So Many Books, Too Little Time!
One of the best times of year is when the YISS main lobby fills up with books, and the quietness is interrupted by the excitement of students wanting to buy new books to read. Reading is a favorite pastime for many, both young and old in the YISS community. This is evidenced by the energy and excitement that fills the lobby whenever a book fair takes place on our campus.
Although the Book Fair Committee wanted to host a book fair for quite some time, COVID stood in the way. After over a year of waiting, the YISS PTO was pleased to finally host one in partnership with TongBang Books from April 25 to 29. Students, teachers, and parents were eager to browse and stock up on new books and thousands of new books went home with happy customers during the four-day event.
Our new book fair vendor, TongBang Books, offered an extremely wide selection of English books from preschool to adults at 35% or more off the list price. Many of our older readers were pleased by the large number of books for them. By tracking each purchase at the register, TongBang staff were able to track and replenish books daily in response to real-time demand, as well as learn for future events what books YISS students enjoy reading. As always, ten percent of the sales was donated to the PTO to enable them to support different reading initiatives at YISS, like the Read-a-Thon, Reading Appreciation Program, Book Swap, and author visits.
Four days seemed too short for our students, parents, and teachers, especially with the parents and students having only one day to shop for books. We look forward to another exciting book fair in the fall where hopefully, we can return to a more relaxed shopping environment, free from COVID restrictions.
A special thanks goes to the staff of TongBang Books, YISS PTO Book Fair Co-Chairs, Jessica Chung and Robin Bang, and to our librarians, Mrs. Julie Dickenson and Mr. Charles Chan for their faithful support.
