2021 Timeline

December

Share video of the 6 selected books with your students so that they may select the book they’d like to receive in May.

January 

Email completed book order forms to Wyoming Reads at wyomingreads307@gmail.com no later than January 29, 2021

February

  • Identify Celebrity Readers; How many will be needed?
  • Arrange equipment to show “The Good Queen Sue” video
  • Library Cards – Print all materials and assemble packets going to each 1st grade teacher with card applications, letters, etc.  For planning purposes, it takes about 8 Boy Scouts working together for 4 hours to assemble 850 packets.
  • Check the website for newsletters and other advice

March 

  • Develop other items to put in book bags (e.g., local tickets, gift certificates, summer reading program information)
  • Check the website for newsletters and other advice
  • Develop draft press releases (see samples) to send to media agencies in your county
  • Library Cards – Distribute packets to teachers; teachers send application envelopes home with students; envelopes are returned to the teacher who then forwards to the public librarian. See: Library Card Sample Milestones for more details

 April

  • Send invitations/reminders to celebrity readers
  • Identify group guides (typically 3 groups, with 2 guides per group)
  • Library Cards – Librarians prepare library cards and place in packets that will be added to book bags on “stuffing day”
  • Late April – “Bag Stuffing Day” – bookplates are added to books and all materials placed in bags; bags have student’s name, teacher and school on a label; completed bags for each classroom are kept together in a box
  • Double-check arrangements for buses, street closures (as appropriate)

May 

The 2021 Wyoming Reads Celebration will be held May 18, 2021
  • Release press releases 1-2 weeks in advance
  • Double-check all aspects of the event; make last-minute corrections/changes
  • On the big day
    • Set up session areas (video, lunch, reading areas, for example)
    • Organize balloons, greeters, orientation for guests (if applicable)
    • Double-check everything: Have books arrived?  Have lunches arrived?
      • Students write “thank you” notes (as appropriate)

Late May-June 

  • Send “thank you” notes to all participants and supporters
  • Please send copies of local news articles and photos to John Jorgensen
  • Develop “lessons learned” and forward copies to John