Running the book fair reminds me of how hard it is to run a store. My restock items are always hit or miss; I could do better with advertising; and I am fully aware that it takes a team to put on a fair the size of ours. Three registers run during morning "rush hour" as the door person counts out students allowed to enter before the tardy bell rings. Along with the volunteers, teachers earn more angel wing feathers as they allow students to shop during the day.
My husband is a book fair widower twice a year for a week as this goes on. I am home much later and more exhausted than usual, after days of playing store owner and hostess, stressed about running out of popular books and not earning enough for next year's events.
It's been too late for restocking since Thursday evening; we close at noon today so that my wonderful team of volunteers has time to take it all down and help me turn the space from bookstore to library once again. At eight thirty a.m., I'll be sending an email to the teachers to let them know that we'll be clearing their wish bins to let the last of the student shoppers have a chance at buying those hot commodity books. By eleven-thirty we'll be starting to clean up. Promptly at noon, books will be repacked, decorations either trashed or carefully folded up to share with other schools. I'll leave a register open until 130p, for those last minute teacher purchases that have been piled on back chairs.
There is always a student or two who will pop in as we're cleaning, money clenched in fist, eyes widening as they realize they've missed their opportunity to shop. I'll offer apologies and hand them the qr link to our online shopping.
And then it will feel a bit like the day after Christmas holidays are done. The library will look emptier, at least until the books go back on display and the circulation desk gets cluttered once more with bins and schedules, returned books and work piles.
Tomorrow morning, it will be business as usual.
The book fair is an astonishing amount of work; we try to coordinate it with family engagement events like Literacy Lunch to boost the traffic and sales. I hope you all earned lots for those author visits - how exciting! I also hope those kids with money clenched got there in time to purchase their items. As a child I adored the book fair and could hardly wait; it is where I first bought Charlotte's Web. The memory came rushing back as I read. :)
ReplyDeleteIt is equally exciting and exhausting. We did have some last-minute shoppers today, right up to the wire. And yes, we did make a decent amount to pad next year's author visit spending. I'm glad the book fair is a happy memory for you! I don't remember any growing up, just the classroom Scholastic flyers--they bring happy memories, too.
DeleteIt's almost that time of year at my school. I always volunteer to work at our Wednesday PTO night because it's always packed. Yes, the gym gets hot and sometimes I have to walk outside for a bit due to the crowd, but I love seeing how excited the kids are about book shopping.
ReplyDeleteWhen I taught 4th grade, book fairs were amazing. Now that I teach 6th grade, they have lost a little of their magic, which makes me really sad. Working retail before I became a teacher, I totally get the high of the business and the letdown of when it is over.
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