Price T. Young Middle School students and teachers are hitting the books this week.

The school is hosting a week-long book fair to promote the importance of literacy and raise funds for various resources and activities in the library.

"It gives them an opportunity to purchase books that are fun," said Dianne Welch, who serves as a librarian at Price T. Young, David Crockett Elementary School and Robert E. Lee Elementary School. "Any money that we raise, we put right back in and it goes for those reading incentive activities."

Ms. Welch said the fair began on Monday and will end Friday. The money that is collected from the books goes toward "non-budgeted items" such as reading programs, books and classroom supplies for teachers. The books available for purchase are comparable to books sold at retail stores.

Ms. Welch said in six weeks, school officials will host a pizza party for students who have met their reading goals.

She said officials would also hold a drawing on campus to give out books for free. Ms. Welch was unsure how much money was raised last year.

A book fair is conducted on all campuses in the Marshall Independent School District.

"It gives us the opportunity to promote reading. That's our main goal," said Ms. Welch. "We don't raise a lot of money, but it's enough to help us do some extra things in the library such as support our (Accelerated Reading) program.

Parents and students are urged to buy any of the books. For more information, contact Price T. Young at 903-927-8850.