Written by Sue Berthelot
With tight or small budgets, it can be difficult for a church library to provide key items to meet the needs of their users. Library team leaders are challenged to be creative and frugal with their dollars. One type of fundraiser to increase your inventory is a book drive. Church libraries have been using book drives for years, but today we need to reconsider some aspects of this approach to fundraising as steppingstones to developing what would work in each of our churches. Let’s consider the what, who, calendar, location, promotion, and bookstores.
What: A church library book drive is a great way to make people aware of the library ministry as well as build the collection. Literally, a book drive is a set time and place where desired books, audiobooks, and DVDs are available on tables with prices attached to the items. If your collection includes eBooks, place a donation box on a table. People visit the tables to select items they would like to purchase for the library collection. A book drive can be a fun and beneficial way to add items to a library collection.
Who: The library team is responsible for planning and hosting the drive. If your team is small, you may need to ask for additional help.
Calendar: A successful book drive will require detailed planning. The team leader needs to consult with the library ministry church staff liaison and explain the basics of the book drive. Once permission is secured choose a date and submit it to the church planning team or follow your church procedures. Select a date that will not compete with requests for other special gifts to the church. Some libraries opt to have their book drives on two consecutive Sundays.
Location: The space should provide enough room for everyone to move around display tables and view the items. The area also needs to be in an easily accessible location for the selected time. An area other than the library is the best location in order to avoid mixing up items. The fellowship area may be a good choice.
Promotion: A combination of promotional methods will reach all groups within the church.
- Print promotion: flyers, Sunday bulletins, and posters. Place posters in areas that will reach the largest number of your intended audience. Flyers are great for bathrooms and out of the way locations.
- Visual promotion: bulletin boards, church website, e-newsletters, or big screen announcements.
- Verbal promotion: announcements in classrooms and other venues.
- Activities promotion: skits or story time.
Bookstore: Select a local bookstore or online site to work with you on this book drive. Investigate their library discount policy as well as their consignment policy. Some stores will have a consignment arrangement while others will have you purchase the items on your church account. Some companies may require a separate library account in order to give a discount.
Call your team together and begin your plan of action soon. If this book drive is your first, consider having items for only one or two age groups. Do not over do the number of items. Remember, you must return unsold items to the bookstore or ship them back to the online seller. Have a great book drive!
Check out further information on church library book drives: “Implementing a Church Library Book Drive” and “Wrapping Up a Church Library Book Drive”.
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Sue Berthelot is a Church Librarians Network Team Member and leader of the Ascension Baptist Church, Gonzales, LA church library team.
Download here: Planning a Church Library Book Drive
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