Hi All:
Thanks so much for your contribution of your time and willing spirit to make Willow Glen’s Books For Treats another great one!
We’ll have a fun afternoon and we’ll give out a lot of books!
Where: Garden Theater, 1165 Lincoln Ave.
Please arrive no later than 1:30.
At 1:00, we’ll start taking the tables, chairs and book boxes downstairs from Ste. 310, putting up the Books For Treats sign and getting things ready. So if you don’t see us at the Lincoln entrance to the Garden Theater, come up to Ste. 310 (elevator is in the middle of the building between Elegant Nails and sushi place; take to third floor, turn left).
Parking is usually easier in the back, although expect a bit of a zoo. You may have to park in the neighborhood, or even at Bank of America, so allow for some extra time to find parking and walk to the Garden Theater.
I’d like to have a meeting at 1:30 in front of the Garden Theater so we’re all clear on how to make this work smoothly. I’ve included a lot of detail here so you’ll know what to expect.
The Avenue trick-or-treating officially starts at 2:00 and ends at 4:00. We’ll need to clean up afterwards, so I’m hoping we’ll be done by 5:00ish.
Here are the 4 kinds of jobs we’ll need done so think about what would work best for you:
1) Book distributor (we need 9 of these). You’ll be sitting at one of the 4 grade-specific table pulling books from boxes stored underneath and placing them face-up on your table. Kids choose books by the cover, so it’s important to not stack books on top of each other, unless they are the same title.
When a child approaches your table, s/he may not see the grade-level sign on your table. So cheerfully ask, “What grade are you?” and direct them to the grade-appropriate table. Of course, they may read above or below their grade level, so they are welcome to choose from any table — we don’t want to embarrass them!
We got full boxes of the same title donated this year so it’s OK to put several of the same title in a small stack. But don’t cover up the covers of other books. But don’t cover your table with the same title — kids want a choice.
You’ll also be looking for books that are too beat up to give out. We donate these to a library that will take them, and there will be a marked box under your table for these. Also, books that have plain, solid covers don’t get taken, put those in the library box. You may find other inappropriate books (e.g., adult books); just put them in the library box. We also don’t give out puzzle, coloring or sticker books, so if you find a book that doesn’t encourage *reading* please put it in the library donation box.
There is a box with a few dozen Spanish books. If you hear a parent speaking to her child in Spanish, ask if she’d prefer a book in Spanish (I think it’s “Quiero un libro en Espanol?”). If so, direct them to the table with the Spanish books, which will be behind the other tables.
We also have 2 boxes of older-kids books, so if a kid says they are in seventh grade or older, direct them to that table (it will be with the Spanish books).
2) Board-book distributor (we need 3-4 of these). Over the years, we’ve found that board books are beloved by kids even up to kindergarten, but because of our limited supply, we personally hand them out to babies and toddlers up until about age 3. After that age, they can pick from the pre-school table.
You’ll have a tray on which you’ll place 4-6 books (you can carry more in your other hand) and will walk the line of anxious kids and parents to offer those with babies or toddlers to choose one of your books. You’ll replenish your supply as needed from the boxes stored where you can easily reach them, but the public can’t.
3) Box runner (I’m hoping Vince will be the captain of this team) (we need 2-4 of these). You’ll be supplying boxes of books to the distributors as needed. You’ll watch how many full boxes they have under their tables and fetch more when needed. We’ll store about half of the books downstairs in the book distribution area, and half in room 310. You’ll need to be comfortable moving boxes with a handcart and able to lift a 20-pound box of books safely (lift with your legs!).
You’ll also break down the empty boxes, sorting them into “reusable” for the next Books For Treats and “recyclable” for those that are too small, too big, or too beat up to be used again.
4) Picture taker. If you’d like to take pics of happy kids with their books, then this is for you! If you have a camera, great. If not, I have one. And if you have a video camera and could take some video testimonials with the kids and parents, that would be fabulous!
Of course, you can change tasks if you grow tired of one.
A word about cash donations: We’ll have small bags at each table saying, “Donations (optional)”. Although we want to make it clear that the books are free and our gift to the kids, some parents have asked about giving a cash donation so we provide the bags. However, we don’t want to guilt anyone to feeling they are obligated to donate. So please don’t mention or ask for donations, but if people want to put in $1, there is a way they can do that. The money goes towards bookmarks, stickers and some book purchases.
If parents want to know where they can donate books throughout the year, point out the website address on the bookmark or label (on the back of the board books). It’s got my phone and email and book collection sites. (The label even has a QR code they can scan on their smartphone and be taken to the website!)
We’ll have orange Books For Treats aprons for you so everyone knows who’s on our team. So if you plan to wear a costume, know your top front will be covered up! We suggest you wear comfy clothes, maybe a sweater or jacket in case it gets chilly, and preferably closed-toe shoes as we don’t want anyone’s toes hurt by book boxes. It’s usually good to have some water as you’ll be talking to a lot of kids!
If you need me that afternoon, call my cell: 408/966-6217. Otherwise, my office phone is best: 408/998-7977.