5 Tips on Starting a Book Award in Your School Library
I've been running a book award for two years now and it's a lot of fun. It does make for a lot of work but it can involve a lot of students, staff and of course authors which makes it worthwhile.
The rules of the award are that the books must be current. For instance, the books chosen for the 2019 Bookling will have to have been published in 2018 or '19.
The longlist is made up in Oct or Nov and consists of approximately 24 books. From there I narrow it down to 6 books. I narrow it down through borrowing stats, student reviews and input. This award is student led (as you'll see below) so their input is crucial. The only thing I do to interfere is that I don't really want a book that everyone knows about. I want a book that is really popular within the school but maybe hasn't got the recognition it deserves.
I try to make the book award a bigger and better event each year. Here are some things that I've learned along the way that have made ours fun and engaging for everyone involved.
1. Create a Name
Instead of simply calling it The Glenthorne High School Book Award (and there's nothing wrong with that, really) I wanted to give it a name that stuck.
I was lucky because in one of my first book club meetings four years ago I asked the students who were then in Year 8 to come up with a name for the group. One student suggested "The Booklings" and it stuck.
It made sense, then, to call our book award "The Bookling" as it had a nice ring to it and carried some weight. I wanted authors to feel like they were winning The Carnegie or an Oscar but on a much smaller level.
2. Promote It
This goes without saying but I've come up with a few ways that have helped spread the word:
Have a coffee morning for staff - Every year I have coffee and doughnuts in the Library either after school or just before where staff can come in, have a snack and a coffee or tea and hear me book talk the shortlisted books. Staff can then borrow the books and provide feedback at a later date.
Create a hashtag for social media & tag the authors - every time I tweet or use Instagram and it relates to the book award, I use #TheBookling so others can follow. All of the authors of the shortlist are tagged on Twitter and Instagram as are their publishers. This is an excellent way to spread the word.
Students also make bookmarks using Canva, posters, alternate covers and book-talk the books during the tutor times (homeroom) of other year groups.
The shortlist is placed in the staff bulletin and advertised on the television screens in the school's Hub.
During Library Lessons, I get to promote the books to over 500 students over a period of two weeks. I also visit year group and House assemblies to bring attention to them.
I hold review-writing contests based on the books and create windowsill displays with each of the books.
One year I made 6-word book reviews of the books and printed them on A3 paper to help promote them around the school.
3. Get Feedback
I know that I'm not going to get every student in the school to read these books, but it doesn't stop me from trying. To gather input I create a Survey Monkey every year that all Year 7 and 8 students take part in.
In the survey I provide the book covers, the blurb and the first page of each book (in separate questions). I get the students to pick their favourites and to provide feedback on which blurbs or first pages grabbed them the most and which ones they'd like to read.
This is an amazing way to get a better picture of the most popular book outside of borrowing stats.
4. Involve the Authors
We interact with the authors in some way or another. If I can get an author to visit, it's the best way to promote the award. Sure, it might sway the students' minds somewhat but at the end of the day we're trying to get the students to fall in love with reading so I'm okay with it. If we can't get the author in we Skype or conduct a Twitter chat with them over a lunch hour.
One way or another we involve the authors as much as possible to spread the word and to get the students to meet them either in person or virtually.
5. Create an Event Around the Award
Every year I invite the authors, either in person or via Skype or Twitter to take part in our Awards Ceremony.
This event is run by our Student Library Assistants. We have food, games, quizzes and of course the awards. Every year we award best cover and then The Bookling itself. I live-Tweet the event as we're doing it.
Every year I spend around £10 and buy a trophy with the details of the award engraved on it. We send this out to the authors, it makes it real and cements their status as a Bookling winner.
I hope you've found these tips helpful. If you run an award I'd love to hear about it as I'm always trying to make The Bookling a bigger and better event!
The rules of the award are that the books must be current. For instance, the books chosen for the 2019 Bookling will have to have been published in 2018 or '19.
The longlist is made up in Oct or Nov and consists of approximately 24 books. From there I narrow it down to 6 books. I narrow it down through borrowing stats, student reviews and input. This award is student led (as you'll see below) so their input is crucial. The only thing I do to interfere is that I don't really want a book that everyone knows about. I want a book that is really popular within the school but maybe hasn't got the recognition it deserves.
I try to make the book award a bigger and better event each year. Here are some things that I've learned along the way that have made ours fun and engaging for everyone involved.
1. Create a Name
Instead of simply calling it The Glenthorne High School Book Award (and there's nothing wrong with that, really) I wanted to give it a name that stuck.
I was lucky because in one of my first book club meetings four years ago I asked the students who were then in Year 8 to come up with a name for the group. One student suggested "The Booklings" and it stuck.
It made sense, then, to call our book award "The Bookling" as it had a nice ring to it and carried some weight. I wanted authors to feel like they were winning The Carnegie or an Oscar but on a much smaller level.
2. Promote It
This goes without saying but I've come up with a few ways that have helped spread the word:
Have a coffee morning for staff - Every year I have coffee and doughnuts in the Library either after school or just before where staff can come in, have a snack and a coffee or tea and hear me book talk the shortlisted books. Staff can then borrow the books and provide feedback at a later date.
Create a hashtag for social media & tag the authors - every time I tweet or use Instagram and it relates to the book award, I use #TheBookling so others can follow. All of the authors of the shortlist are tagged on Twitter and Instagram as are their publishers. This is an excellent way to spread the word.
Students also make bookmarks using Canva, posters, alternate covers and book-talk the books during the tutor times (homeroom) of other year groups.
The shortlist is placed in the staff bulletin and advertised on the television screens in the school's Hub.
During Library Lessons, I get to promote the books to over 500 students over a period of two weeks. I also visit year group and House assemblies to bring attention to them.
I hold review-writing contests based on the books and create windowsill displays with each of the books.
One year I made 6-word book reviews of the books and printed them on A3 paper to help promote them around the school.
3. Get Feedback
I know that I'm not going to get every student in the school to read these books, but it doesn't stop me from trying. To gather input I create a Survey Monkey every year that all Year 7 and 8 students take part in.
In the survey I provide the book covers, the blurb and the first page of each book (in separate questions). I get the students to pick their favourites and to provide feedback on which blurbs or first pages grabbed them the most and which ones they'd like to read.
This is an amazing way to get a better picture of the most popular book outside of borrowing stats.
4. Involve the Authors
We interact with the authors in some way or another. If I can get an author to visit, it's the best way to promote the award. Sure, it might sway the students' minds somewhat but at the end of the day we're trying to get the students to fall in love with reading so I'm okay with it. If we can't get the author in we Skype or conduct a Twitter chat with them over a lunch hour.
One way or another we involve the authors as much as possible to spread the word and to get the students to meet them either in person or virtually.
5. Create an Event Around the Award
Every year I invite the authors, either in person or via Skype or Twitter to take part in our Awards Ceremony.
This event is run by our Student Library Assistants. We have food, games, quizzes and of course the awards. Every year we award best cover and then The Bookling itself. I live-Tweet the event as we're doing it.
Every year I spend around £10 and buy a trophy with the details of the award engraved on it. We send this out to the authors, it makes it real and cements their status as a Bookling winner.
I hope you've found these tips helpful. If you run an award I'd love to hear about it as I'm always trying to make The Bookling a bigger and better event!
Hi Lucas SLS Guernsey and Jersey Library have just launched our first ever Channel Isalnds Children’s Book Award at the beginning of July. We are focusing on yr 5,6 and 7 and will be doing some major promotions between now and October to encourage the students to nominate their favourite books. We are looking for current ones too and hope to have a shortlist out from January to Easter. As it’s our first year we are still finding our feet but every excited to see how this will work. Elizabeth
ReplyDeleteSounds amazing, I look forward to seeing it up and running!
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