Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ
Do students have to read all the books?
No. Some teams divide the books so that each member chooses one to know really well. Most students read at least three of the books, many read all six.
Who selects the books?
A team of library staff from participating lower mainland libraries and volunteers from the University of the Fraser Valley library technician program. We look for a set of books that includes wide gender appeal, varied reading level, positive reviews in library journals, multicultural themes, and Canadian/BC authors.
Who creates the questions?
UFV student volunteers write the questions. Library staff members edit questions. The questions include multiple choice, true or false, and short answer. A master list of questions shared with participating libraries.
As a B.C. Public Library, how can we get started?
Contact the RLC coordinator in September. The program runs from September to April. You will need to devote staff time to manage the program. The time required depends on how many schools participate.
As a teacher or school-librarian, how can we get started?
Contact your local public library and ask if they participate in the RLC. If not, suggest they join!
Do I need to work with other library systems to have a challenge?
No, just start small. The first time you conduct a challenge in your community, invite schools in your neighbourhood with teacher librarians with whom you have or wish to develop a connection. Depending on how many teams and how many schools participate, you may start and stop at different levels of the challenge. Please see our Contact Us page to send any questions you may have.
How can my library afford this?
The biggest expense is the books. The book sets are usually $40 each. Many libraries set a limit of 5 sets per school. FVRL coordinates the discounted book order from United Library Service for all participating libraries.
Can homeschoolers participate in RLC?
Yes, homeschoolers in grades four and five can participate, if library staff has the time and resources to support them.
Do we need to have prizes for the winning teams?
If you want to! Many libraries give all participants at the first or school level a small prize. Some libraries give the winning team at the library level a plaque engraved with their team name that is kept at the school for a year.
What if I am worried that the content of one book might be too challenging for one or more students?
You can assign students to teams and make sure the teams have a mix of grades 4s and 5s, reading abilities and maturity levels. You may want to assign the harder books to readers that are more confident. Most RLC books are available from the public library as audiobooks.
What if a student with a print disability wants to participate?
Please encourage all students to participate! Most RLC books are available through NNELS (National Network for Equitable Library Service ) and CELA (Centre for Equitable Library Access). NNELS and CELA provide free accessible formats (downloadable audiobooks, dyslexic friendly fonts, etc) to anyone with a print disability. A print disability is any learning, physical or visual disability that prevents a person from reading conventional print. These services are free and there are no wait lists. Talk to your local library for more information.