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After book talking some new books that have arrived in the library, the librarian has all interested students (who want to check out the books) add their name to a drawing. Whoever gets picked will get a gift-wrapped copy of the library book delivered to their classroom with small library goodies (bookmark, pencil) with instructions about reading and returning the book.

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Hi, friends! Sara Marshall originally shared her great "you've been booked" idea in our Learning Librarians Facebook group. I asked her to give us all the details in a guest blog post, and she generously agreed. Here is her terrific idea for reading promotion at your school library! She says...

Book Talks

I have been brainstorming ideas for how to incorporate book talks into my lessons each week for a long time. In the past, I faced the conundrum of choosing who would get to check out the books I advertised and not having enough copies of them to go around. It was also difficult to come up with enough different books for the 30 classes I see each week.

My solution came from an idea I've seen trending in various librarian forums called "You've Been Booked." The concept was originally intended for classroom teachers as a way to surprise them with fresh new reading material to share with their classes based on the age/grade level they teach. I saw the value and novelty of this service as it reminded me of popular subscription unboxings that range from beauty products, to reading material, to pet supplies. I love the idea of curating materials for teachers and surprising them with the latest and greatest literature. This is something that I hope to implement with my school's staff in the near future.

Build Student Excitement

However, I also saw this as a potential way to build students' excitement over receiving books tailored to their interests. The "You've Been Booked" program seemed like the best way to fairly distribute the books that I feature to all of my students who are eager to read them, so I tweaked it to fit my needs.

My plan was to choose two books to book talk each week and have students sign up if they wanted to check them out. For my first book talks I chose to feature Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling and Save Me a Seat by Gita Varadarajan. I chose the first book because I read it over the summer with my daughters and we loved it. I knew that fans of Wonder by R.J. Palacio and Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper would love it as well. I haven't had the chance to read Save Me a Seat yet, but I've heard nothing but wonderful things about it. Its themes of starting at a new school, friendship, and dealing with bullies fit in nicely with the beginning of the school year.

I gave a short talk about both books to grades 3-5 and told students they could sign up for a drawing to be one of the first to read them after our lesson. I told them that the winners would have the books delivered to their classrooms the next week. My sign-up sheets were really basic: I just wrote the book titles at the top of two sheets of notebook paper and told students to write their name and class. Around 15-20 students signed up. There were several ways to choose the winners, such as numbering their names and choosing a number at random, but I went with two of my voracious readers who I knew would read the books quickly so that others could have a turn.

You've Been Booked Gift Wrap

To make the book delivery even more special, I packaged it like a gift and included a few extra goodies. My principal gifted me a box of bookmarks, reading pencils, and reading bracelets. I included one of each item, along with two Tootsie Rolls. I received a huge box of plastic popcorn bags two years ago, which made perfect goodie bags to hold the book and treats. Last, I finished it off with a colorful tag that reads: You've Been Booked! with instructions on reading and returning the book in a timely manner.

Both of the recipients of my first "You've Been Booked" program thanked me personally for their books. They read and returned their books in a timely manner. I plan to go down the list now and "gift" each student who signed up as the books come back. My goal is to book talk different titles at least once a month.

You could try this idea with new or older books, books from author/illustrator studies, and state award titles. One could even have students sign up for a mock "subscription" service to occasionally receive a surprise book in class. There are so many possibilities for utilizing this concept to build anticipation for students' next great read, and to instill the idea that reading is the ultimate "gift."

Thank you to Sara Marshall for sharing this great idea to promote reading at our school libraries! You can find more of Sara's ideas in her Facebook group, The Playful Librarian.

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You've Been Booked! for Students - Library Learners

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Promote reading in your school library with "you've been booked!" Read this blog post for details!

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Like March Madness, the media specialist could have students nominate books or curate a list of new books or books she wants to introduce, then read these books to classes as time goes along (unless the students choose pre-read books). Then, over the month of March, students will vote for their favorites and the bracket will showcase winners as time goes on to eventually have the final book winner!

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Hello, friends!

It's Christmas break for me and I'm taking a few minutes to plan ahead for the new year! Last year our first graders hosted a Tournament of Books and it was a huge success so we're getting ready to host one again this year!

The first thing I did was put up this huge bracket in the main hallway of our school. It generated a ton of buzz around the school, especially before we shared any details about what we were actually planning! The Brown Bag Teacher has bracket printables free on Teachers Pay Teachers. They are perfect for getting your bracket ready. To build the bracket, I started from the middle and worked out on each side, using black duct tape for the lines. It wasn't a quick project, but it turned out perfectly!

Once all the kiddos were making guesses about my giant hallways display, we collected nominations.

Each first grader nominated a favorite book, which gave us about 70 nominees. It was surprisingly easily to narrow them down to 16 choices for our bracket since we had lots and lots of the same choices, plus a few that were easy to toss (a few guided reading titles made it into the mix haha).

Once we filled in our top 16 books, the students filled out their own brackets. I printed blank brackets from Print Your Own Brackets and wrote in our selections. Then, we carefully went through the choices and the students filled in a winner for each match up. This also helped them to understand how the bracket itself worked and promoted lots of debate about their favorites!

Now that we had our top 16 choices, everyone needed to make sure they read the books! We read many of the nominees aloud to our classes, but we also used QR codes with iPads in our listening centers to make the books accessable to all our students.

Then, each week, we conducted a vote. We created a Google Form with the choices and then posted a QR code that linked to the form. Students used iPads to scan the QR code then enter their choices. It was quick for them to complete and easy for us since we didn't need to prepare or count 70 paper ballots each week!

Even though only our first graders were voting, the whole school was eager to see who the winner would be and looked forward to seeing the winners each week!

Our tournament came down to a Crayon vs Crayon final! The Day the Crayons Came Back was the winner, "because it has glow in the dark!" and two of my kiddos actually managed perfect brackets!

This year we're planning further ahead, so the whole school is getting involved! Have you ever hosted a Tournament of Books? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

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Tournament of Books: March Madness for the Classroom

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Hello, friends! It's Christmas break for me and I'm taking a few minutes to plan ahead for the new year! Last year our first graders host...

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Students can get a copy of this bingo board from the librarian, and as they complete books at home or in the classroom/ media center, someone can initial beside a box and they can color a box in. By the end of the month if they complete a bingo, they can get a little prize from the librarian!

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Are you ready for Reading Month? I always plan a lot of fun activities throughout the month to encourage my students to read and their passion to become life-long readers. This Reading Bingo is always a big hit and one of my students' favorites.

How To Use Reading Bingo:

What's Needed:

Reading Bingo

Paper or Card Stock

Printer

Bingo Marker (such as stickers, crayons, Bingo dabber, etc.)

This learning activity is so easy to prepare! Simply, download the Reading Bingo chart below and print it on paper or card stock. Just like that, you have an simple activity that is ready to go.
How To Use:

There are so many ways to use this no-prep, reading activity. If you are a classroom teacher, you can have your students complete any square that they want during your literacy centers. If they finish one square everyday, they can have a Bingo by the end of the week. You can use this activity all month long and your kids can complete the entire chart.

As a classroom teacher, you can also use this Reading Bingo chart as an enrichment activity for early finishers or add it to your morning tubs. You can also send this literacy printable home to encourage and motivate your students to read more with their families. If you are a librarian, you can use this Bingo chart as a Reading Month activity with all of your elementary students. Or, you can use this reading printable with all of your young visitors if you are a librarian at a public library.

Grab A Book,

Find A Nook.

It's Time To Read-o

And Play BINGO.

Complete The Chart

Will Be A Work Of Art!

Hope your students have fun completing this Reading Bingo and are encouraged to read during Reading Month and all year long.

You May Also Like:

Are you looking for some fun activities to celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday? This Dr. Seuss Author Study has a variety of resources that your students can use throughout reading month to learn about the author including a craft, writing activity, and character book report.

Click on the pencil to download and print the Reading Bingo!

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Are you ready for Reading Month? I always plan a lot of fun activities throughout the month to encourage my students to read and their passion to become life-long readers. This Reading Bingo is always a big hit and one of my students' favorites.

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Media Specialist can send out on google classroom or school supported browser for students a teaser-video of new titles in the library. Then, librarian can send an invitation to a book tasting. In classes, students can come into library, sit at table and read titles at hand. Then, they’ll write down some things they liked or didn’t like about titles. These titles will then be put on display in library for interested readers.

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A couple of weeks ago I tried out something I've seen on several TL/SLMS blogs within the last year...a book tasting. It was a fairly easy lesson to create, but it does take some time to plan.

First I created a short PowerPoint about how to browse or "taste" a book.

Then I put together a "menu" for the tasting based on a menu created by Mrs. Lodge of Mrs. Lodge's Library blog. You can see her post here.

Next I ran a STAR Reading report for each 2nd-5th grade class and divided them into four to five like reading ability groups. This is probably the most time consuming part of planning/preparing this type of lesson.

Finally, I pulled 6-10 books for each group that would fit their reading ability and placed them on serving tray on a table along with a flower vase and some battery operated candles, just to set the mood. I pulled non-fiction books since that is our Genre of the Month. Also since most students don't usually go straight for non-fiction, this was a great chance to show students that non-fiction can be enjoyable, too.

After the first book tasting lesson with a second grade class, I realized it might be helpful to have a list of adjectives to help fill out the menu, so I created a list of adjectives, laminated it and placed several copies of it at each table. It took the second grade class longer to fill out their menu, so I also thought it might be better to do a guided "tasting" and only "taste" one book. So I created a shorter menu for 2nd and 3rd graders.

You can get a copy of this pack here or by clicking on the picture above.

If you're interested in how other TL/SLMS have done their book tatstings, you might like to check out these blog posts:

Mrs. Lodge's Library: " Book Tasting" (This is the blog post that the book tasting menus are based on.)
The Unquiet Librarian: Book Tasting posts
Barrow Media Center " Book Tasting"
Miss Liberry Teacher"Book Tasting"
Tree Frog Blog " Welcome to the Book Tasting"
Liquid Literacy " Book Tasting"

So have you ever done a book tasting? If so, how did it go?

UPDATE: I was a guest on Jocelyn Sams' Elementary Librarian's podcast and I shared all about my book tasting experiences. You can listen to the podcast here. I had so much fun and hope to be a guest on her podcast again soon. =)

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A couple of weeks ago I tried out something I've seen on several TL/SLMS blogs within the last year...a book tasting. It was a fairly easy...

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Media Specialist can display new titles as they come into library (and post their own sticky note, quick review of story). As students check out and return titles, the librarian can trade out their review for student, sticky note reviews to encourage other readers to check out said book! It is authentic and intriguing as it comes from someone their age.

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It! Is! Summer! Vacation! I am so happy to be home for the summer, where in between all of the daily tasks like forcing my kid to grind his way through summer school or hauling him back and forth to work, there is plenty of time for me to read. We are still living that relatively low-key pandemic lifestyle-not a ton of human interactions or travel for us this summer (which, let me be honest, as introverts we don't mind at all!)-so I really am burning through the books that have accumulated here.

Post-it Note Reviews are a great way to display books in your library or classroom, a way to let kids recommend their favorite titles without having to get up in front of everyone and do a book talk, and an easy way to offer a more personal recommendation than just the flap copy offers.

All descriptions from the publishers. Transcriptions of the Post-It notes are below each description. Reading those is your best bet-carpal tunnel has made my handwriting mostly a disaster.
This post also features my cute dogs and my favorite tattoo!

Calvin by JR Ford, Vanessa Ford, Kayla Harren (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9780593108673 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 11/09/2021, Ages 4-8)
In this joyful and impactful picture book, a transgender boy prepares for the first day of school and introduces himself to his family and friends for the first time.
Calvin has always been a boy, even if the world sees him as a girl. He knows who he is in his heart and in his mind but he hasn't yet told his family. Finally, he can wait no longer: "I'm not a girl," he tells his family. "I'm a boy-a boy in my heart and in my brain." Quick to support him, his loving family takes Calvin shopping for the swim trunks he's always wanted and back-to-school clothes and a new haircut that helps him look and feel like the boy he's always known himself to be. As the first day of school approaches, he's nervous and the "what-ifs" gather up inside him. But as his friends and teachers rally around him and he tells them his name, all his "what-ifs" begin to melt away.

Inspired by the authors' own transgender child and accompanied by warm and triumphant illustrations, this authentic and personal text promotes kindness and empathy, offering a poignant and inclusive back-to-school message: all should feel safe, respected, and welcomed.
(POST-IT SAYS: What a dear, affirming, loving book. Parents, grandparents, friends, and school staff all validate Calvin and the acceptance makes him feel so safe and happy. A great addition to the small field of picture books about transgender children.)

Kapaemahu by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson, Daniel Sousa (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9780593530061 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 06/07/2022, Ages 4-8)
An Indigenous legend about how four extraordinary individuals of dual male and female spirit, or Mahu, brought healing arts from Tahiti to Hawaii, based on the Academy Award-contending short film.
In the 15th century, four Mahu sail from Tahiti to Hawaii and share their gifts of science and healing with the people of Waikiki. The islanders return this gift with a monument of four boulders in their honor, which the Mahu imbue with healing powers before disappearing.

As time passes, foreigners inhabit the island and the once-sacred stones are forgotten until the 1960s. Though the true story of these stones was not fully recovered, the power of the Mahu still calls out to those who pass by them at Waikiki Beach today.

With illuminating words and stunning illustrations by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson, and Daniel Sousa, KAPAEMAHU is a monument to an Indigenous Hawaiian legend and a classic in the making.
(POST-IT SAYS: Fascinating, beautiful, and moving, this story of healing, history, tradition, and two-spirit/third-gender identities is unlike anything I've read, especially with the inclusion of text in Olelo Niihau. Powerful.)

Free at Last: A Juneteenth Poem by Sojourner Kincaid Rolle, Alex Bostic (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9781454943747 Publisher: Union Square Kids Publication date: 05/24/2022, Ages 4-8)

This lyrical celebration of Juneteenth, deeply rooted in Black American history, spans centuries and reverberates loudly and proudly today.
After 300 years of forced bondage;
(POST-IT SAYS: A simple but lovely look at the joys and hardships that came with freedom. An emotional poem with beautiful, warm artwork. A good introduction to the celebration/holiday.)

hands bound, descendants of Africa
picked up their souls-all that they owned-
leaving shackles where they fell on the ground,
headed for the nearest resting place to be found. From New York Times-bestselling and Eisner Award-winning creator Hope Larson comes All My Friends, the final standalone book in a middle grade graphic novel trilogy about friendship, family, and music. Perfect for fans of Real Friends by Shannon Hale.
Deeply emotional, evocative free verse by poet and activist Sojourner Kincaid Rolle traces the solemnity and celebration of Juneteenth from its 1865 origins in Galveston, Texas to contemporary observances all over the United States. This is an ode to the strength of Black Americans and a call to remember and honor a holiday whose importance reverberates far beyond the borders of Texas.

All My Friends by Hope Larson (ISBN-13: 9780374388669 Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux Publication date: 01/25/2022 Series: Eagle Rock Series #3, Ages 10-14)

Middle-schooler Bina has everything she's ever wanted. She has new friends and a new band whose song is about to be featured on her favorite television show.
(POST-IT SAYS: Make sure to read the two books that come before this! I adore this series about cool punk rock middle school girls making music and finding their own way through the scene-and through adolescence.)

But being in the spotlight is hard. When Bina and her band are offered a record deal, her parents are not thrilled. Now, Bina is barely speaking to her mom and dad. To make matters worse, Bina and her best friend, Austin, are still awkward around each other after their failed first date.
From Printz honoree and National Book Award Finalist Candice Iloh, a prose novel about a teenager reckoning with her family's-and her home town's-secrets.
Can Bina untangle the various melodies in her heart? Or will fame go to her head?
(POST-IT SAYS: What happens when what you think you know turns out to be totally incorrect? Minah takes an unexpected journey into family history, addiction, grief, community, and loss. A heavy story that's not an easy read.)

Break This House by Candice Iloh (ISBN-13: 9780525556237 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 05/24/2022, Ages 14-17)

Yaminah Okar left Obsidian and the wreckage of her family years ago. She and her father have made lives for themselves in Brooklyn. She thinks she's moved on to bigger and better things. She thinks she's finally left behind that city she would rather forget. But when a Facebook message about her estranged mother pierces Yaminah's new bubble, memories of everything that happened before her parents' divorce come roaring back. Now, Yaminah must finally reckon with the truth about her mother and the growing collapse of a place she once called home.

What Can I Say?: A Kid's Guide to Super-Useful Social Skills to Help You Get Along and Express Yourself; Speak Up, Speak Out, Talk about Hard Things, and Be a Good Friend
by Catherine Newman, Debbie Fong (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9781635864342 Publisher: Storey Books Publication date: 05/24/2022, Ages 10+)
(POST-IT SAYS: Honestly, I know plenty of adults who could benefit from this book. The appealing design and many topics/subtopics make it perfect to flip through. Really does show readers how to be their best, most empathetic and inclusive self. Great jumping off points for so many conversations and situations.)

Make your voice heard!
Learn the skills and gain the confidence to express yourself well in any situation-no matter how unfamiliar, challenging, or scary. Real-life scenarios show how to:
In this diverse picture book, a young immigrant from South Korea finds community and friendship in an apartment house filled with other newly arrived kids.

Introduce yourself

Express empathy

Be persuasive

Apologize

Compromise

Ask for help

Show curiosity

Be grateful

Ask someone out

Comfort a friend

And more!

Rosa's Song by Helena Ku Rhee, Pascal Campion (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9780593375495 Publisher: Random House Children's Books Publication date: 06/14/2022, Ages 4-8)

When Jae looks out the window of his new home, he wishes he could still see his old village, his old house, and his old friends. But his new apartment feels empty and nothing outside is familiar. Jae just arrived from South Korea and doesn't even speak the new language.
(POST-IT SAYS: This story is a delicate mix of sadness and sweetness. Explores and validates feelings of loss and loneliness when moving somewhere new and when a friend suddenly moves away.)

Yet, making friends is the same wherever you go and he soon meets a girl with a colorful bird perched on her shoulder. Rosa knows just how Jae feels and the two become fast friends. Not only does Rosa show Jae his new neighborhood but she shows him how his imagination can bring back memories of his old home. Then Rosa leaves unexpectedly one night but leaves her parrot for Jae. He thinks about the song that Rosa would sing: "When I fly away, my heart stays here." And when Jae meets two other newly arrived kids, he teaches them Rosa's song and becomes their guide to this new world.
From the beloved author of Amina's Voice comes the first book in a humor-filled middle grade series starring a young Muslim girl with an endless list of hobbies who searches for ways to maximize fun for her family and neighborhood friends.
From the creators of the highly acclaimed T he Paper Kingdom, comes a new book about the importance of community and demonstrates how a simple act of kindness can be passed along to others.

Zara's Rules for Record-Breaking Fun by Hena Khan, Wastana Haikal (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9781534497580 Publisher: Salaam Reads / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Publication date: 04/19/2022 Series: Zara's Rules #1, Ages 7-10)

Meet Zara Saleem, the queen of the neighborhood.

Zara's in charge of it all: she organizes the games, picks the teams, and makes sure everyone has a good time...and they always do.
(POST-IT SAYS: As a Ramona superfan, I got the Cleary vibe big time here. Neighborhood fun, a main character bursting with personality, and a warm, fantastic family. Short chapters, a diverse cast of kids, and lots of big, lively illustrations. A hit!)

My Ramona tattoo! Superfan!

When a new family moves in across the street, suddenly Zara'​s reign is threatened by Naomi, who has big ideas of her own about how the neighborhood kids can have fun. To get everyone to notice her again, Zara decides she's going to break a Guinness World Record-if her little brother Zayd doesn't mess things up.

But when she finds herself increasingly alone in her record-breaking quest, Zara starts to wonder if sharing the crown and making a new friend might end up being the best rule of all.
(POST-IT SAYS: Absolutely stunning art brings this story of differences, interests, and understanding to life. I love both Beatrice and Roo. Wide appeal, but especially for those who embrace the strange and unusual.)

Beatrice Likes the Dark by April Genevieve Tucholke, Khoa Le (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9781643751573 Publisher: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill Publication date: 09/13/2022, Ages 4-8)
Make choices to defeat a mysterious sea monster in the first of a new series of innovative, interactive graphic novels from the award-winning creator of Meanwhile
Beatrice likes the dark. She likes black clothes, graveyard picnics, and a sky full of stars. Her sister, Roo, likes the light. She likes bright clothes, picking strawberries, and hot, sunny days. Beatrice and Roo are nothing alike and don't understand each other. Can Beatrice help Roo love the dark as much as she does? Can Roo help Beatrice love the light? Or are they simply too different to get along?

With lushly detailed artwork, award-winning illustrator Khoa Le brings to vivid life acclaimed author April Tucholke's heartwarming, slightly spooky tale about two very different sisters who learn to celebrate their individuality, understanding that love runs deeper than their differences.
(POST-IT SAYS: Graphic novel meets Choose Your Own Adventure! I had fun flipping through so many options. Readers should definitely read the instruction page to understand how to follow the tubes. Neat idea-this one will fly off shelves!)

Adventuregame Comics: Leviathan by Jason Shiga (ISBN-13: 9781419757792 Publisher: Amulet Books Publication date: 08/02/2022 Series: Adventuregame Comics, Ages 8-12)
From Ian Falconer, Caldecott Honor winner and #1 New York Times bestselling creator of the Olivia series, comes a dashingly delightful picture book about two unforgettable dachshunds and their search for fun!
Adventuregame Comics is a new series of interactive graphic novels in the vein of Jason Shiga's hit graphic novel Meanwhile. Readers follow the story from panel to panel using tubes that connect them, and sometimes the path will split, giving readers the chance to choose how the story unfolds.

Leviathan is set in a medieval coastal village, where residents live in fear of a giant sea creature. Your goal as a reader is simple: defeat the Leviathan! As you wander through the open world, the town's backstory is revealed. You can attempt to visit the library to try and learn why the Leviathan destroyed it years ago. You can stop by the castle to discover the town was once riddled with crime and theft-and how that's stopped as the Leviathan will wreak havoc on the town for the smallest misdeeds. If you're lucky, you may find your way to the old wizard who may possess the one thing that could keep the Leviathan at bay. But not everything is as it appears in this village. Can you discover the secrets and stop the Leviathan before it's too late?

Two Dogs by Ian Falconer (ISBN-13: 9780062954473 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Publication date: 06/28/2022, Ages 4-8)

Dachshund brothers Perry and Augie are home alone and desperately want to get outside and have a good time. Augie is the cautious one, the worrier; Perry is pure joy and excitement. When they finally manage to open the back door, mischievous adventures begin! Soon they're diving into the swimming pool, digging an enormous hole, and more! Will all return to normal before their owners come home?

This witty and utterly heartwarming story plays perfectly off the exquisite illustrations. These are Ian Falconer's first all-new characters since Olivia, and Two Dogs is sure to equally capture the hearts of readers everywhere.
(POST-IT SAYS: Unless you are brand new to reading TLT, you know I have had and loved dachshunds my entire life. What a delightful story of what two dogs get up to when left alone. Those expressive faces! I'm in love.)

As a lifelong dachshund superfan, I was thrilled to get this book. I tried to make my dachshund and chieweenie pose with it, but 18-year-old Eddie never has any idea what's going on and wild little Charlie was busy trying to pull the dog bed across my office.

Taken a few years ago, this was peak dachshund for my family. We miss Henry, Billy, Oscar, and Chester.

Where it all began, Ludwig, the first dachshund. That poor old dog suffered all of my attentions, from spoon-feeding to making him wear doll clothes. Also, did the 70s have the ugliest carpets of any era? I certainly think so!

Perfect for fans of imaginative dog books like Bark, George and A Ball for Daisy!

Filed under: Book Reviews

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Post-It Note Reviews: Graphic novels, picture books, and more!

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Lots of quick reviews of new and forthcoming books. Also pictures of dachshunds!

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For upcoming book fair, share book trailers from scholastics’ youtube page on new books that are coming soon (can also share resources sent). As a kid, these videos always sparked us to want to find these books in the book fair and I’ve seen from experience in the schools that these still work!

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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Create a bulletin board of pictures of students and staff members reading book titles- could be random books throughout library, connected to Read Across America week, or promoting new titles that have come into the library.

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Ahhhh, the sweet delight of getting lost in a book! As a reader, you lose yourself in other worlds and go on great adventures all from the comfort of your home. Reading books takes you places! Make sure you and your students have a book on hand, for it's Get Caught Reading Month!

Get Caught Reading Month was established in 1999. It's a nationwide public service campaign launched by Association of American Publishers to remind people of all ages how much fun reading can be. Since then, it has been celebrated by organizations, authors, teachers, librarians, celebrities, and children. Encourage library patrons to stick their nose in a book throughout May!

3 Library Bulletin Board Ideas

We gathered three fun library bulletin board ideas for you to decorate your library. Try out these ideas and let us know how they look in your library by tagging Alexandria Library Software on social media!

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"Get Caught Reading" Library Bulletin Board Ideas

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Ahhhh, the sweet delight of getting lost in a book! Throughout the month of May, celebrate Get Caught Reading month with these fun library bulletin board ideas.

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The media specialist would create a book display, but instead of seeing the titles in the front, there would be a piece of paper covering the books. This paper would have the first line of the book on it. This would hopefully promote readers to check out books they might not otherwise based only on book covers.

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March 6th, 2017

Our new YA librarian is redefining the teen area in the library. In the course of listening to her plans though, I remembered a display our previous YA librarian had done that I thought was pretty neat.

It looks odd, but she covered popular books with a blank sheet printed with the first line of the book. Partly to gamify the display so people could guess what book it was, but also just as a novel and eye-catching way to get people engaged with books they may not otherwise have picked up.

Also: looking at these photos on flickr, I realized I took them in December of 2015 - oops. Still, it's a cool idea.

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Swiss Army Librarian " Whose (First) Line Is It book display :: Brian Herzog

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Swiss Army Librarian is a blog by Brian Herzog mostly about library and technology issues relating to public libraries

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"What do you enjoy most about the library?" National Library Week

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"What do you enjoy most about the library?" National Library Week

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In this resource, the library poses the question: “Why did you come to the library this week?” on a board and students can come up and post a sticky note with their response. For younger grades who come as a class, I thought a fun switch up for the question would be, “What do you enjoy most about the library?” or “What’s your favorite book?”.

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National Library Week is coming up... soon...ish...? (It's in April) But in case you were thinking about it already (hey, I'm already thinking summer reading - and I'm sure a lot of you are, too), here's a quick snapshot of what my library did last year.

Based on a blog entry from many years ago (I think it was The Swiss Army Librarian, but I can't seem to find the original post; at any rate, thanks, Brian!!), I created a new kind of display for National Library Week.

In the past, we'd asked patrons to write why they love the library, but it seemed a little... self-congratulatory. A little too "you like me, you really like me!!"

So last year, I went with a more practical approach. I put up a posterboard right by the entrance of the library with a simple question: Why did you come to the library today?

I added a little stand with post-its and left the display to grow on its own.

By the end of the week, there were over 100 post-its on the board with a wonderful array of responses. Honestly, I was surprised at the variety. It also spoke to me about meeting our patrons' needs as they actually exist, not as I assume they are.

The majority of patrons came in for our materials (yay!). They were checking out books, DVDs, and CDs, and were sometimes looking for specific things (how to speak French for kids, for examples, or the Harry Potter series).

Other people wrote about the programs they were attending, both children and adults:

·To make French Toast! YUM! (a Sweet Snacks program I was running that week)

·We came for Baby Time with Miss Laura! We love it!

· Tamaron Book group - Book selected. Nice ladies!!

·Came to yoga!

Several people wanted to use the library as a workspace: making copies or using the Internet and the printers, and some were looking for quiet to work on their homework. One was here to work on her master's thesis in peace!

Some people even wrote specifically about our staff (far more organically, I feel, than if we had demanded they write about their love for us):

·To see my good friend Susan and have her pick out books for me! Thanks!

· Return a book and see the awesome librarians! Thanks for all you do!

And, of course, as there always will be when something is crowd sourced, there were answers that made us laugh.

·Because they made me but I didn't mind.

·My turtle needed more ointment

·Because I missed the train.

Most of all, though, it was inspiring to have people comment on the value of the library itself in their lives:

·I know I can acquire knowledge here

·It's the center of our town

·Because I'm always happy when surrounded by books!

·It's a beautiful day and the library makes it even better!

·For inspiration and insight

·It is great and very friendly. Keep it up.

·I came to the library because I love to read!

·For my social life!

·To be a good friend.

The answers surprised and delighted us and we look forward to putting out post-its again next year.

What do you have planned for National Library Week this year?

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National Library Week is coming up... soon...ish...? (It's in April) But in case you were thinking about it already (hey, I'm already think...

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This particular post talks about finding picture books in the local library- I thought I could adapt it to add elements of new stories added to the library, and let the students have a scavenger hunt to see which object or element goes to which new library book. This would hopefully prompt interest in the new titles as they observe them in the scavenger hunt.

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We love visiting our local library. They have a vast selection of books and some really amazing storytimes and activity programs. And with this week being National Library Week, I thought I'd share this free printable picture book scavenger hunt so you and your littles can explore what your library has to offer.

I formatted this printable so that it is appropriate for toddlers, preschoolers, or grade-schoolers. The easily identifiable pictures allow toddlers and preschoolers to "read" the pictures, interpret them as they will, and then find books. Even the youngest of readers can scribble out the picture after they find a corresponding book.

Click the link below to download

I hope that this printable lets you and your kiddos or students explore and find new, exciting books at your local library!

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We love visiting our local library. They have a vast selection of books and some really amazing storytimes and activity programs. And with this week being National Library Week, I thought I'd share this free printable picture book scavenger hunt so you and your littles can explore what your library has to offer.