Interested in hosting a book fair? Fill out this form and one of our Book Fair Pros will be in touch with all the details you need!
Sr. Maria Guadalupe Hallee, O.P., the Principal at St. Isaac Jogues School in St. Clair Shores, MI (180 students), hosted an Ignatius Book Fair in February 2024.
“We had a great experience with Ignatius Book Fairs! We were looking for a book fair which would provide quality children’s books which had been thoroughly vetted, so that we could be confident in allowing our students to browse to find something they would like. The selection of books, the variety of authors and genres, and the assistance we received from the staff of Ignatius Book Fairs led to a very successful event! We raised a generous amount of money for books for our school library, and we received very positive reviews from our librarian, our parents, our teachers, our students, and our parishioners. We are already looking forward to our next Ignatius Book Fair!”
Joan Hill, Librarian at St. Anthony Catholic School in Columbus, TX (175 students), hosted an Ignatius Book Fair in February 2024.
“You gave the best advice to invite our parishioners after the weekend Masses to kick off the fair. Our CCE program is on Wednesday evenings and including them was a big hit.
Your customer service was outstanding! The books arrived in plenty of time to set up the fair in the library. Anytime that I had questions or a few issues, Ana answered me immediately and was so understanding and helpful.
Everyone was so impressed with the outstanding quality and selection of the books. It was so rewarding to see the parents excitement over books that they had read. Now they bought these books for their children. When our students joyfully bought books about our Catholic faith, we felt so blessed to be giving honor and glory to God. It was a great selection of books about the Catholic faith for children. It was more than saint books. Thank you again for providing a CATHOLIC book fair to a small Catholic school in Texas.”
Anna Cameron, Librarian at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic School in Tempe, Arizona, (450 students), hosted an Ignatius Book Fair in February 2024.
“My community and I LOVED the book fair and would like to host it again. I am also passing along your information to a few other Catholic schools in our diocese. We loved the quality of the books! LOVED them. In particular, we loved the books the Magnificat produces. There is a huge need and interest in vibrant, imaginative children’s picture books that teach virtue, our faith, and STORIES from the lives of the saints. I can’t thank you enough for your work to get these books into our hands. Our school and parish thanks you!”
Deborah Thomas, Principal at St. Louis School in Clarksville, Maryland (575 students), hosted an Ignatius Book Fair in March 2024.
“Our Ignatius Book Fair went very well. We were very pleased with the process and books. We will be hosting a fair again next year! God bless and thank you!”
Follow us on social media @ignatiusbookfairs and check our website regularly for updates. Also, check out this handy map or our constantly-updated list of book fairs coming soon.
Ave Maria University and Ignatius Press have launched book fairs to offer an unparalleled Christian alternative to other nationally known book fairs. Our goal is to ensure that children have access to literature that can shape their minds and nourish their souls in the most profound way possible.
To host a book fair, please complete an inquiry form. You will then be contacted by a Book Fair Pro who will provide more information and answer any questions you have.
Ignatius Book Fairs are now available for schools and parishes across the continental United States! If you are interested in hosting a book fair, please fill out an inquiry form and tell us more about your school or parish. One of our dedicated Book Fair Pros will reach out to you to determine if your school or parish is a fit for this incredible opportunity.
Yes! We are thrilled to offer a full-service, in-person book fair experience that will captivate the hearts and minds of children, parents, and teachers alike.
Ignatius Book Fairs now offers an online book fair - called a “Book Fair in a Box.” These are ideal for smaller schools and parishes without a school. This event requires much less volunteers’ time and effort to organize. This option is available to larger schools too if they don’t want to host a full onsite book fair.
Is there a minimum sales requirement?
We ask that you feel confident that you have enough community support to generate at least $1000 in sales, although there is no minimum requirement.
How much does a Book Fair in a Box cost?
The cost is $149, which includes all the books, supplies, and customer support you need for a successful event. Payment must be received within 15 days of signing the contract.
What do you send us?
One week before your online book fair begins, each organization will be sent a “BookFair in Box.” In this box, there will be a selection of our most popular, best-selling titles (a $300 value). You may keep these books OR re-sell them at list price after your online book fair concludes. In this box, we will also include 50 catalogues and 50 bookmarks to display on your table.
What types of books can we expect?
We have two options: a Catholic only box (23 titles valued at $300) and a Catholic/Non-religious mixed box (26 titles valued at $300).
How are books purchased?
All the shopping is done entirely on our website, www.ignatiusbookfairs.com and payment is by credit card. Customers simply create an online account, select your school, and start shopping!
NOTE:After your online book fair ends, if you choose to re-sell the sample books, your organization is responsible for accepting payment via check, cash, FACTS, etc.
Do you offer rewards for our organization?
Yes! Your organization will earn “Ave Dollars” which can be redeemed on our website to buy books. We offer 30% of all online sales (excluding tax) in Ave Dollars, plus the opportunity to earn “Surprise Bonus Books” if your sales exceed $3,000. Here's an example of what you can earn:
Sales (excluding tax):
30% Ave Dollars :
$1000
$300
$2000
$600
$3000
$900
Over $3000
$900 + $75 in Surprise Bonus Books
How long will our online book fair last?
The online book fair will last 7 days. Remember, you will need a plan to promote shopping before, during, and after the event. Books ordered during the event will have the option to be held and sent to your organization with FREE shipping. Your organization is responsible for distributing these books.
What work is required from our organization?
You will have to advertise this event well and set up one table in a public area to display the books. A laptop will need to be set up with our website so people can shop. If you are a school, you need to plan time for all students to visit the book fair table, look at the books, and fill out a wish list that can be brought home. Plan to have at least one evening parent shopping event (we recommend snacks and free baby-sitting). The book fair table should also be open before and after all Masses on the following weekend. It’s very important to plan and advertise opportunities for people to see the beautiful sample books in person!
How do we advertise?
We will send you a digital kit with social media graphics, posters, a wish list, a digital catalogue, and instructions on how to use them.
What do we do after the online book fair ends?
We will notify you about your total online sales and add the Ave Dollars to your account, so you can start using the rewards you have earned!
How do we schedule a “Book Fair in a Box”?
Contact Alma Cue: [email protected] and she will check dates and send you a contract.