Book fairs - unfair?
Wednesday, April 28, 2021 at 03:53PM
This email came the other day:
I am trying to generate a discussion in my school district around the topic of book fairs and equity and would like your opinion.
By design, book fairs cater only to those with money. And because they generate money for the schools, the interest in talking about equity and the possibility of ending our relationship with Scholastic Book Fairs, isn't happening.
Twice a year we set up a Scholastic Bookfair in each of the elementary schools and the middle school. Classes come to browse and make purchases. Some students bring cash, others have money put into an electronic account, and others don't have money at all. Racially and economically it is almost always white, privileged, kids who walk out of the bookfair with a stack of new books and it is the kids who need to own books the most that leave empty handed (to be fair, [our school is in an overall a pretty white community], but we do have a growing black/brown population).
Every year there are little kids who pick out the books they want only to find out they don't have money in their account- and then the tears come.
I believe there are also parents who really can't afford to spend money at the bookfair but give their kids ten or fifteen dollars because they feel guilty and don't want their kids feeling left out. This is also a problem and should be factored in.
I brought this up in an email to the principals but I only heard back from one who said she didn't see this as a problem (she is African American so I would have assumed she would have a heightened concern about the racial inequity). [The superintendent] passed me by in one of the schools and said he would send me $200.00 to help out the kids with no money but that really isn't enough and it doesn't address the root of the issue. And....I never received any money.
Have you heard of other Media Specialists being concerned about this? What are your thoughts?
I immediately forwarded the question to a colleague who is a retired school librarian and college professor and is far more “woke” than I who replied:
Are book fairs fair? I don't think so, so that's what I googled. I found this article that pretty much summarizes how I feel, and it brings up a lot of points the email stated. Let Me Ruin Your Childhood: The Inequality of School Book Fairs
Sure, there are subtle ways you can try to provide for those students whose families can't afford to buy them books. The article suggests some. But, those kids know. They know they can't buy as much stuff as others or as much as they want. And, I say "stuff" because so much of merchandise sold at book fairs is junk, not books.
One thing that immediately came to mind as I read [the librarian’s] email was to have a bookstore book fair, the kind where parents are alerted that on a certain day or days, if they purchase books at the local bookstore, the profits go to the school. The public shopping in the store that day can also ask that their purchase profits go to the school's cause, also. That doesn't generally generate as much money as a book fair at school, but it resolves the embarrassment for students who come to the school book fair and can't buy anything. The librarian can use the money at the bookstore for a wider variety of books than Scholastic offers, and the bookstore benefits then, too. It's a win-win. (Follet is now in the book fair business, so I guess they might offer more book choices, but it's still a book fair.)
Another option is to have the book fair on parent conference days/nights. Students can visit the fair during the day to make selections, but they can't buy anything. Only parents can buy things when they come for conferences. That lets kids save face.
Of course, the best solution is to fully fund school libraries so librarians don't have to resort to fundraisers. But, who am I kidding? Schools aren't even fully funded, much less school libraries. I like the idea of just giving away books. It would be nice to have people/organizations (like the American Legion) donate money so librarians could buy books and just give them to kids so they can all have books of their own. I'd donate to that cause!
This to me this question is a tough one. While I have complained about book fairs before (see Book Fair or Toy Fair - be sure to read the comments to the post), I did not really address or even think about the equity issue. I had always viewed book fairs as a means of getting books into children's homes rather than as a library fundraiser. School-enabled book sales were always a part of my childhood, even though I grew up in a relatively modest income household (Tab Books, as I remember, were a delight to me.)
So one part of me says that we should eliminate book fairs if they highlight economic disparities among our students and make some students feel bad. On the other hand, this may be one of the better ways of getting books into low-income student homes if one could find a way to fund the effort without making kids feel like charity cases. (Reading the book Toxic Charity was an eye-opener for me.) In reality, book fairs will be just one of dozens of things that will bring the attention of children to economic inequity in our society. Sort of a fact of life.
I have never liked the idea as book fairs as a means of providing funding for school libraries. Anytime that happens, it sends the message that the library is a program not important enough to be funded through regular school budgets. Or worse, not a real part of the educational system.
I suggested the librarian post her question to our state school library association’s Facebook page and to LM_Net. She kindly allowed me to anonymize her email and post it to this blog.
Blue Skunk readers, what are your thoughts? Any helpful advice?
Image source: 10 Things We Loved About School Book Fairs, Bustle, 4/30/15
(I encourage you to read this article for a very different POV!)
Reader Comments (13)
I’m a librarian in a very disadvantaged part of our state and I work in a very low income school district. Book fairs are not my favorite thing because it does make me feel bad for the kids who cannot afford to buy the books. I’m not a fan of the trinkets and toys, but this is all some kids can afford and they still feel like they got to participate in the book fair. As the years have passed, I’ve barely been able to make enough for the company to keep justifying even allowing us to do a book fair. The meager profits the school gets allows us to order some helpful things, but certainly doesn’t fund my library. I’m grateful for that.
If I had it my way, I wouldn’t do another book fair. However, it’s just another one of my librarian duties that I am expected to do. I keep my ear to the ground and listen to other librarians for better ideas for this type of thing. I haven’t come across any. I’m just thankful our district participated in RIF, where all of my students can walk away with a free book a few times a year.
Isn't it a bit pompous to say you know how minority children feel about a book fair? Why don't you first have a conversation with students? Please don't assume you understand how they think. Would they rather not have a book fair even though they can't afford to buy books? Do you enjoy going to an art museum or a car showing, knowing you'll never have what you're viewing? Kids are resilient, and thinking you're going to protect someone from knowing they may have less than someone else is a bit egotistic.
Hi Mandy,
Thanks so much for adding to this conversation. I am sure many librarians will identify with your observations and challenges. I think all would like to find a more effective way to put books in kids' hands and raise some funds!
Doug
Hi Barb,
I am not sure pompous would be the word I'd choose, but you have a good point. Perhaps we as adults assume to much when it comes to kids' feelings.
Doug
I grew up as one of the kids who couldn't afford to buy books at the book fair but my parents always gave me enough to get one book. When I became a teacher, I decided to let students go to the book fair and make a list of the 3 books they would want me to purchase for our class library. From that list, I would try to buy one book from everyone's list with my own money. Sometimes the kids had that same book on their list so that helped narrow the list down. Then I decided to do a book exchange at the time of the fair for kids who couldn't afford to get any books. I had colleagues and volunteers who were glad to get rid of their children's books that their own children had outgrown. I let my students get one book from the collection to bring home and when they returned it, they could get another one. They really enjoyed that.
It would be nice if every aspect of life would be equal but in reality it isn't. I don't believe that this situation should be made equal for all because it is just another example of real life. Some people can afford cars while others have to rely on public transportation. Do we stop selling cars because everyone can't afford to get one?
Hi Pat,
Thanks so much for adding your perspective and experience to this post. I think many librarians are truly ambivalent about the topic - wanting to provide resources and experiences for their kids, but also wanting to respect their feelings. And you are right - as much as we would like it to be otherwise, life is not fair...
Doug
Dear Doug, I am a retired school librarian and I loved your observations on how these book fairs are conducted. It does seem that it is not fair to all the children. In addition to this, I volunteered at two book fairs at two elementary schools in Va. Beach.When I went over the selections that the Book Fair sent us I was appalled at the kind of books that were on display. There was crime, horror, murder,suggestive toilet humor, the occult, witchcraft, demonic themes, and more. I didn't want my grandson to even attend the book fairs. Who is responsible for the selection of the materials? I had to censor the kinds of books that my grandson started to purchase. The children come to the fair without parents, and they pick up these sensational themes. I don't know who is responsible for these book fairs at the higher level at DOE of Virginia. When I had a book fair at my library, I checked all the titles and made sure the books are appropriate for the children. Thanks for speaking up. I would love to talk with you. Thanks Janis Kitchin 757-597-1010.
I am a bit late to the party but I am seeing this because I am thinking about my own child's upcoming book fair. We're in a reasonably affluent area: I'd estimate that very few kids would have money for no books. However, it does still seem a bit odd to not have every kid have an opportunity to pick out a couple books of their own and be at the mercy of whatever their parents have or are willing to give.
For my thoughts about ways to improve it:
1) Subsidized Purchasing: Raise the prices of books sold so that a percentage is dedicated to getting at least one free book to each kid. Ideally two free books.
2) Donation Pool: Likewise, have the ability for parents with more money to donate into the subsidy pool for kids who can't buy books.
3) Used Books: In my town, we didn't do this kind of fair. We had donations to our libraries, and then the library would do a book sale. People would buy books and then at the end you could basically give a bunch away. It's not like books are rare.
4) Dump Scholastic: These book fairs are structured in silly ways. $5 reader books that you buy for $1 at the dollar store? If you're going to do that, why not just buy boxes of dollar store books and sell them for $3, pocketing the difference? I assume at $5, Scholastic takes $3 and the school gets $1...
Overall, it's hard to imagine that a book fair is a better system than taking donations and having a "pick 3" day out of the free piles. Like... how many kids books are you keeping indefinitely? They're getting donated somewhere, and probably a lot of those somewheres ultimately toss them in the recycling bin.
Hi Janis,
Thanks for your comment on the post. I've been retired for a number of years and have not been an active librarian for many more years.
My guess is that the children's book distributor/publisher Scholastic selects which books to offer for sale at book fairs. I had never noticed the titles to be as bad as you indicate. If Captain Underpants is considered toilet humor, I am happy it is included since this series made a reader out of my grandson. We all have different levels of tolerance for things like the occult,etc. Libraries and book fairs should offer the broadest range of materials for different reading interests as possible.
All the best,
Doug
Hi Ben,
Good ideas in your reply!
Doug
I can afford to buy my children books at the book fair, but I find it a frustrating experience. My children select books they like from a limited selection on the fold-out they brought home. They are usually more expensive and not the books my child would most want. We buy a lot of books from second-hand bookstores and purchase new books for birthdays and Christmases. My children don't need new books right now, but I am conflicted about if we should buy them or not.
I would be happy to donate books to the library or make a flat donation if that is what they need. It would also be a great system to let parents donate to buy a book for a child who isn't getting one. At the same time, I would hope no one would pay for my child to get a book. Just because we don't buy books from the book fair doesn't mean we don't have books or that we don't have discretionary money. I wish we didn't have to deal with the book fair and enjoyed they went online during COVID.
Hi Meg,
Thanks for sharing your perspective on this topic. I hope many librarians read it and take your experiences and feelings into consideration.
All the best,
Doug
I am struggling with this question in a similar way as my daughter's Scholastic book fair approaches. We live in a very low-income area and 60% of the student population at my daughter's school lives below the poverty level. I approached the PTA and principal to ask if our upcoming fair could include a set of gently used or new donated books for children who do not have economic access to new books to take for free. I was met with dead air from these individuals. The National PTA has included this recommendation in their benchmarks for student inclusion and equity, and the kids who will bring money are still likely to bring money, so why is this idea met with so much resistance?
Hi Lindsay,
Sometimes persistence works wonders. Share National PTA recommendation again (and again, if necessary.) Best of luck in your efforts. You are a good soul.
Doug