1 MILLION BOOKS! 85,000 FROM THE GREENWOOD DISTRICT!

 1000 books per church  Book donation based on apportionment percentage  Contribute funds  Any amount  Based on apportionment percentage EQUITY IN COLLECTING BOOKS

 Shelving  Average bookshelf – 3’ in length  ~ 8-10 books per shelf  168 books per 7’ bookshelf  Would need ~506 7’ bookshelves  Boxes  ~8-10 books per box  Would need boxes STORAGE ISSUES

WHICH BOOKS TO PURCHASE?

BISHOP’S CRITERIA  Must be NEW  Target Audience (PK-3 through 3 rd grade)  Age appropriate  Reading levels  Martha’s suggestions

MARTHA’S SUGGESTIONS  Use library selection criteria  Age and developmentally appropriate (reading levels and content)  Aligned with school curriculum (K-3)  Based on interests of children  Multicultural (content and language)  Selected from reliable sources (award winners, reviews suggested reading lists)  Up-to-date (non-fiction: no more than 3 years old)

MARTHA’S SUGGESTIONS  Create district book list  Divided by age range  Multiple copies of same titles  Employ LMSs and teachers  Publish district list

HOW TO FIND BOOKS  Suggested Reading Lists  SCASL Book Awards (  Pinterest (  District web page (  Public library  School library  Book Stores  Teachers/librarians (public and school)

LOGISTICS – COLLECTION AND DISTRIBUTION  Individual churches  Collect  Transport to Annual Conference  Deliver to District for transportation  District  Have one collection site  Establish collection points  Transport to AC

LOGISTICS – COLLECTION AND DISTRIBUTION  District – Vendor Collaboration  Easy to create district reading list  Individualized/on-site assistance  Guaranteed availability  Free processing (bookplates)  Nominal fee for library processing  Free shipping  Order tracking  Pricing incentives

LOGISTICS – COLLECTION AND DISTRIBUTION  District – Vendor Collaboration  Churches use district reading list  Churches collect money  Churches send money to District Office  District Office generates book order  Vendor fills order  Vendor processes books (FREE)  Vendor delivers books to distribution sites (FREE)  Vendor sends invoice  Can be completed in time for AC!

QUESTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION  Who will decide what books to purchase?  How will books be purchased?  How will you collect the books?  Where and how will you store the books?  Where will the distribution sites be?  How will the books be delivered to the distribution sites?

 How will you keep track of books that are awaiting distribution? Will you even need to do that?  How will you track who (adult mentors) gets books and where the books are donated?  Who will be in charge of publicity (i.e., articles, pictures, interviews with recipients, parents, mentors)?  Will you collect data? If so, when? (weekly, monthly, quarterly?)  Will you consider continuing this literacy initiative for the next year (even if Annual Conference moves on to another project) ?

SUGGESTIONS FOR COLLECTING FUNDS OR BOOKS  “Noisy Offering”: pass metal containers during worship service offering time. Ask congregation to contribute their change.  Wall of Remembrance: Ask congregation to contribute $10 in memory or in honor of a loved one, special person, group (i.e., choir, pastors, circle), or for birthdays. All honored and donors listed in bulletin or newsletter or on a bulletin board.  Celebrate a “Book Sunday”: Ask students to stand at doors of church with book bags. As congregation leaves, they contribute to buy books. Goal could be $1 for each church member (similar to Souper Bowl Sunday collection).  Establish a Literacy Foundation: Ask congregation to contribute as they are able. This would create an on-going literacy initiative in the local congregation.  Adopt this initiative as a mission project  Establish partnerships with local businesses, agencies, and other churches  Create a literacy closet at the local church: Any books (purchased with donated funds or contributed by individuals based on suggested reading list) stored here until distributed. Make monthly update reports to congregation to keep interest high.

IDEAS FOR DISTRIBUTION OF BOOKS  Keep books at each church; distribute in local community  Place a book in each book bag for churches participating in the backpack ministry of providing food to students for the weekend.  Use the money from the Literacy Foundation for (a) providing grants to schools and community groups to purchase books for students; (b) providing funds to allow indigent students to purchase books from school book fairs; (c) help fund visits from authors and provide a book for each child.  Establish partnership with local schools to provide books to students in after-school childcare programs  Provide books through the Good News Clubs  Work with Teacher Cadet programs in local high schools to provide books to students

IDEAS FOR DISTRIBUTION OF BOOKS  Establish partnership with college/university teacher education programs to provide books through the student teachers  Establish partnership with local after-school programs beyond the public school to provide books to participants  Establish reading groups in the local church; read and then give a book to each child present  Work with public library to provide books to children who participate in the story time sessions  Make family literacy a part of special church events; have an activity based on a book; give a copy of the book to each family that participates  Work with schools to volunteer mentors to read with and to struggling students. Give each child a copy of one of the books read.  Host district literacy events, such as a Read-In. Invite families to participate. Provide books for reading at the event. Give books to children who participate.