GUIDELINES FOR CBF EVENT HOSTS 2007

Below are some helpful tips to aid you when preparing for  and hosting an event in your library this October. Please  feel free to adapt them to your event.       

1. Time & Audience  

• School groups should attend events held during school hours. It will help you to ensure the right numbers and ages are at each event. To invite school  groups simply call up the school and speak to the  head teacher.  

• Schools should be made feel that it is a privilege to go to a CBF event in your library. The special opportunity to see an artist perform live and at no cost to them should be highlighted to the school. It may be worth ringing or writing to schools before the CBF to see if they would like to be "considered" as possible invitees to your library during the CBF. This should generate anticipation and also commitment from the school.   

• Please ensure that there are supervisors appointed to look after the children. Right from the start, there should be communication between you and the relevant class teacher to make sure the appropriate class is coming and has prepared for the event.

2. Contacting the Performer    

It is important for contact to be made with the performer or their representation/ publisher prior to the event. Please find out how they are getting to and from your library, as occasionally local transport may need to be arranged. It is also very important to  ask the author what audience preferences they have  with regard to age, size and gender. Inappropriate age range will make it a difficult event.    

Upon request, the CBI office will provide you with contact details for any of the authors or illustrators visiting your library. Contact Tom Donegan 018727475 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it    

3. Preparing for the Event   

• In the case of an author visit, when talking to the schools please ask the teachers to make sure the children are familiar with the author's work. This should be stressed to teachers as it is of great benefit to the event. Ask the teacher to make sure they have read at least two or three chapters, and ideally much more, so they have an idea of what the author's writing and style is like. Provide classes with copies of the artist's work if available.    

• Please ensure, as far as is possible, that classes arrive on time. If possible, suggest they come 10-15 minutes early.    

• As mentioned above, it is essential to get the right audience for the right performer. Making contact with the performer or their representation/ publisher ensures getting this correct.

• In the case of author or illustrator events, it is a  good idea to have the performer's books (those of  theirs you have) on display so that the children can  look at them after or before the event. In cases  where books are there for the children to buy, please  ensure that the children and their parents have been  made aware of this opportunity.   

• Authors are always willing to sign their own books  but not so eager to sign scrap bits of paper in  autograph style. Please ask the teachers to make the  children aware of this.  

 4. Making the Event feel Special  

• If possible, decorate the space where the event is  taking place with Children's Book Festival posters,  balloons, flyers, the performer's work and any other  material that will make the space stand out. The  event should have its own space away from any  noise or other library activity.    

5. Performer Sustenance  

• Performers very often will have travelled to get to your library. It is good practice to offer a sandwich before or after the event and to provide water during  the event.   

6. Publicise your Event  

• You should contact the local press, radio stations and newspapers to let them know about the event and  invite them along. The media are always interested in young people's activities and any coverage will help raise the profile of your library and the CBF.  However, media (such as photographers) should not be allowed take over the event or dictate its schedule- they are there by your invitation only and should act accordingly.

7. Record the Event    

• Take a camera and get some photos. Use a guest  book for the performer and the children to sign in or  out with space for them to write comments. Have a  suggestion box for children to recommend their own  event ideas.

• Recording the event will be great for future reference  and can be used on the CBF website or in leaflets  and circulars. Last year a number of libraries sent in  some wonderful images for the CBF's printed  material.