How to run a competition during a pandemic and still have an impact

Category: Blog, Librarians During Lockdown

East Renfrewshire school librarian Donna Baird inspired many others with her fantastic Facemask Design competition during Book Week Scotland in November. We asked her to share the story of a competition which caught the imaginations of school librarians on SLIC’s Basecamp forum and on the School Librarians Network email discussion list. If you’re looking for a competition to celebrate World Book Day, look no further…  

It goes over your nose! 

My pupils love a competition and I am known for decent prizes (thank you Home Bargains!) I think of Book Week Scotland being the cuddliest of all the literary highlights of the year and always want to celebrate it, so the thought of not being able to filled me with gloom. 

Since Covid restrictions are everywhere – no browsing, skoosh everything and quarantine for 72 hours – whatever I came up with would have to be done with limited interaction.  That was the idea: don’t go against the flow – embrace it. And what does everyone need and everyone see? Masks! Yes, the answer was indeed staring me right in the face. 

If I am truly honest, I was really pleased with myself – the best competitions are easy to implement and I knew this would be a doddle. 

I mentioned it to the SLIC Basecamp folks to see how it would be received and people really went for it! It was truly gratifying to have so many jump on board. 

I promoted it through my lessons in S1-S3 and asked for all entries to be submitted to my Teams page – invariably that did not happen and despite my best efforts I did get quite a few handed in – including one made out of wood and one hand embroidered! But there was a real positive buzz about the whole scheme from lots of my pupils and some teachers even set it as homework: “a bit of mindfulness for my class on a Friday afternoon” said one. “Oh my goodness I don’t look like that, do I?” said another as a child drew a picture of his teacher on his entry (and no, she really didn’t – side ponytail anyone?) I even had proud parents putting their child’s efforts on Facebook – make of that what you will. 

All in all across my two schools I expect to get 180 entries and give out lots of prizes. The best of the best at both schools will get their masks made professionally for them to sport about the school. 

Now on to World Book Day – I was thinking memes or adverts – all suggestions welcome! 

THANKS TO THE LIBRARIANS AT BELLSHILL ACADEMY, BRIDGE OF DON ACADEMY, CRAIGMOUNT HIGH SCHOOL, GRANGEMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL, THE HIGH SCHOOL OF GLASGOW, LOSSIEMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL AND SPEYSIDE HIGH SCHOOL FOR SENDING IN THEIR PUPILS’ WINNING DESIGNS.