Request to donate gift certificates for “Ermineskin Reads” during Libraries Connect month

October 1, 2012

To,
Mr. Ahmad Jawad
Intellimedia

Re: Request to donate gift certificates for "Ermineskin Reads" during Libraries Connect month

Dear Mr. Jawad,

We are planning an "Ermineskin Reads" draw for our students during the Libraries Connect month and your donation will be used by winners of Ermineskin Reads to shop for books at the Ermineskin Elementary School library's book fair during the last week of October.

The month of October is 'Libraries Connect' month. People! Ideas! Communities! Information! Canada's libraries foster connections between people, ideas, communities, and information. In October, these connections will be celebrated during Canadian Library Month. The theme, Libraries Connect, highlights how libraries enable people to connect with others, foster the development of ideas, and promote the growth of strong communities.

While always evolving to meet the needs of the communities and provide access to varieties of formats for different learning styles, etc., libraries continue to be at the centre of their communities, a place where people learn, engage and connect with each other.

The Ermineskin Elementary school library hosts three book fairs in a year. The goal is to help students build their home libraries. Each book fair raises around $4000 in sales revenue. The third book fair (May 2012) was a, "Buy 1, Get 1 Free" and raised $1,776. Scholastic Book Fairs donated 50% of this amount in books on behalf of our school to a designated children's hospital as part of their partnership with Children's Miracle Network as well as to Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies.

The goals of Ermineskin Reads are as follows:

1. To learn about the favourite books of our students
2. To know how many books our students have access to at home
3. To encourage students to buy books at the library's book fair
4. To build relationship with our supplier Scholastic
5. To compile a reading interest inventory and use this data for collection development
6. To facilitate development of writing skills
7. To promote reading

How it works:
• Students to fill, 'Ermineskin Reads' Slip from October 5th onwards
• Draw and winners announced by Intellimedia: October 25-26
• Students to use the prize gift certificate to shop at the book fair: October 26-30

I hope you can donate some gift certificates for our students to purchase books at the book fair. Thank you for building libraries in the homes of the First Nations families in our community.

Thank you for helping children become lifelong learners and compassionate community builders.


Yours Sincerely,


Manisha Khetarpal
Librarian
Ermineskin Elementary School