (maybe just before report cards?) when any and all late or lost books turned in would each generate a candy bar, and inside one or more of those, there would be a "Golden Ticket" (a la Charlie) good for a dance or football game pass, etc.? You could also do a drawing of names in general and reward them for having no books overdue at the semester. Maybe award a giant candy bar to them?
I realize this has a "cost" factor but it seems like if you got a particularly good response for the cost, you would profit by regaining the time spent continually bugging the kids about the books. What I mean is, if one hour's salary equivalent spent on a case of candy bars "saves" you ten hours of time tracking and generating overdue letters, and maybe even gets you some books you thought you'd never get back or paid for, seems like it's worth it.
Joanne Ladewig  (A.K.A. "Library Lady")
Library Media Tech
Lawrence Elementary, GGUSD
Garden Grove, California
shatz at verizon.net<mailto:shatz at verizon.net>


Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic.
Comments are my own and may not represent the views of GGUSD

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From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu [mailto:calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu] On Behalf Of Sandy Patton
Sent: Friday, October 17, 2008 1:13 PM
To: Lori Lienau; CALIBK12 at lists.sjsu.edu
Subject: Re: [CALIBK12] Lost textbooks issues

We (textbook clerk and I) give a list  of students with library books and textbooks overdue to the ASB and the Banker.
 For starters, they can't buy tickets to the Winter Formal  or to the Prom. they aren't "Seniors in good standing" so they can't pick up their yearbooks, or cap and gown for graduation.  That works.
   We used to hold their schedules from them at Registration during the summer, but last year I couldn't get our new program to print out a list including fines and overdues in excel (I'm not saying it can't be done, I just can't do it.)  We just sent out overdue notices to everyone, and we got a good response that way.   Oh, the surprised 9th graders who still had materials out!  ("But that was from MIddle School!" they exclaimed.  Many acknowledged that they still had the books at home. ) We also won't check out library books if they have an overdue library book from the previous year.
  One spring I mailed the notices home in addition.

Sandy Patton
Teacher Librarian / National Board Certified
Lakewood High School
Long Beach Unified School District

>>> "Lori Lienau" <llienau at gmail.com> 10/17/08 12:24 PM >>>
Please help,  I need to give my Principal information on how other schools pursue the thousands of dollars lost in library and textbooks that are not returned each year. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Lori Lienau
Teacher Librarian
Porterville High School
.
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