Book Fairs

Many CMCSS schools use Scholastic as their book fair vendor, but you may use other vendors. If you are interested in using a different vendor check with them for their benefits and materials. Book fairs are fundraisers and require administrative approval prior to planning your book fair. The school librarian is required to complete a Fundraiser Authorization form ISA-F008. Your bookkeeper can help with this form. Make sure you clarify that the library will receive the profits from the book fair. Some schools allow other organizations (PTO) to host the book fair, and they receive the profits.

Guidelines

Each school is allowed to host more than one book fair during a school year. If you choose to host a Scholastic book fair, you will need to access your Chairperson’s Tool Kit by going to Scholastic's Book Fairs Website. You will need a username and password. This site will have the most current information about the percentage of profit your school library will receive for hosting the fair, completing financial forms, resource catalog, fair files, etc.

Steps to set up Book Fair

1. Talk to your principal for fundraiser approval and discuss potential dates.

2. Contact the school bookkeeper for the Fundraiser Authorization form or download from district website (ISA-F008). You should complete this at least 4-6 weeks in advance.

3. Contact Scholastic and/or set up online Scholastic account. Our district is assigned a representative. Set dates for book fair with your rep.

4. Plan your fair using the Scholastic’s Online Chairperson Toolkit.

5. Contact volunteers to assist you during the book fair.

6. When book fair arrives, set up book fair in designated area.

7. Contact the school bookkeeper for book fair start up money. Depending on your school level your start up cash/change can range from $50.00 to $300.00 Note: This can be taken out of your book fair account or your fines and fees account depending on your grade level. These accounts are included in your library accounts.

8. During book fair, money must be logged on a CMCSS Collection Log daily. Check with your school’s bookkeeper for the form and procedures. Please remember to deduct your start-up cash.

9. If using Scholastic, fill out your financial form within your tool kit at the end of your book fair. Give it to your bookkeeper so they can pay Scholastic. Make sure to print out a final report from each register so you know how many Scholastic dollars were used, total sales, number of credit cards/amount, etc.

Donations and ALL FOR BOOKS/Coin Drives

1. Scholastic does not have the right to approve a school for collecting donations for any reason. This can only be approved by the school principal and district CFO. If a school plans on having a donation box during the book fair or any form of pre-collection of funds, this must be included with your fundraiser authorization form and be approved by both the principal and the CFO. (Coin Wars or other solicited donations held prior to book fair would require a separate fundraiser authorization form be approved by principal and CFO.)

2. If approved, any donations collected must be collected in a secured manner (sealed/tamper resistant container or under the watch/control of 2 individuals at all times) and funds counted at the end of each day by two people, count sheet completed, and collections deposited daily. No open boxes/containers just sitting on a desk.

3. Funds collected through fundraisers such as this may not be credited to individual students. A process may be preapproved that allows funds collected to be used by teachers to purchase books for their classrooms for students to read, check-out, etc. or for the librarian to purchase for students to read, check-out etc., but funds should not be raised and given or credited to individual students.

4. Daily cash register reports must be printed at the end of the day and a copy attached to the daily collection log submitted to the bookkeeper. Bookkeeper should ensure that funds collected per cash register report matches the funds being deposited for the day. Any differences should be promptly reconciled.

5. At the end of the event, a summary cash register report should be printed and a copy submitted to the bookkeeper to use in completing the profit analysis report with the following documents attached to the profit analysis report: ISA-F018B (Profit Analysis Report).

• Copy of Scholastic Report/Book Fair Invoice that details sales, sales tax collected, profit options and amount due Scholastic.

• Copy of scholastic summary by cash register report for the event.

• Copy of Account History Report for account #908000.000 that shows funds collected and payment of invoice and any prizes/food that may have been purchased for the fundraiser event itself.

Helpful Hints

• You may be responsible for recruiting volunteers to assist you with your book fair. A good way to find help is to have a sign-up sheet at Open House and ask everyone if they would like to help with a fair. Get names, phone numbers and email addresses.

• Establish a book fair schedule with dates and times and relay this information to school personnel, students, parents, and community.

• Give guidelines to teachers about how many students can attend at a time, how long they can attend and the minimum amount of money students need to visit the book fair. Offering teachers discounts or free books helps motivate them to let kids come to the fair.

• Provide preview times for classes. Use the book fair video to promote the book fair.

• Scholastic provides cash register(s) for their book fairs. If you want more than one register speak with your Scholastic representative about extra registers. Also, since Scholastic is run via Wi-Fi, make sure you set up your register and check that the router Scholastic has provided is working and connecting to Wi-Fi before your book fair begins.

• Take a picture of each case/table before you start sales. If a book sells out, you can look at the picture to see what should be in the empty spot in the case/table.

• Call Scholastic before 11 AM to restock items. Have your account number handy when placing your restock order. You will usually get the restock order around noon the next day. You can also order restock items through email: restockcentral@scholasticbookfairs.com and through the Scholastic Book Fair App.

• Don’t panic if you lose a credit card receipt. Scholastic uses the information on the registers, not the actual receipts.

• Some schools provide a display for teachers to make a wish list (books purchased by students and parents which are then donated to the classroom).

• Book fairs can be held in conjunction with other school events such as:

- Open House

- Parent Teacher Conference Nights

- Read Across America Week

- Grandparents Day

- Night of the Arts

- School Play

- Evening athletic game in the building (e.g. basketball or volleyball game)