Incentives Unworkshop
Summary
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We discussed a variety of incentives that various libraries have tried,
including successful and not-so-successful ideas
Questions to think about
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How can we target incentives to the needs of our communities?
How can we help our patrons set realistic goals, so they can receive
incentives?
How do libraries avoid "donor fatigue"?
Intangible and Charity Incentive Ideas
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For each checkout or milestone, participant gets to put a piece in a
puzzle or add something to an ongoing project on display in the library.
Pennies for charity - collect pennies from the community prior to the
SRP. During the program, when kids hit targets, they receive a penny to
place into a collection pot for a designated charity.
Tisbest.com - buy gift cards from this site to give as prizes. The cards
can be redeemed on the site to make donations to a variety of charities
Tangible Incentive Ideas: Prizes, Raffles, and More
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Ideas include low budget items, stickers, bookmarks, certificates, raffle
tickets, medals, library/book sale "cash", tickets toward prizes
Library cash idea - give "cash" for use at the library book sale
Tickets can be given that can be used to "purchase" prizes - encourages
budgeting and math skills
Some Downfalls to Avoid and Successes to Emulate
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Older kids might not be impressed by little prizes. These "oriental
trading company" type prizes are being phased out by many libraries in
favor if other incentives - they wind up being junk that piles up and/or
does not always motivate kids. Other libraries continue to use these
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types of prizes, but have brought in raffle tickets as another option to
accommodate more styles
Raffles for larger prizes are popular. Ideas include gift certificates for
restaurants, movies, and community businesses; themed gift baskets or
prize packages (e.g crafts, books, Star Wars, pizza party, Thomas the
Train); and electronics like an mp3 player.
Mix it up - some libraries offer small weekly prizes, some raffle tickets
with big prize drawings at the end, and some combine the approaches
to meet the needs of various styles/interests.
A couple people mentioned attempts to provide incentives directly to
parents - these programs have not been very successful, with low
participation (offering gift certificates for a massage or to a restaurant,
for example). More successful parent incentives have been direct tie-ins
to the program, like children's book packages or craft kits.
The Book Champion project is being used in Chester County, near
Philadelphia. They are having great success with medals (gold, silver,
bronze) as incentives for the younger kids.
Considering the target audience and community demographics has
helped some libraries select incentives that will meet needs and be very
motivating. For example, food or restaurant gift certificates might give a
family who might not otherwise be able to afford it a chance to go out
and celebrate their child's success at reading.
To avoid donor fatigue, try only selecting a handful of local businesses
each year - give businesses time in between appeals. Make sure you
explain the benefits of sponsorship or donations such as mentions in
marketing materials, or that politicians and community leaders will be
coming to SRP events and hearing about donors.
Fill out certificates at the beginning of the SRP instead of handing them
out at the end - display in the library. People are excited to see their
name up there.
If you hand out certificates at the end and they don't get picked up, see
if schools will hand them out in the fall
Ways to Establish Incentive Levels
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Minutes read - specific number of minutes or hours
Per book
Continued participation (if unrealistic or impractical due to family
circumstances, goals may discourage kids - consider giving incentives
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for continued participation; focus more on the activity of reading and
logging instead of quantity)
For babies/toddlers, use steps the parents need to take to reach their
child, e.g. reading them a book, talking about it with the child
Obtaining Prizes or Fiscal Support for Incentives
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Ask businesses to provide items at cost
Ask for gift basket donations
Several libraries preferred a direct appeal for funds to purchase prizes
Check with Target and other retailers
Ask patrons to bring in used toys they no longer need to be given away
as prizes
Bekah, Jarvis-Girtler, note taker