5 Monthly Habits to Keep Your Classroom Library Running Smoothly

For your classroom library to flourish, it needs consistent love and attention. Just like a garden, a few caring hands working together will ensure your classroom library continues to thrive. Here are a few monthly habits to keep your classroom library running smoothly so it continues to engage your students and support your teaching all year long.

Plus, check out these 14 must-have books you didn’t even know your classroom library needed!

Reflect on the previous month
When it comes to classroom libraries, a lot can happen in 30 days. Books can be misplaced or damaged, others may go untouched. Shelves may begin to sag. A bean bag may tear. Your non-fiction basket may become totally disorganized. So, at the beginning of each month, reflect on the previous 30 days to identify what worked well in your classroom library and the areas that need improvement. Fix what you can quickly and note issues you’ll have to devote more time and attention to down the road. Also, if you take a little time each month to reflect on your classroom library, you’ll learn a lot about your young readers. From books students can’t keep their hands off of to topics they’re no longer interested in, your classroom library is a filled with a tremendous wealth of knowledge on and off the page!

Align your classroom library with current instruction
Your classroom library should always support your teaching. Each month make sure your classroom library has titles on topics you’re currently covering with your students and give them prominent placement. If you’re teaching a unit on the animal kingdom, these books about animals from National Geographic are must-haves for your classroom library. Teaching important events from history? These historical fiction titles from the best-selling I Survived series will have your students on the edge of their seats.

During independent reading time, students can then learn more about what they’re studying and challenge themselves to think critically and explore new topics that are closely related. Also, line your shelves with a few books that preview what students will be learning next month. This will not only help you transition from one unit to the next, but it will build excitement and anticipation for future learning while giving students a familiarity with a new topic before diving in.

Refresh and rotate
Each month, comb through your stacks and pull books that are damaged and no longer capture the attention of your students. Replace them with new titles on topics you’re confident they’ll be interested in and books that will challenge them as readers. Also, create little displays featuring a small selection of books—think student and teacher picks or books from a favorite series—that will catch the eye of your young readers. Kids love new books, so don’t put all your books out at once for your students. Build anticipation with a quick preview a week before you introduce a new release.

Grow your wish list
One monthly habit that should be on every teacher’s to-do list is devoting time to your classroom library wish list. Add books your students have expressed interest in and those you know will support your instruction. As you grow your wish list each month, look for creative ways to transform those wishes into reality. Scholastic Book Clubs is always a good place to start since it helps your students build their own home library while earning you free books and resources for your classroom.

Get your students involved
Managing your classroom library requires a group effort. Each month, assign a small group of students to be responsible for tidying up their classroom library and making sure it’s organized. This a great way to help your students learn responsibility and give them a sense of ownership over their classroom library, while ensuring it continues to run smoothly all year long. 

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