So maybe you already know I’ll be teaching a section of ninth grade next year to help a local school fill a hole. Want to know what I was doing at 11 pm the night after I agreed to this role?
Guess.
If you guessed working on my class library, you are so right.
Let’s talk about first steps, for my library, and maybe, if you’re thinking of starting one of your own, for yours. Whether you’re completely new to building a classroom library, about to start a new one in a new place (like me), or building new layers onto a library you’ve already begun, I think you’ll find some helpful inspiration in this episode.
OK, so this will be my third time building a classroom library. I’ve got more background, even bigger dreams, and more resources this time around.
First stop?
Facebook marketplace, to look for bookshelves, of which there were MANY, in all sizes, shapes, and prices. During my quest for bookshelves, I also found a lot of book posts. However, I only wanted a few titles in the stacks I saw, and it didn’t seem worth arranging pickup for two or three books from each person, even though they were inexpensive. I knew I didn’t want to buy anything that I didn’t already know was going to be an absolute gem.
Second stop?
Thriftbooks, where the books were also inexpensive, but they could be shipped right to me. Where I began filling my cart with wild abandon. (Did you know about The Thriftbooks educator program?)
Third stop?
Project Lit, to see what new titles had come out lately and made a big splash in student reading programs that I might have missed. I like to peruse the Project Lit Instagram for the most current ideas, so that’s what I did. Then I added a few more books to my list at Thriftbooks.
I admit that at that point, I went to bed. The lists on my little glowing screen in my darkened house were starting to look a little blurry.
But of course, the project continued the next day and the next. I revisited some of my favorite libraries from podcast guests’ past: C.J. Reynolds’ library, Meghan Fairchild’s, and Pernille Ripp’s. Check them out below, aren’t they gorgeous?
Pernille Ripp’s Gallery Library, as featured in Episode 148, The Power of Children’s Books for Older Kids
C.J. Reynolds’ Classroom Library, as featured in episode 165, Classroom Management Strategies you can Actually Enjoy
Meghan Fairchild’s art-filled classroom library, as featured in episode 130, Build Connection with your Classroom Design
I realized that in my ideal world, I actually wanted to hang picture ledges, so I could get my covers facing out and add fun little pop-out bookmarks with recommendation blurbs that would show. I looked at my new classroom and identified a good wall for it. I made a mental note that I would probably want one more bookshelf too, on Facebook marketplace if I didn’t see one on the curb soon.
My first set of books have now arrived, and they’re waiting and ready. Take a peek at my initial titles if you want to:
And that’s where I am for now, as summer begins. This classroom library will be coming together more and more as school gets closer. I’ll be on the hunt for books, flexible seating, and book stands. I’ll be printing posters, re-reading and pre-reading to choose my favorite first chapters, photocopying First Chapter Friday sketchnotes sheets, designing display options, and more.
How about you?
My first three stops are a great way to get started – snag a cheap shelf from Facebook marketplace or put up some thin wooden picture ledges (here’s a simple building plan from Ana White, whose plans I’ve used many times for other things), find a few gems on Thriftbooks, and take a look around at bookish elements you enjoy in other spaces this summer. You might find inspiration on social media, at bookstores or libraries, or in your friends’ classrooms. That will put you in great position to assemble or upgrade your library in fun ways come August.
Research to Support your Library
By the way, if you are excited to build your library but you know you’re going to need some help convincing your school of its validity, there is a lot of research to support the importance of choice reading. I’ve seen two really great roundups.
One is inside Kylene Beers and Robert Probst’s book, Disrupting Thinking, and uses an infographic style to showcase the many studies that show the benefits of choice reading.
Another is the Scholastic compendium on reading research, which you can access through their site here, cited in all the graphics below. I pulled some jewels out for this visual gallery:
Finally, there are plenty of full books you could dive into, like Nancie Atwell’s The Reading Zone (my gateway into this whole world fifteen years ago), Penny Kittle’s Book Love, and Donalyn Miller’s The Book Whisperer.
Sign up now for Camp Creative: The Stress Free School Kick-Off Kit, July 27-31
By the way, this year’s Camp Creative is going to be really special. We’ll be going back to school together, getting our classrooms ready, prepping for back-to-school night, day one, and that important first unit… together.
Care to join me for this fun and free PD?
All the resources come straight to your inbox (async) so you can explore them when you’ve got the time and energy, though many campers say they do love the conversation and idea sharing in the live online community that runs all week during camp! You can choose your own path, but be sure to sign up below so you’re in the loop when everything kicks off at the end of July!
