Organizing the Classroom Library: A Dialogue Between Aimee Buckner and Franki Sibberson
Editor's Note: Franki and Aimee are exchanging four letters during August as they arrange their classroom libraries and think about matching books to their third and fourth grade students' needs. In late September, they will compare notes to see how well their rearranged libraries worked for students.
From: Franki
To: Aimee
Re: Getting Started
Hi Aimee!
I worked on my classroom library for the first time this week. It is always a bigger job than I think it is going to be. This year, I am sharing the 3/4 multiage classroom with another teacher. We moved into a classroom that had about 900 books that the district had purchased. So, between my co-teacher, the district, and me we are technically combining three sets of books. I find that I have to give myself a certain amount of space or else I can take up the entire room with books. The space determines what can stay and what has to be packed away. It is always lots of decisions.
Since I taught 5th grade last year, I want to make sure that my library is appropriate this year. I am trying to remember what beginning 3rd graders read. I know I'll also have some struggling 3rd graders so I want to make sure that picture books and poetry are prominent in the classroom so that those are valued as books for reading time. I know that once kids start reading chapter books (about 2nd/3rd grade), they think the fatter, the better. For struggling readers, that adds more stress. So, I tried to weed out those huge books like Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. I figure the kids who will read those will find them on their own. My main worry is that I have the right books for the span of kids who will be reading them. Which books are you adding for your 3rd graders?
Right now, we have a section that is along one wall that will house nonfiction in baskets by topic.
An idea from my colleague Jen - a basket of nonfiction books in a question and answer format.
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We have a long wall that is completely lined with shelves that will house baskets of fiction-baskets organized by author and series. And then we have three shelves by our easel area where we have picture books. We have a shelf by the sink with poetry. And we have two shelves in the back for spine-out fiction novels that don't seem to fit the baskets. I want them to be separated by genre so the younger kids can actually see the different genres in different places. And the spacing seems right. Now it is a matter of organizing them within that space. Any ideas?
My big work this week is really thinking through those baskets of series and author books. I am giving it a shot and trying to figure out whether I have met the span of readers in 3rd and 4th grade. I know that the library set up will teach them lots about book choice so I want to make sure it works for everyone. So, that is my next big job. Then I need to think about weeding out some picture books and novels - we have far too many. Which ones stay and which get packed up? How are you making these decisions?
Such decisions!
Franki
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