5 Brilliant Classroom Library Ideas
When I became an elementary educator, I knew I would have to spend a lot of time managing student behaviors, managing data, and teaching kids to manage their emotions. I had no idea I would have to spend so much time managing my classroom library!!!
In this post, I’m going to share 5 classroom library ideas tips that I’ve learned over the years. Some ideas are mine, and some ideas were borrowed along the way. I also have a special freebie for you at the end. Be sure you don’t miss it! Hopefully, at least one of these ideas will save you a few gray hairs over the years!
Tip #1: Classroom Library Organizational System
I can still remember my adorable little classroom library, my first year teaching. The books for neatly sorted and coordinating bins. If they got out of order, they could quickly be resorted. Fast forward to my current library 18 years later… That’s a different story! I now have thousands of books that span many different genres and reading levels. As my library continued to grow, I realized I needed to come up with a new classroom library organizational system. (You can find ideas to grow your library HERE.)
I’ve adjusted this throughout the years, but I’m happy with what I finally landed on. Now, I sort by shelf AND basket.
My shelves are each labeled: fiction, nonfiction or series. Then the baskets on each of the shelves are sorted by genre. Check out the examples below:
This has been incredibly helpful for my students. Now, instead of searching endlessly throughout the entire library for the correct basket, they can go straight to the correct shelf to narrow down the number of baskets they are searching.
Tip #2: Classroom Library Stamp
This classroom library tip is a lot less complicated and way easier to implement. Our district requires that teachers allow students to bring books home with them each night in a reading bag. Each student usually brings home 4–6 books. I teach two classes. That means I have over 50 students taking 4-6 books home every night. Unsurprisingly, I have issues with books not coming back.
One simple solution to this problem is buying a personalized classroom library stamp. Use it to stamp the inside cover of each of your personal books. As you notice your classroom library seems to be low, ask parents to check the covers of each of the books at their house. The stamp will make it easy for them to identify which are yours and send them back to school.
Tip #3: Build Anticipation
When students enter my classroom on the first day of school, they quickly notice that my library is blocked off with caution tape. I usually make Xs across the front of each of the shelves. What is the outcome of this? Suddenly the library becomes the center of everyone’s attention. They can’t wait to get in there! And this is where tip #4 comes in…
Tip #4: Classroom Library Expectations
After building that anticipation, we move onto our serious conversation about the classroom library. I share with my students that I have thousands and thousands of babies. Of course, they scream in shock! It cracks me up how they respond to this every single year. I did explain that each of the books is one of my babies. I care about them, and they all have a story. I might share a few quick stories about where some of the books came from and how they found a new home in my classroom.
This is the perfect set up for setting up clear classroom library expectations. We brainstorm ways that we can take care of our library and we make a poster to hang in the library. Then, shelves become “open for business” ONE at a time as students practice shopping.
Tip #5: Book Hospital
This last tip was definitely a game changer in my classroom! That’s why I’m sharing these book hospital posters for you to use in your classroom.
Students were constantly coming to me with a book that had an issue like a ripped cover or a page that was falling out. Usually I was working with a small group at the time and couldn’t handle it. I would ask them to lay it down next to me so I could try to get to it later. But I typically would forget what was wrong with the book and who gave it to me.
My solution to this problem is the book hospital!
When students have a book in need, they simply go to the book hospital. They take a slip and check off what is wrong with the book. They placed that slip inside the book at the page with the issue and place the book into the book hospital basket. They have done their job of taking care of the library and I can continue my small group without interruption. Win-win!
I made four different versions of book hospitals for you. You can grab your copy HERE!
Hopefully you will find these five classroom library ideas helpful as you are setting up your library for this school year!
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