Building a Classroom Library

The U.S. Department of Education's Nation's Report Card: Reading 2002 (2003) indicates that the benefits of classroom libraries are students:

• interact more with books
• spend more time reading
• demonstrate more positive attitudes toward reading
• exhibit higher levels of reading achievement

When choosing materials for a classroom library there are a number of things to consider:

1. What are the reading levels of my students?
   • approximate reading levels of your students can usually be found within the standardized test scores within each student's permanent file.
2. What are the topics that will be taught within my classes?
   • There are a wide variety of magazines, books, and other materials that are dedicated to science, math, art, literature, sports, languages, etc. Don't be afraid to choose something that might seem to be out of your topic.
   • For example, students can learn physics from reading about billiards or other sports. Be creative!
3. How will I use the supplementary materials within my classes?
   • Examples of how to use supplementary materials are:
     • reading to the class to build up or recall background information
     • as an alternate to a textbook
     • in tandem with a textbook to provide additional information
     • an after reading source material to extend knowledge.
4. What funds are available to purchase materials for a classroom library?
   • There may be untapped monies within the budget of the district or your particular school, within the parent/teacher organization funds, or grants.
     • In Grants for Teachers
     • Grants For Free Books In Classrooms
5. Where can I get low-cost or no-cost materials for a classroom library?
   • Ask parents for materials
   • rummage through garage sales
   • Goodwill and other thrift stores
   • ask your local public library for books that they have declared as surplus or magazines they want to recycle
   • Go to local businesses, like travel agents, for materials about various parts of this country and other countries around the world
   • a bank for brochures that are typically given to bank clients
   • a grocery store for grocery ads, coupons, samples of food containers and recipes
   • a doctor's office for brochures about various diseases, ways to keep healthy and immunization recommendations

The list is almost endless!

You and your students can begin reaping the benefits of a classroom library quickly by working together to bring materials into the class that enrich learning and motivation. Therefore, a classroom library is what you make it!