Contests 1

 Let's Make Bookmarks!

Contest Purpose/Payoff:

• Student understanding and knowledge will be exposed and this contest will promote library services, access, and collection. This may also help engage students in genres or titles they may have otherwise not come across. This would be a great cross-curricular contest. 

Promotional Materials: 

• flyers can be displayed at various locations on campus and placed in classrooms
• Promotional videos can be shown on the classroom, cafeteria, and hallway screens 

Directions: 

• Invite all students to come into the library to join the annual bookmark contest.
• Acquire 3 high-interest signed books, which can be local authors or any high-interest novel, for final prizes.
• Provide flyers to distribute all around campus.
• Pull out 5-10 books, high interest, upcoming, or with high circulation, and ask students to design a bookmark for any of the selected works. You can ask them to look at themes, topics, character dilemmas, or any other concept used in the book to create a bookmark.
• Ensure you have enough copies, in various formats, of the books. Students may need to check them out to read if they haven't already done so.
• Once the students begin bringing them in, and after the official due date, have a panel of judges select the top three winners. 
• Students selected as the top three winners will get a signed copy of the acquired book and their bookmarks will need to be printed so that students can use them when they check out books. 
• Announce the winners on the intercom or create a fun video announcing the winners and displaying the bookmarks.

Materials Needed: 

• Signed Copies of books (You can also use this for possible author visits!) Payoff opportunity
• Several copies of selected book for check-out
• Cut-out dimensions printed for students or blank paper for their designs
• Access to print the selected bookmarks (check with your district print shop)
• Flyers
• Promotional Video

Judging: 

• Invite campus personnel to sign-up for a panel of judges.
• Select personnel (3-5) from various levels and contents (administrators, teachers, custodians, office staff)
• Instruct panel on what qualifications they should be looking for (usage of relevant hues, themes, conflicts seen...)

Prizes:

• Top 3 selected students will able to select a book from the acquired signed copies
• Selected bookmarks will also be printed to have 500-1000 copies for school use. Leave some behind for students to access at the library. This will also help promote the project for the following year.