Library Club works to fill shelves

Update*** As promised the Library Club has invested its earnings back into the our school. In late May, the members spent $600 to purchase 75 new titles for the high school shelves. With their remaining funds, they are hoping to sponsor an author visit next year.

A library would be of little value without books on its shelves. Or so think the members of the Canajoharie High School Library Club. This band of 13 students is committing its time and energy to keeping new books in the high school library.

During difficult financial times such as those currently facing schools, library books are one of the first places school districts are forced to cut. To soften the blow, the group decided to launch a weekly morning café and offer their sleepy fellow students hot coffee, hot chocolate, tea, and assorted breakfast foods. Proceeds will fund the club trip to Barnes and Noble later in the year to purchase books.

But the group wanted and needed another fundraiser to be able to afford all of the books they wanted to purchase. They found the "Reading Warehouse Book Fair in a Box" program to be the perfect companion to the café. In addition to morning beverages and snacks, the students were able to offer classmates books that teenagers want at prices they can afford.

A benefit to other area schools

Much to their surprise, a representative of the Reading Warehouse learned about the upcoming Superintendent's Conference for all HFM librarians on Feb. 11. He offered to send 20 books to each of the librarians for their school libraries. The donation introduced each school to the concept of the fundraiser, but it came with no strings attached. Each of the schools received the books with no obligation.

"After all of the coordinating with the company, the books missed the conference," said Canajoharie High School librarian Tammy Jones. "That was during the big snowstorm that tied up the mid-Atlantic states. The delivery arrived at 3:30 p.m., just one hour after the the conference had ended."

Mrs. Jones contacted each of the participating schools to let them know the books had arrived. Then using the HFM BOCES Library Service courier, she made certain that everyone received their books.

It may seem like a lot of extra work to fundraise for library books, but Mrs. Jones and her students remain committed.

"These are hard times for everyone," she said. "We started this effort because we believe that kids should never be denied books. And thanks to a lot of hard work, we have been able to help our school and other schools in our HFM BOCES."