Dear Parent / Guardian

We are delighted to announce we are setting up a book rental scheme for the coming school year 2020/2021. At present book costs can range from €60 to €230 depending on what class your child is in. The Book Rental Scheme saves parents a lot of money.

Over the last few months we have done a lot of research and spoke with other parents and teachers who have set up a scheme. We have discovered that

there are many variations in how schools operate the scheme
there can be a lot of cost involved in setting up the scheme
the help and co-operation of parents and teachers is vital to ensure its success

The Scheme

A separate Book Rental Scheme Committee to the Parents Committee has been set up to co-ordinate the scheme.
All students are asked to participate in the scheme, this will ensure the correct numbers of books are available to the students in each class.
The scheme allows parents to pay an annual rental fee in return for the use of school books.
A mixture of both second-hand and new books are given to each student.
The scheme will provide all readers and as many workbooks as possible depending on funds available.
Any book that is damaged or lost will have to be paid for by parents.
Terms & Conditions of participating in the scheme apply (see attached)

The Cost

We will be availing of the Government Book Rental Scheme Grant and organising fund raising events to help with the set up costs.
We are asking parents to donate good quality, up-to-date school books. Please rub out all pencil marks before donating the books. Donating second hand books means not as many new books will have to be bought, keeping the setting up costs and annual rental fee to a minimum.
Please sign the attached form to give consent for the books your child is currently using to be retained by the school and used in the Book Rental Scheme.
There is a box in each classroom for students to put the donated books into. There will also be a box in the church foyer each Sunday morning in February, to allow parents, of both present & past students, to donate old school books.
The annual fee has yet to be calculated. It will be based on the booklist provided to us in April and also on the volume of second hand books donated.
Setting up and running a Book Rental Scheme involves a lot of hard work and your help is vital to the success of the scheme. We need at least another 20 parents to help, as we plan to assign 4 parents to each class to co-ordinate the scheme. We are asking you to assist the group in operating the scheme at busy times, for example…
Helping to clean and repair the second hand books
Helping to cover the books (we hope to obtain a book covering machine costing €1,000 over the next two years)
Helping to sort, tag and check books
Helping to make up sets of books for each student
Helping with the collection & accounting of fees

Setting up the Book Rental Scheme has been a huge learning curve for us and this is just the first step we’ve taken towards our goal. We really need your help and support to ensure the scheme is a success.

Further information on School Book Rental Schemes can be found on the website of the Department of Education and Skills.

Many thanks for you co-operation and support

Book Rental Scheme Committee