IDEAS to Celebrate DEAR

We're often asked, "Hey, how can we celebrate DEAR in our school?"

So, here's an unofficial 'DEAR toolkit' (of sorts):

• Host a 'read-in' with students in the main lobby of your school;
• Host have a pyjama and book day ("Flashlight Reading") or some other theme day like a "Dr. Seuss Day" or "Harry Potter Day";
• Invite the local junior hockey team (or other well known group) to read with students;
• Invite seniors (Grades 11 & 12) to buddy read with younger students;
• Invite your local MLA and/or municipal politicians to join your DEAR event;
• Create a video: "Why my school library is important", "Why I love my teacher-librarian", "Random Acts of Reading", etc. that can be uploaded to the DEAR YouTube channel;
• Invite a school trustee and/or superintendent to join your school event;
• Organize a flash mob focusing on the school library (remember capture it on video) to upload to our YouTube DEAR channel;
• Host a draw, for example: "Why I love my library" and offer iTunes or Chapters gift cards as prizes;
• Invite a local author or poet to read to students;
• Invite a member of local First Nations band to do a storytelling session

HINT: To make the most of your event and publicize it within your community, make sure to contact your local media outlets (press release to be provided)--radio, print, digital--and invite them to attend (or send a brief article and a photo or too) your event. DEAR is as much about celebrating school libraries (and the important role that they have) as it is about reading and literacy.

HAVE AN TO CELEBRATE DEAR? Feel free to leave a comment below.

PLEASE email copies of photos or videos to us or let us know where you have them posted so that we can link them (or embed them) in our DEAR Flickr account.

If you have any questions please contact Jeff Yasinchuk, VP Advocacy British Columbia Teacher-Librarians' Association (jyasinchuk@gmail.com).