The Classroom Library

Welcome to the second post, a part of the summer series all focused on getting your middle school students to read! If you haven’t already, be sure to head back to my first post where you learn all about the importance of a print-rich middle school classroom.

Today, you will read about the importance of the classroom library. When you hear the words "classroom library" what do you visualize? The school library? A small corner of the room? Leveled readers?

All classrooms need libraries, and, no, I am not talking about the communal school library. NCTE states that classroom libraries play a pivotal role in providing access to books and promoting literacy. Libraries increase student motivation, engagement, and achievement.

Classroom libraries should: 

• Offer a wide range of materials to appeal to and support students with different interests and abilities.
• Provide access to multiple resources that reflect diverse perspectives and social identities; this includes magazines, newspapers, and posters.
• Open up opportunities for students, teachers, and school librarians to collaborate on the selections available for student choice and reading. (NCTE, 2017)

Building your Classroom Library

A significant limitation of building your classroom library is funding. Building a library takes time and money. However, the reward is worth it. There are many free or inexpensive resources available to start building your library. Building your classroom library is also a great way to get families involved. Here are some ways to make a classroom library more economically:

• Use book fairs and clubs point systems
• Second-hand book stores 
• Garage sales
• Ask students to donate 
• Create wish lists and share them with your friends and family
• Retiring teachers/teachers switching grade levels

Libraries cannot be built in a day. Continue to seek out books that represent who is in your classroom, people within the community, and worldwide.

Image from Megan Glidden

A classroom library aims to provide accessible and diverse reading material that strengthens and encourages authentic experiences and discussions between peers and teachers. You can do this by including texts with characters similar in age to students in the classroom and who share experiences they have had. This will generate interest and foster self-to-text connections. The cultural and linguistic backgrounds of students are another factor to consider when selecting books.

Image provided by Elizabeth Moklestad

Image provided by Sarah Krall

Organizing and Creating a Sorting System

A well-organized, labeled classroom library conveys that reading is valued and a part of the classroom environment. Brassell (2005) notes that regardless of the size or condition of the space, decoration and organization can make all the difference. Add pillows, comfy chairs, rugs, and aesthetically pleasing decor to create a warm and inviting place for students to gather. 

Books should be visible and accessible for students to select. Facing books forward and creating a unique display will help generate more interest. This section can emphasize student recommendations, books recently read aloud, or literature centered around a theme.

 

Images provided by Hannah Schrempp

Every few weeks, rotate your book display. Catapano and colleagues (2009) share to always leave some favorites in the library and add new books that represent the current topic of the curriculum. Also, include books that represent future topics in the curriculum so that students will start to form ideas about what they will learn and offer what they already know about the topic as they begin a new project or theme.

Choosing how to group books together and creating a labeling system can feel like a daunting task; however, it will help students navigate the collection. Grouping books based on student interest is another way to generate interest.

Images provided by Hannah Schrempp

Images provided by Hannah Schrempp

Whether you choose to separate your books by genre, themes, author, series, special features, or topic, label books with colored stickers or tape.  Labels will represent categories as well as indicate the relative difficulty level. Use student-friendly, non-stigmatizing labels to refer to different levels.

Image provided by Hannah Schrempp

Here is an example provided by Hannah Schrempp of a labeling system. The top of the spine is labeled with the book's genre or form, and the bottom colors represent the book's “level”. I say the term level loosely because students should not know a book’s reading level. The color system you see in the image on the left indicates the type of language used (inappropriate or complex vocabulary) and topics focused on inside the book. I determine this by either reading the book or doing a simple Google search.

Representation matters

Bishop (1990) states that our students need books that are mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. Meaning, students need access to stories that match who they are (mirrors), stories that offer views of the world that may be imagined real (windows), and stories that invite readers to step through the window and step into the characters’ shoes which will ultimately build empathy. When students are immersed in diverse texts, it will help reduce prejudice and misunderstandings, teach students to appreciate their peers' similarities and differences, and inspire students to want to make a change.

When selecting texts to place in your classroom library and curriculum, it is important to understand that there are common biases within texts.

1. Stereotypes: Shortcuts to bigotry 
2. Tokenism of underrepresented groups
3. Invisibility: the complete or relative exclusion of a group
4. Intersectionality: creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage (Oxford Languages)
5. Look at messages about different lifestyles
6. Consider the Author’s or Illustrator’s Background or Perspective 
7. Look at the Copyright Date  

Adapted from the Wisconsin Department of Public Education and Hamline University's Summer Literacy Institute, this graphic organizer provides guidance when examining books you select to place in your classroom.

Image provided by Hannah Schrempp

Foster Student Buy-In

The image on the right is an example of another feature within my classroom. Students can scan the QR codes and learn more about the author. This is another great way to get students interacting with books inside your library. 

Fountas and Pinnell (2001) stress the importance of both ownership and independence in establishing an effective classroom library. Students should be involved regularly in helping organize the space and materials, monitoring effectiveness, and troubleshooting problems. The library should be organized for student independence. You can involve students by:

• Assigning students to be the classroom librarian. This builds and promotes student responsibility and ownership
• Give students the task to choose what books should be spotlighted
• Display student book reviews and recommendations in and around the classroom library 

The image below shows a way to store student reviews. Provide students a clear example of what a good review looks and sounds like and then encourage students to do it often. This is an effective way to build community around your classroom library.

Image provided by Hannah Schrempp

Image provided by Elizabeth Moklestad

The image above shows how Elizabeth builds interest around books. Many students struggle to move onto other books once they finish a series. Pulling and displaying books that are similar to other popular series will show students that there are more amazing books out there.

Image provided by Hannah Schrempp

Images to the above and below show displays based on specific interests. Themes or topics can be easily changed each week or monthly!

Images provided by Hannah Schrempp

The Importance of Independent Reading 
NCTE states “Independent reading is a routine, protected, instructional practice that occurs across all grade levels. Effective independent reading practices include time for students to read, access to books that represent a wide range of characters and experiences, and support within a reading community that includes teachers and students”. 

When students have the ability to self-select texts and are provided time to read independently, this alone motivates, engages, and fosters habitual readers. It is pivotal that educators protect this instructional time so that students can build their reading stamina and have the opportunity to construct meaning through what they are reading. Independent reading opens up opportunities for adolescent readers to experience topics they might not otherwise have a chance to and builds empathy for the world around them.

To ensure student success during independent reading, educators need to provide students with:

• Designated time to read self-selected texts
• Access to a wide range of texts that provide multiple perspectives, interests, and topics 
• Support students through 1:1 conferencing and small groups
• Model and instill enthusiasm about texts you and the students are reading
• Build “community of readers through modeling independent reading and conversations about reading” (NCTE, 2019)

Check out this Classroom Library Survey. As you build a classroom library, frequently refer to this survey to support your decisions. 

As educators, it is critical that we reflect on our classroom practices. After reading this post, consider the following:

• What cultures, topics, themes, or communities do I need to add more voices of in my classroom library? 
• What texts can I add that support cross-curricular topics?
• Do I own any texts that are problematic or contribute to a single story? How can I use these texts to open up conversations with students? 
• If you do not have a classroom library, what has held you back and why? How can you ask for support from fellow colleagues, school community, and administrators?

This post is a part of a four-week summer series focused on getting your middle school students to see the importance of reading. Head to the next in the series titled,

Connect with me!

mrssclassroomcraziness@gmail.com

@mrssclassroomcraziness

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Want to learn more? Check out these reads!

Statement on Classroom Libraries
How to Build Your Classroom Library
Building an Effective Classroom Library Susan Catapano Jane Fleming Martille Elias

NCTE Position Statement on Independent Reading

Brassell, D. (2005). Building a library from scratch. Teaching K-8, 35(4), 56-57.

Fountas, I. C., & Pinnell, G. S. (2001). Guiding readers and writers: Teaching, comprehension, fluency, genre, and content literacy. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Bishop, R. S. (1990). Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. Perspectives, 1(3), ix–xi.