Tips to organize a classroom library to entice your students to read and read some more.
Classroom Library Set Up
1. Decide if the classroom library books are allowed to be removed from the classroom.
It is excellent that students take the books home to read, but many teachers have lost a great deal of their inventory because students did not return the books. Often the classroom library consists of books acquired from the teacher over her teaching career.
Once you have decided if books are to remain in the class or not you must be consistent. Do not let Sally take the book home but not Sarah because of your perception of their responsibility. Keep the rule for all students.
2. Choose the books available for your classroom library.
Will magazines, short stories, poetry, fiction, non fiction books be a part of your library?
Will your classroom library introduce new books each month or will the books be constant the entire school year?
Will the books be at levels below and above your students' grade levels?
Will you ask your students for input on the books for the classroom library?
Can students contribute their books to the classroom library?
3. Decide on a sign in and sign out procedure.
Make the procedure similar to the school library. Some information you may require the student to record; date, student's name, book title, author, return date. As a class you may decide the student may have the book for one or two weeks at which time it must be returned to the classroom library. You may have them renew it or expect them to choose a new book. The procedure should be simple and the class should model it as a group and as individuals. The teacher should check if each student is able to successfully sign out a book following the procedures outlined in class.
4. Location of Library Books
Choose an area of the classroom designated for the classroom library. The area should give students freedom to leisurely peruse the books, you do not want it to be placed behind a door or directly in front of a student as this will distract the student. Place the books where a few students can comfortably examine the books.
Make the classroom inviting, rotate the books and display a few books each week to catch the students' eyes. You may wish to write a review for the selected books to entice the students to read it.
