BACKGROUND:
The librarian was looking for a class (teacher) to participate in and possibly assist in the design of a recreational reading program. A creative and willing teacher was needed to integrate this activity into the established curriculum. The program would require at least four class visits to the library and necessitated time and commitment to develop collaborative plans (between the teacher and the librarian). The standard tenth grade English class chosen was comprised of twenty-seven students, ten girls and seventeen boys. There was wide disparity in the achievement level of the students.

LIBRARY MEDIA GOALS:
Students will demonstrate the ability to:
1. develop lifelong reading habits.
2. appreciate literature.
3. value books.
4. respond to a text by employing personal experiences and critical analysis.

INDICATORS:

• Recognize that literature reflects, examines, and influences the human experience.
• Participate in literary experiences.
• Obtain books and media for information, personal growth and entertainment.
• Share and promote books and media as sources of information and recreation.
• Manipulate information using electronic resources.
• Analyze the relationship between theme and other elements of narration to evaluate, orally or in writing, the effectiveness of a writer's work.
• Demonstrate appreciation of reading, writing, speaking, and listening for personal, professional, and social value.

RESULTS:
Students who were self-identified as non-readers read more than the required number of books. Several students that should have been in an honors English class were sufficiently challenged with this activity that they visited the library at non-scheduled times to select additional books from the list. Three students in the class accepted the challenge to read all TEN books. They were given school-wide honor and $15 gift certificates from the principal. Upon reflection, we created opportunities for recognition for students rarely singled out for their academic or athletic achievement. And we built a new constituency, some of who are wearing a path to our door.