The Redmond Elementary PTSA‘s annual Used Book Fair Fundraising and Community Event will be from Feb. 1-3.

Many schools in the area have Scholastic Book Fairs, in which they sell books published solely by Scholastic or subsidiaries to students and families.

PTSA President Elena Savage said Redmond Elementary used to do the same, but they realized a number of their students could not afford the often-pricey Scholastic books.

“Having also held a used book fair for many years, we began noticing that all of our students were much more excited about that event then they were about the Scholastic Book Fair,” Savage said.

She said the used book fair is a PTSA fundraiser and an opportunity for them to promote community recycling as well as literacy.

Every year, the PTSA asks for donations of gently used books, DVDs or CDs from the community, which they sell to students, families and the community at large for “far less than the cost of a drip coffee,” Savage said. For example, children’s books are 25 cents and adult books are $1-2.

“Last year, we made over $1,000 at the used book fair and we hope to meet that goal again,” Savage said.

She added that the PTSA also offers two ice cream parties to the classes who collect the most books, motivating the students and their families to take a good, long look at “need” versus “want” in their own homes. Often, teachers tie in curriculum to discuss “need” versus “want” as well.

Each student also received two free books, which encourages literacy and motivates many students to bring in books they have already read in anticipation of finding new ones they haven’t yet read.

The classrooms are given specific shopping times before the event is opened to the public.

For more information contact Tien Nguyen at bookfair@redmondelptsa.org.