In the Spring term newsletter of the Library Services for Education serving Leicester City, Leicestershire, and Rutland, a school gives an account of its "bookfair heaven". The deputy head of Rushey Mead Primary School writes:

"Six years ago we sat in the school hall on a Friday night, at the end of a bookfair week. Three of us had run ourselves ragged trying to organise the cases, the keys, the selling. We now had to count the money and spend our commission. As we tried to find suitable books, we became increasingly despondent. We didn't want any of the books left in the cases; in fact, we also felt that the children had often bought stickers, games and gimmicks rather than quality reading matter. There had to be a better way.

"There was. We heard on the grapevine that a bookseller called Roving Books would come and run the bookfair, and more importantly for us would bring books in Gujerati, Punjabi and Hindi. We arranged a meeting and thus dawned a new era in Rushey Mead Primary School bookfairs. Roving Books offered us everything we needed."

Later she says: "Aware that, even with reasonably priced books, some families found it difficult to buy books for four or more children in one go, we began an associated saving scheme, the 'Jolly Roger' scheme. This means that children can save a small amount each week and, by the time the bookfair comes, they have enough to buy   a book. Roving Books supply all the cards in a foolproof folder and training in organising the scheme. We have many regular savers. At the bookfair, the file record is scanned - and they can buy their book. This makes purchasing quick and easy and we do not have hundreds of children with cash in their pockets."

Towards the end of the article she comments:

"The school also benefits. We have the opportunity to take our commission as books, either there and then, or to order particular titles. When we were first implementing the National Literacy Strategy, we took our commission in big books, and this in part was how we were able to afford sufficient big books to get us started.

"The biggest benefit is that children at Rushey Mead have the opportunity to buy good quality books and we provide that through school. The time I spent organising, I am able to spend helping children choose suitable books. John's (John Wright from Roving Books) enthusiasm about children's reading is infectious. The whole bookfair hums with excitement and every child leaves with a  good quality book."

Our thanks to Judith Evans for her appreciation of our service.

If you would like to know more about our bookfairs, and the Jolly Roger Book Club saving scheme, please call John 01455-822192 or email us