Through the Eyes of a Child....Shelf Organization

Time To Organize the Shelves!

In the last post, we discussed shelf organization and some of the sections of the library I have used in the past. Hopefully, you have a plan, a map/sketch and most of all...help! Before making actual labels (the tape is quite expensive), it would be best to use post-it notes for all the sections you have decided to use in your library.

Before you put books back on the shelves the way you want them organized, we also discussed weeding out the obvious books with issues. Remember, most of our funding comes from tax payers' dollars, so you want the best representation of their money. Why? I have had children lose or damage books, and parents question why they should pay full price for a book that came home looking like it had been in a war. And you know what? They have a point. Also, think about loaning your book to a fellow librarian. How do you want to be represented? Still not convinced? Try teaching 5-9 year-old children about book care and all they see are books in poor condition. What message is it saying to them? 

Of course, they will not remain in pristine condition. We are talking about kids and books. However, if you know the only books on the shelves to start the year off with were your BEST ones, it is much easier to train kids to take care of them and for parents to pay for them if there is an issue.

**The collage above and below have examples of books I would pull from the shelves. 

**If a book is/has: dirty, spine issues, stains, writing/scribble, chewed on, WET (has been wet), pages stuck together, pop-up books, books with multiple stories, scotch tape repaired pages, and just inappropriate books (Trust me, they are there!) Just set books with "issues" in a back room or on carts for a later time. Focus on the books you want kids to check out. If the book just needs cleaning, wipe it down, let it dry then put it on the shelf.

Kindergarten/"Non-Quiz" Books

I would begin with books with the lowest reading level on the shelves. Remember, you want the lowest level books closest to the circulation desk. This helps when kids are "stuck" and can't find a book and curbs "off task" behavior. PROXIMITY IS IMPORTANT.

When I train students in how to use the media center, I do not give them full reign of every shelf. They learn section by section. So, putting together your lower level sections will make life easier and usually they do not have as many books, so it shouldn't take as long to complete them. 

If your school participates in Accelerated Reader, Reading Counts or Lexile leveling programs, this may determine how you shelve. I DO NOT believe in organizing shelves by book level! I believe in teaching children how to use the library, but you can't overwhelm them. Sometimes just getting them to know if they want a fiction or non-fiction book can be too much! 

NON-QUIZ BOOKS

If you have ESE (Exceptional Student Education) classes who may not understand book care or have impulse control issues, you (and their teachers) may want a special shelf for them to checkout books (non-quiz books) that are not part of your leveled program. It doesn't mean it isn't quality literature. There are a lot of books out there that may not be a part of a program, but have a great story. 

**If you have enough of them, you can sometimes allow the kindergartners to check these types of books out first until they can get into the routine of bringing books back each week.

**Below is an example of a book that is not (AR) leveled, but great for kids to read.

 

Kindergarten Level Books

If you have a lot of "popular" character books, I would consider making a "Series" section. Frozen, Elephant and Piggie, Pete the Cat, Marley, Little Critter....You get the picture. These are the books the kids WANT FIRST as a rule. Go ahead and make them first on the shelves to make them easier to find. Look at the shelf below. Put your "most popular" books on the first set of shelves. They probably won't take up more than those first three shelves (going vertically).

**The picture below shows K series books and K fiction books. It was taken after inventory, so the books were not on display in the middle and some were being used for summer school.  

Once you have your Series shelf set up, then put your kindergarten level fiction picture books on the shelves next. Put them in order by author's last name. (Just like a regular fiction shelf.) Most of the time, this will take up to 4 shelves. 

Don't forget, you don't want to overload the shelves. I try put 1/3 on the left, 1/3 on the right and leave the center for either a book or an object that attracts attention to the shelf. (i.e.: Put a plush Elephant and Piggie on a shelf where their books are.) This helps children learn independently where the books are and keeps the shelves neater since they have less books to look through to find the book they want.

  

Try to keep the books low enough the kids can reach them! If you put them on a high bookcase, you will have more issues with the kids and a huge mess. Some may say the  space top shelf is "wasted space", but kids can reach all the books and it allows for some decorating. The more "kid-friendly" your media center is, the more "kid happy" your patrons will be!

Now, back to the books...

**The sections on the shelf above are: 

 Left-hand side top to bottom

000-300  Communities/Guidance/Families                                 500 Math

550 Seasons/Weather                                                              597 Insects

629 Careers/Transportation                                                      636 Farm/Farm Animals

599 Forest Animals                                                                  599 Zoo/Jungle Animals

599 Ocean Animals                                                                  597 Reptiles/Amphibians

636 Pets                                                                                 796 Sports

              

Following the fiction shelves, you will put the non-fiction kindergarten books in Dewey Decimal order. (Yes, it is still used!) However, don't get hung up over "exact" number order! You may have to combine topics (like seasons and weather) due to shelf space or number of books in a section.Think more like "subjects", but use the Dewey three digit number. This will help you and anyone who shelves books for you! They can just put a kindergarten reptile book in the section where the kindergarten reptile books are. On the label I would put 

597-Reptiles/Amphibians. 

There will be some media specialists who would "frown" upon this method of shelving books, but you have to remember, they are small kids who know what kind of book they want and we are not the Library of Congress. Our mission should be to make our students/patrons excited, knowledgeable,  independent users of the media center. Grouping them by subject will help them learn the flow of the Dewey Decimal System even if they can't tell you the words "Dewey Decimal". 

Most schools have their books labeled with colored labels ("red dot" books, "yellow dot" books). If the children NEVER LEARN what the dots mean, they do not understand how to help themselves become a strong, independent reader. (another post for another time) 

I like just having the call number and level information on the front cover so it is easier for everyone to know what kind of book it is. If labels are always put on the spines, two things become an issue: 1. The labels come off easier. 2. You end up not being able to read the spine information.

** The book below is labeled with AR information on the bar-code label. This saves space, keeps the amount of tape down and keeps the book processing easier. The "green" colored label is what this school uses to identify 2nd grade level AR books. I have found throughout the years, labels that wrap around the spine tend to peel and become a fascination with the students and when they peel it off it makes more work for the library staff. If you can keep everything on the front and off the spine it is much neater and cost/time effective.

**The only thing missing from this label I would add is the call number E BAR. I would put it below the bar-code in the blank white space.

First Grade Level Books

You want a smooth flow from kindergarten books to first grade level books, but have some space between them if possible. If you don't have a lot of shelf space or you don't have a lot of lower level books in good condition, you may want to combine them using the sections listed above. 

At the beginning of the year, if you do not have enough lower level books, there are some options. I told my kindergartners and first graders, if they did not know their alphabet and sounds, sight words or their parents didn't read to them every night, they should get a kindergarten level book. If they new their alphabet and sounds, sight words and their parents read with them each night, they should get the first grade level books. You would be surprised how honest they are. This is also a great visual survey to see how kids view their home reading habits. 

For the first grade books, repeat the process and set up you completed for the kindergarten section. Clean, weed, and shelve.

**The picture above is an example of an entire first grade section. On the left: First 3 cases (9 shelves) are series books. The next case is fiction picture books. The last 2 cases are first grade non-fiction books (by subject with Dewey Decimal numbers).

I am going to close this post here. This is a great deal to take in, process and complete. The next post will be about the remainder of the sections. Happy shelving!

Shelving, Spacing and Labeling...Oh My!

Hit the Books!

Once your office space and working areas are organized and clutter free, it is time to "hit the books"! 

You need to take a visual tour of the shelves. Think about how they are currently organized and if this is how you want them to be arranged. Do you know your philosophy about how children should use the library? 

In an elementary setting, you want to think like a 5-9 year old. When a child comes to the library, what kind of book might interest him/her? How will the child independently find the book they want? 

If your school uses Accelerated Reader, and you have Kindergarten students (or a low performing school), you may want to "assist" them. Now, I am NOT proposing to arrange them by AR level! I believe in teaching children HOW to use the library. 

In the past few school libraries I took on, I found it best to have the following sections:

*Kindergarten level section (fiction and non-fiction)

*First grade level section (fiction and non-fiction)

*Non-AR book section (fiction or low level books)

*Series Section (AR Level 2.0 and higher)

*Fiction picture books (AR Level 2.0 and higher)

*Chapter books (AR Level 2.0 and higher)

*Non-Fiction books (AR Level 2.0 and higher)

Depending on how many bookcases and number of shelves you have, will depend on how you will be able to arrange the books. Your non-fiction shelves should be your largest section of cases. Kindergarten level and Non-AR books** will not take up as much space, so they could share shelving.

You will want to put your lowest level books on shelves closest to the circulation desk. This way, as they are learning to find books and checkout; your clerk, volunteer, and/or you can watch them and assist as needed. Proximity is important with reinforcing procedures and behavior.

Map/sketch out the layout of the shelves the way you want them to be prior to moving books. Set up the sections you want to train the children on first. Once you know how the shelves will be organized, remove the books from the shelves the lowest level books will be on first. (Just find a place for them.) 

I never open up the entire library for the first few weeks of checkout. This way the children can know, understand and explore each section without being overwhelmed with the entire library as a choice. (We will go into this more when we get to lesson planning.)

You will need to clean the shelves.Take off any labels and remove the dust and grime. Clean your bookends as well. 

You will need quite a few cleaning supplies on hand:

*Goo Gone

*Rags

*Endust or Pledge

*Clorox or Lysol (store brand)wipes (some schools do not allow Clorox wipes)

*Swifter wand and refills

*Label maker and refill cartridges (a lot of them)

*Lysol spray 

Once the shelves are clean, locate all the books which belong in the lowest level section. Go ahead and begin to analyze your books:

*Weed out the ones which are damaged beyond repair.

*Clean the ones whose covers are dirty. (This will probably be all of them and      don't forget the spine.) Be careful. If the labels are not covered with tape or a    clear label, it may damage the label causing more work!

*If the spines are loose, you may want to set them aside as well. Make an            executive decision about them.

*ALL the books you need to fix, find a place in a back room to deal with later. If    you can keep them separated by "issue" that will make it easier when you          have time to deal with them, if not, one big pile out of the main area will do.

*Put the ones which represent your library well and are in good condition on        the shelves the way you want them. 

Remember! Keep fiction and non-fiction separate. You want your students to realize which type of book they are checking out. 

You don't want your shelves to be crammed from one side to the other. Children become overwhelmed when they have to "dig" through 20-30 books to find the book they want.

Look at the middle shelf in the picture on the left. For a kindergartner looking for a book, he would become frustrated quickly or make a huge mess. Neither of which are the results we want from our patrons.

My rule of thumb is to fill 1/3 on the left and the right. Leave the center blank so you can stand a book up or an object in the center  to attract attention to the shelf.(See the shelves on the right.)

This process is massive and can become overwhelming. It is best if you can have A LOT of help! Make a plan before your volunteers show up. Plan (and sticky note label) where you want things to go. Have your work areas ready to go before they get there. Organization is the KEY! One or two can clean books, one can move books and clean the shelves and bookends. This will leave you to go through the books before you put the ones ready to be checked out on the shelves.

Next blog will cover how to organize the books on the bookcases. 

**If you have enough books in the Non-AR section to checkout to your kindergartners, you might want to allow them to check them out first. This way your lower level AR books do not go missing or lost as they get used to borrowing and returning books. This section also comes in handy with self-contained ESE (special needs) classes who may not be as "careful or easy" with books, but still allows them to checkout books, too.

You got the job....now what?

New Media Center.....New Challenges

Top 3 Things To Do First

Getting the title "Media Specialist" is the easiest part of being one. Once you enter the library media center you need to make some important decisions.

Step 1 - Traffic Patterns

Take a look at the layout of your media center. To begin, look at where your circulation desk is and your exit(s) are. You need a clear traffic pattern in and out of the media center. This will alleviate a ton of headaches and confusion throughout the school year. If you have another "classroom" like a lab, reading coach office, or a teacher workroom traffic patterns are EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!

You want a clear entrance pattern and exit pattern for classes and individual checkout (if you have this). Think about where/how you want your class to come in and what they should do first. If you have any special "markers or identifiers" where the children can easily remember what to do. Consistent patterns and repetition are crucial to a smooth flowing media center. 

Examples:

1.One school had a set of risers, so my classes entered and stopped at a cardboard cutout of Lily from Kevin Henkes book (Lily and her Purple Plastic Purse). It was easy to teach them to "line up at Lily".  When they left, they lined up at a bookcase with a Clifford poster.

2. Another school had an oval purple carpet and they would go straight to the carpet to sit. As they left, they lined up along a wall by the exit door. 

If your schedule is tight, you need to think about what to do when a teacher is late picking up her students. What will you do with them? Most of my media centers have been large enough to have a separate set of tables for them to sit at until they were picked up. 

Step 2 - Reading time setting

In your mind you have envisioned what your class time will be like. Examine your technology. What do you  have? A document camera (Elmo), SMART board or Promethean board, Projector, microphone, check in and out computers, Chrome books/I Pads are all possibilities which could be available for you. 

Do you want a more modern setting? Using technology like an Elmo to show the pictures to the children as you read so they can all see the pictures easily. 

Do you want a classic setting? Sitting in a special chair with kiddos sitting around you on the floor as you read a story?

If you know you will have classes with special needs children, you may want to arrange the reading area into a U shape or semi-circle to give them boundaries. (see purple carpet picture above)This makes it easier for them to learn when and where they can go during your library time. 

Think about how children will be sitting (just like in a classroom). Can they see from all angles during the lesson? Do you have enough chairs and tables to meet your needs? 

Step 3 - Order or Chaos

Once you have traffic patterns and furniture arranged, then you need to access the "stuff" in your media center. Empty all drawers, shelves, closets, piles and really discern one of three things: 

Is this something... 

I DEFINITELY NEED, COULD COME IN HANDY, or NOPE NOT IN THIS LIBRARY. 

Make sure the items you decide to keep all have a specific place (and even better...a specific purpose). If you are not sure if something is needed (technology items like cords, remotes or old reading series books) ask before getting rid of it. Always give others opportunity to go through what you are not keeping. The saying "One man's junk...." does hold true in education, however, if it is in really bad shape, THROW IT OUT!

The more clutter you get rid of before the year begins, the less disorganized you will feel when the year gets rolling. If the drawers, shelves, cabinets are all organized, you, your clerk and volunteers will easily find materials needed quickly. Organizing your space will also allow you to know what supplies you need to order right away and a "wish" list for things you would like to have throughout the year.

These three steps are VITAL! If you can master these three hurdles, the flow and organization of your space will make it so much easier to function throughout the year!

Next step.....Getting into your collection and shelving!

Not Just Another Library Blog....

Why Now?

Library blogs are probably a dime a dozen. I get that. What will make this one different? What can it do for you?

For starters, I believe in working smarter not harder. After flipping four elementary school libraries, I feel like I have background knowledge to help those who have stepped into the media specialist position and make their transition easier and successful.

Getting hired is easy. Getting it ready to open the doors is the challenge. 

Since it is summer, I felt this was the perfect time to start a blog on how to get a media center up and running in time for school to start. You have some time to read, research and digest your style of how you want it all to flow.

Welcome aboard. It will be an adventure. It will be a challenge. It will be worth it (even if it just gets you thinking). 

My name is Michelle Maddox. I have been a classroom teacher and a school teacher-library-media specialist in the southeastern United States. I have "flipped" four school libraries in my career and each one was different from the other. This blog will post bi-weekly. The goal is to take you from start up (before school starts) through the end of the school year (inventory). Library set up, lessons, collection development and organizational techniques will be provided for you to ponder and use if you see fit. Thank you for taking this journey with me!