The Art of Asking

"Only those who ask for more can get more, and only those who know there is more, ask."

-Alan Cohen

I've been cleaning for Back to School Night, which is tomorrow night.  A parent volunteer has been helping me.

Ok, I'll be honest here.  She's been cleaning and I've been helping.

In any case, while working on getting the library ready, she suggested that I put up a poster with a library wish list so that parents could see what the library needs.  I'm not sure how I feel about this.  I don't like asking our families for anything because it makes me uncomfortable and I don't want anyone to feel like they have to do anything; the idea of a free education is important to me.

On the one hand, our library really, really needs some love!

Here is my poster:

We have two adorable red rocking chairs that were donated two years ago.  Here's one:

SO cute.  SO comfy.  SO dirty!  I thought that perhaps if we got some slipcovers--I think that's what they call them when they go on couches--for the chairs, then I could take them home and wash the slipcovers, and the chairs wouldn't be so dirty.  They are certainly favorites in this room and used on a daily basis, which is why they are so dirty.  (And we would love some more!)

I didn't know how to ask for paint.  I thought that might come out weird, "hey, could you all go to Home Depot and purchase some purple, blue, yellow, red, and emerald spray paint?  Oh, and I need some primer, too.  Hey, while you're at it, could you also get a small thingie of each of the colors above?  And paint brushes?"

Yeah.  Still doesn't sound so hot.  So I'm asking for gift cards to Home Depot and Michael's.  This is why:

We have these great Fiction, Nonfiction, Magazine, and Reference signs, and they're all in lovely pine.  That no one can see because there is no color pop.  That people have actually complained about not seeing.

Also, check out the library carts:

I think they've been here since 1954, when the school opened.  Do you like the tape?  How about where I wrote "Fiction" with a black Sharpie?  They look so old and sad to me.    My plan is to paint them one color, and then paint "Fiction" and "Nonfiction" on them with the brushes in a different color that sparkles with glittery love.  Or something like that.  I hope that by painting them in bright colors, our library will feel even more friendly than it already does.

(By the way, did you notice the colors I've chosen to paint everything?   I'll have my Wizard of Oz library yet!)

This year, we have no funds to purchase magazines.  So, I'm asking for either money to go to purchase magazines (the parent promised me that this was an ok request) or actual magazine subscriptions from the fund raiser.  I have a catalog that I order from that offers more choices than the fundraiser does, but the fundraiser gets money into the school, so I'm not sure which would be a better choice.  Or I guess someone could actually just order a magazine subscription for us from the company... that would be great, too!

Speaking of requesting money, we need a large "piggy" bank--I guess they are called "money banks" now-- in which to collect it.  I think an owl or Oz motif would be awesome, but that would be up to the donator.  :)

Finally, we need printer ink.  There are two issues here:

This printer services the students and the teachers who come to the library to print things like homework and grades and other such nonsense.  It has no ink.

This printer is only used for one thing: to print book labels.  It has no ink.  I have books on shelves in the back room who would love a label, and even more love to be put out in circulation so that our scholars could read them.  Books like to be read; it's their purpose in life.*  But these books can't go out because we don't have all the materials to process them.  Mainly, printer ink.  It's a sad tale.

*     *     *

It's not comfortable asking for help, but I have a vision for this library, and it's one that I won't be able to achieve alone.  My vision requires way more than what I'm currently asking for, but these things will be a great start.  Making the library a comfy place to spend time and putting wonderful books within the reach of our scholars are my main goals with these requests, and even if I only get one of these items, it'll be super helpful.  I am grateful for whatever anyone can give.

Happy Reading!





*No, a book's purpose is not to sit on our shelves, unread but looking impressive.  We just think it is.


Update: a parent put this together for the library:

It's so great that people care about this place and want to help!




Oz