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How will books be organized? Refer to The Book Whisperer or other sites to explain how you would organize the books. Find articles, links, or ideas about the pros or cons of: organizing by level, genre, etc.

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Your library design will ask you to name a few books you definitely want to have in your classroom library. Choose a book and explain why!

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How can you make sure students are actually reading? Find articles or share ideas about the pros or cons of: reading logs, literature circles, reader response journals, tests/quizzes, book reports, book commercials, etc.

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Find articles or ideas about the pros or cons of building a diverse library or giving students chances to read diverse books.

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Love how this gets everyone to see featured books.

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-Mr. Cooney

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What are some ways you will motivate students to read? Find articles or ideas about how to get students excited about reading books.

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What could the library look like? This could include images of how the books will be laid out, furniture, and the general space.

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This video shows 18 different ways to organize your books, making it cleaner!

Kassie McCormick

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18 Best Books Organization & Storage Ideas - Creative Books Storage Ideas

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This link has some really cool ideas to get the students into reading but making sure they’re really reading can be hard. Stuff like reading logs or journals shows what they read, while book talks and group circles make it more fun. Each way has good and bad parts, so switching it up keeps kids interested.

Kassie McCormick

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14 Activities That Increase Student Engagement During Reading Instruction - Reading Horizons

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Research shows that students whose teachers spend too much time talking are less likely to be engaged during classroom instruction. Luckily, reading instruction can be so much more than lecture,Continue reading “14 Activities That Increase Student Engagement During Reading Instruction”

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Flexible seating is so important in a classroom library as it creates a welcoming and engaging environment. A couch, wobble chairs, and bean bag chairs are just some examples of flexible seating. I love how this space looks comfortable and includes different options for students.

- Abby Slovikosky

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One book I definitely want in my classroom library is The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt. It’s funny, colorful, and kids love it, but it also teaches about emotions, problem-solving, and seeing things from different perspectives. It’s a book students can enjoy for fun while also learning an important lesson.

Kassie McCormick

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I like these bingo cards as a way to motivate readers. It incentivizes students to read different kinds of books. Some sort of reward could be given to students who reach bingo or fill the entire card.

- Max Stein

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This Pinterest link has a bunch of really good ideas for a reading corner. I think that having a corner of the room dedicated to reading is a really good way to create a comfortable and organized space for students to read.

- Max Stein

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44 Reading Corner ideas | reading corner, classroom design, classroom library

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Mar 2, 2018 - Explore Bored Teachers’s board “Reading Corner” on Pinterest. See more ideas about reading corner, classroom design, classroom library.

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This link is an article that shows 5 ways to hold students accountable for independent reading. I think my favorite of the 5 ways shown is an independent reading task card. This is where the teacher gives the student a specific task to do while they read. This makes it so the student now only has to read the text, but they also have to analyze the text in greater detail (depending on the task given).

- Max Stein

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On Tuesdays and Thursdays, students start with 10ish minutes of silent reading time. Students choose independent reading books from the library. Each year, my team has a discussion about how to hold students accountable for independent reading. Over the years, I've tried lots of different methods for holding students accountable and for limiting the amount of sleeping and fake reading.

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Writing to Respond

My favorite way to hold students accountable for independent reading is through writing!

On the first day of independent reading, students complete a First Impressions Book Review! This helps me identify students that maybe aren't well matched with their book, but it also gives students a chance to practice opinion writing. After their finish their book review, students use the paper as a book mark. Then, we update our rating and opinion of the book throughout.

Similarly, journals are a great way to hold students accountable for independent reading. (Check out my favorite prompts for choice reading!) I usually choose a prompt that relates to whatever we're doing in class beyond independent reading. For example, as my juniors were wrapping up their study of rhetoric, their journal asked them to use rhetorical devices to persuade readers to check out their book.

Once students finish writing, they push their journal to the corner of their desk, and I go around to pick them up individually. While I pick up their journals, I chat with students about their writing and ask them questions about their writing and reading. The questions I ask usually come from a place of genuine interest in their reading, so it doesn't come off as a formative assessment.

As an alternative to traditional journals, students can also write letters to the author of their book and/or to the characters, perhaps even writing from the perspective of a character! Grab my letter writing rubrics today!

Comprehension Interviews

A few years ago, I attended professional development about The Next Step Forward in Guided Reading by Jan Richardson. (Yes, I believe guided reading belongs in high school!)

During this PD session, I was introduced to the concept of a comprehension interview. A comprehension interview is a little more formal than the conversations I have with students after they journal.

For one thing, I keep notes about comprehension interviews and focus them on specific skills (like summarizing, identifying and analyzing tone, identifying theme, etc.). I also do a quick fluency check with each comprehension interview by asking students to read a paragraph aloud.

At the beginning of the year, I do the same comprehension interview with each student. As the year progresses, I adjust which questions I ask and which students I interview. More than anything, this strategy gives me data about which students to invite to intervention.

Self-Designed Independent Reading Quizzes

As an occasional complement to journaling and comprehension interviews, I sometimes ask students to design their own quiz questions for their independent reading books.

1. First, I focus in on a specific skill (characterization, point of view, figurative language, etc.).

2. Then, I tell students what kind of question they are going to write. Usually, I only ask for one question, but sometimes a two-part question is the better choice. For example, a two part question might be: first, what is the main idea; second, which piece of evidence supports the main idea?

3. Next, I model the question type for students using some other content and my own independent reading book.

4. Then, I give students a template to fill. Usually, I do this in a collaborative Google Slides where each student has a slide. This gives students a chance to look at examples from their classmates, standardizes the format, and makes it so fast to evaluate!

5. Finally, I require students to provide an answer key explaining which answer is correct and why and which answers are incorrect and why.

Pro Tip: Students love a good nonsense answer, so I usually tell them they can have one goofy answer. This is an especially good way to differentiate this lesson.

Independent Reading Task Cards

Task cards are another fun way to hold students accountable for independent reading. When I want to use task cards with independent reading, it's usually because I want to differentiate prompts for students.

With that in mind, I'll grab whatever deck of task cards I want to use (it helps that my task cards are super organized!). Then, knowing which students I want to give specific prompts, I will "stack" the deck. For students, it looks like everyone is getting a random card.

How students respond to task cards depends on the day and the rest of our schedule. Sometimes students verbally respond during a quick chat. Other times they write their answers on paper or in response to a Google Classroom post. Most of the time, I use task cards as exit tickets.

In the end, this activity reveals a few things. First, it gives me insight into who is reading their book critically. Secondly, it gives me insight into who is struggling with a specific skill. This lets me know where to place scaffolding in the future, how to group students, and who to invite to intervention.

Independent Reading Stations

Stations are one of my favorite instructional strategies because they incorporate meaningful movement!

When I have an odd day during a unit (perhaps we have an assembly bell schedule) or at the end of a unit (who wants to start a new unit on a Friday?), we can focus on our independent reading books.

During this time, literary analysis stations are the way to go! While I usually do literary analysis stations with a whole class novel, they also work well with independent reading!

Exactly which stations I choose depends on what skills we're covering in class and how many students I have in class.

Here's an example station rotation:

Comprehension Interviews or Guided Reading: Any time we do stations, I am always a station. What happens at my station depends on my students, but this is the perfect time for comprehension interviews or guided reading!

Plot and Conflict Analysis: A good plot diagram is a great way to help students analyze plot structure, especially if you're focusing on cause-and-effect. To elevate this activity, students can complete a comic strip for the key plot events.

Characterization Station: Analyzing characterization is a skill my students can always improve, so this station is a staple for me. To keep it interesting, I have several graphic organizers to choose from. I rotate the graphic organizers so I can do this activity several times throughout the year.

Theme Graphic Organizer: Connecting evidence to theme is a tough skill, and it's one students work on all year long. A theme station is a great place for a graphic organizer that helps students visualize the connections between an author's choices and their message.

Single-Player Figurative Language BINGO: Since students are all reading different books, full-class BINGO wouldn't make sense. However, single-player BINGO allows each student to focus on their own independent reading book while still practicing identifying figurative language.

All of these stations printables are available in my Literary Analysis Stations Bundle!

Summative Accountability for Independent Reading

At the end of the day, my favorite way to hold students accountable for independent reading is to take it somewhere. While I see how independent reading helps students develop their vocabularies and reading stamina, students don't always see that. Similarly, while I appreciate how independent reading allows us to practice skills transfer, that isn't always meaningful for students.

However, when students can create something with their independent reading, it immediately becomes relevant! While I'm not wild about traditional presentations where students drone to their classmates, some fun alternatives are book talks and book trailers. My favorite version of this activity is Book Cover Design Projects!

How do you hold students accountable for independent reading?

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5 Ways to Hold Students Accountable for Independent Reading

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Independent reading is a great way to help students build a love of reading! These 5 strategies help hold students accountable!

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I love the idea of labeling book bins by the main character or characters in a book. It gives the kids a familiar face to visualize why reading and gives them a known way to organize the books when they return them.

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I would definitely include the book Ghost Boys in my library. One of my students last year was reading this book in his English tutoring, and I found it very interesting. This story includes the names of children who died from senseless violence, like Emmett Till. Doing this is so important for students to learn about this subject in a lighter way, and learn about the victims.-Aisha Richburg

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This articles includes a lot of information about why including diverse books in your class library is so important. It even mentions the mirrors and windows concept we touched on in class.-Aisha Richburg

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It's important for all kids to see themselves on the pages.

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https://prestoplans.com/10-tips-to-engage-reluctant-readers-in-middle-school/

This article includes 10 different ways to engage reluctant readers in middle school. The tip that I really like is book tastings. I did book tastings all throughout high school, and it really helped me get to know what books the library had and what I would like. I would hope that it would work the same for my students. -Aisha Richburg

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10 Tips to Engage Reluctant Readers in Middle School - Presto Plans

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Use these 10 tips, resources, and strategies to engage even the most reluctant readers in your middle school ELA classroom.

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I like how the library is it's own section of the classroom with seating for kids to be able to focus on reading. The couch also gives students flexible seating which can make it easier to read for some students because they are out of the seat they've been in all day.

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-Natalie Short

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I like how this article gives all the steps for organizing a classroom library for kindergartners simply. I also like the labels she uses and links in the article. The pictures make it easier for students to find the type of book they're looking for and helps them start to associate words with their meanings.

-Natalie Short

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Classroom Library Organization for Little Readers

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A classroom library is a critical resource. Start organizing a classroom library with these hints, tips, and labels so your students can start using it.

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I definitely want to have Spookley the Square Pumpkin in my classroom library because it shows how being different isn't a bad thing in a way that is fun for kids since it's related to halloween. I remember reading this book every halloween in elementary school and the lesson is obvious enough for young readers to understand but it still has aspects to it to keep it interesting for students.

-Natalie Short

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A must have in my classroom is Judy Moody books because I used to love these books as a kid. In the picture I used the Judy Moody Saves the Planet but the Spanish version because I want my multilingual students to know that they do not only have to read in just English but there will also be options in Spanish too.

Kissandra Matias Figueroa

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This article shares the importance of creating a diverse library. This article states that having a classroom library that is culturally inclusive will encourage a more safe and welcoming class. This website provides many books, websites, and resources to build your own diverse library.

-Abby Slovikosky

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How to Build a Culturally Inclusive Classroom Library to Embrace Student Diversity - The All-Access Classroom

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If you're searching for resources as you build a more culturally inclusive class library, look no further! I've gathered a good-looking bunch of helpful websites and book lists to make it an easy process! Looking back, as a gen. ed.

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I would want to add the book If you give a Mouse a Cookie in my classroom library. It is a fun and cute story that shows cause and effect. This book can connect to different standards, like cause and effect or finding key details through illustrations. I remember reading this story and I have always wanted it in my school classroom. I think students would enjoy reading this book while also learning how actions lead to another.

-Abby Slovikosky

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I like how this library has wall decor and seating that match together that may help a student who could be sitting here get into the story! This could be especially helpful if a student is reading a book related to what they see around them so they can be really immersed in the setting and story!

-Emily Smalt

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I definitely want books from the Pete the Cat series in my classroom! I remember reading books from this series with my elementary school teacher and I can only remember good things. I think this book has great themes and parts that you could tie into a lesson and different standards which is extremely important. I also really love the illustrations in the Pete the Cat series which I'm sure the kids in my class would love too!

-Emily Smalt

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I actually see this tactic in my own field placement classroom! To make reading more exciting for the students my mentor teacher lets them use witch fingers to put on their reading finger so they can follow the words. This makes the students excited about when it's time to grab a book from the classroom library.

-Emily Smalt

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This website shows different ideas to organizing books and different methods of storage. I think some of these ideas are good but what might work for one person will not work for another.

Kissandra Matias Figueroa

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Are you ready to learn the BEST way to organize your classroom library? Here's a little secret: there's no right or wrong way to do it! No two classrooms are the same, and every teacher has different goals and needs. Experiment to find the system that works best for you and your class. A great library organization system is one that students can understand, use independently (after modeling and practice!), and ENJOY!
An organized classroom library will:

save time and effort to find the right book

help students find the perfect book to ignite their love of reading

build students' independent reading skills and stamina

A big thank you to the AMAZING teachers in our Facebook community, Lucky 1st Grade Teachers and Lucky 2nd Grade Teachers for sharing lots of photos of classroom library organization options. Join our groups for lots more organizational tips and ideas for your classroom!
Note: This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Idea #1: Organize by Theme and Subject

One of the most popular ways to organize your classroom library is to divide books by theme and subject. Place books with similar themes, like Friendship or Kindness, in the same baskets. Sort books with similar subjects, like outer space or dinosaurs, in their own baskets. Having colorful, easy-to-read labels with pictures on the front of the bins will help readers of all levels find just the book they are looking for.

Photo Credit: Kayla Smith

Idea #2: Organize by Character, Author, and Series

Photo Credit: Tabitha Mildren

Young readers are drawn to familiar characters. Some teachers choose to sort their libraries with bins dedicated to favorite characters - think Elephant and Piggie, Pete the Cat, Clifford, and more! A similar approach is to organize books in bins by the same author - this is also helpful if you are doing a classroom author study! Finally, (and this seems like a no-brainer!) put all the books from the same series in the same bin. There's nothing more exciting than a young reader getting hooked on a new series of books. Put all the Magic Tree House, Dog Man, etc. in the same bin, so readers can find the next book in the series with ease.

Photo Credit: Marci Rosen Heymann

Idea #3: Organize by Fiction vs. Nonfiction

Some students love fairy tales, others are drawn to facts and figures, and some enjoy a mix of both! Make it easy for all readers to find books based on their interest by separating books into fiction and nonfiction titles. This approach mirrors how books are organized in a public library.

The picture above shows our 2nd Grade Reading Comprehension and Fluency Passages organized by nonfiction (yellow) and fiction (orange). Check out the video below to get a closer look at what's inside the binders!

Idea #4: Organize by Seasonal Surprises and Teacher's Choice

Photo Credit: Angela Abraido Coogan

Keep your book rotation fresh and surprising with bonus seasonal bins! These are books grouped by theme, subject, or holiday, that only appear once a year. For example, a Back to School Bin, and Winter Fun Bin, or a Valentine's Day Bin will thrill your students. Who doesn't love choosing a brand new book? Including a bin with a few teacher-chosen favorites is also always popular!

Idea #5: To Level, or Not to Level?

Photo Credit: Liz Sellers

Organizing books by reading level is a hotly debated subject. Some argue that readers should be exposed to a variety of books, even those far beyond their independent reading level. Others believe that sorting books by level is the best way for readers to practice their independent reading skills and grow as readers. But what if there was a happy compromise between both theories? Many teachers choose to keep separate bins of leveled readers (books that come with your reading curriculum, or supplementary reading texts) so that readers can choose 1-2 on-level books to practice, in addition to their own choices from the library.

Photo Credit: Kelley Williams-Nguyen

Labeling Books & Bins

Now that you've sorted and organized all your books into the correct spots, how do you keep your library organized and running smoothly once students begin to borrow and return books? It's as easy as learning your ABCs and 123s!

Idea #1: Label With ABCs

Follow basic library science and organize picture books in alphabetical order by the author's last name. This is the same method that professional librarians use in the picture book section of the library. If it works for the pros, let it work for you! Label the side or front of each book with a sticker with the first letter of the author's last name, and clearly mark your shelves or baskets with the matching letter so students can find the correct place to return their books. These labels work great!

Idea #2: Label With 123s

Photo Credit: Andrea Rust Silva

The numbered book box method works well for some teachers. Label each bin with a number, then label a set number of books with the same number. Students match the numbers to return the books. Bonus organization if you keep the same number of books in each box - then you can easily look to see how many books are checked out of each box.

Idea #3: Use a Color-Coded System

The Home Edit may have taken social media by storm in 2020 with their rainbow library organization, but veteran teachers have been color-coding books for a long time! Place a color sticker on the spine of the book, and all students have to do is find the matching color bin! Easy-peasy, and works well for visual learners.

Photo Credit: Kyler Cheries Turner

Color-Coding Supplies

Classroom Library Organization & Storage Options

We rounded up some great all-purpose organization options for whatever your library needs!

These bins come in ALL THE COLORS!

Our Favorite Classroom Library Tips from Teachers

1- Make "Librarian" one of your classroom jobs. Each week a new set of students ensure the classroom library is in tip-top shape. It's a great way to teach responsibility and organizational skills, and have students take pride in their classroom materials.

2- Have you heard about BookBuddy, a free app that catalogs your library?

3 - Use this Book Fair Wishlist to keep track of a special book a student would like to borrow from the class library. This freebie is also super helpful for tracking favorites when the book fair comes to school!

More Tips on Classroom Organization

1- Teacher desk organization hacks

2- All the classroom setup ideas (photos included!)

3- Our favorite organizational tools on Amazon!

Our Facebook Community is filled with phenomenal teaching tips just like these ones from new and veteran teachers. Jump in the conversation on our Facebook groups to learn more about library organization strategies!

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A great classroom library organization system is one that students can understand, use independently and ENJOY! Here are lots of ideas to help you set up, photos included!

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In this article it mentions the importance of having diversity in literature. Having a diverse classroom library is important because it helps create a sense of belonging, shows people how other cultures are, and can even shows kids about empathy.

Kissandra Matias Figueroa

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Literacy Daily is a space to connect educators, students, and leaders with the latest news, ideas, tools, strategies, and research in literacy instruction.

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Diversity is really important to have in your library as it is vital to support the development of students believing in diversity as a strength. By giving students a diverse library, they see people who look very different doing the same things which is really important for developing that belief.

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The first book I want in my classroom is All American Boys because of the perspective of the book. It shows the same event having massive impacts on two peoples' lives and how they develop from it. Very impactful and insightful book that also reminds us we have no idea what is going on in other people's lives.

-TJ Brandon

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I love the idea of a reading corner with an organized layout of books, multiple flexible seating ideas, and an exciting design. I think this will draw students to want to read if there is easy open access to books, as well as fun seating arrangements. Students may also like the idea of being cozy, so the corner could work for that too.

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-Jaylah Kolk

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So happy with how my classroom library turned out! | Classroom interior, Reading nook classroom, Reading corner classroom

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So happy with how my classroom library turned out!

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I love how this bookshelf is organized with different authors and series. A lot of times students really enjoy a series or certain types of books, and this makes it easier for them to find.

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-Jaylah Kolk

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3rd Grade Classroom Setup: Teacher Spotlight - Cayla Weber - Shayna Vohs in 2025 | 3rd grade classroom, Elementary classroom decor, Classroom organization elementary

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Jul 2, 2025 - Check out this teacher's 3rd grade classroom setup for inspiration! Find tips for organizing your space & creating a cozy, welcoming space.

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I really liked this article and it had a few really good suggestions for holding students accountable for reading. I really liked the "status of the class" idea and the independent reading conferences instead of traditional reading logs and book reports. 

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-Jaylah Kolk

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5 Ways to Hold Students Accountable in Reading - Teaching with Jennifer Findley

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Holding readers accountable for their reading can be tricky. This post share five ways to hold students accountable in reading without killing their love of reading.

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I don't like the vibrant colors, but I like that this library has a small table and its own couch for reading. Creating a cozy environment is really important to make students feel comfortable and peaceful enough to read independently.

-TJ Brandon

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This wall in the library is something I would consider including in my classroom. It has a positive message to get the children excited to read. It makes the classroom feel more comfortable. With the wall on the left, students could write their own inspiring quotes that they could look at when they get frustrated when reading. -Maria Morsa

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I definitely want to include this book in my classroom library. It is such a fun read for young students. It is very colorful and it has a little song that goes along with it which students seem to love. Not only is this book fun, but it teaches about colors and has a great message that no matter what happens, keep going, and everything will be alright. 

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Kailey Banvard

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I really like how this classroom library is so colorful and has some fun seating for students. It also seems to be in its own section of the classroom which is also good for students focusing on reading. Having all the colors and fun seating might make reading seem more exciting and fun to students.

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Kailey Banvard

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This article gave 3 different ways a teacher could organize a classroom library and for each way, it gave a benefits and limitations list. I find this really helpful because not only does it give you many different organization ideas but it also give you the pros and cons of each one and allows teachers to find which method will work best for their students and their classroom.

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Kailey Banvard

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By Sara Marye

Are you a teacher looking for suggestions on how to set up your classroom library? Well, you're in luck because today we're going to dive into classroom library organization! I know it may seem a bit odd to discuss this in July when your classroom library might be dismantled, or your mind is on summer vacation, but trust me, now is the perfect time to plan for the upcoming school year.

Thinking about and working on your classroom library organization during the summer break allows you to make any necessary changes before you head back into the classroom. Perhaps you want to arrange your library by genre, topic, or author. Even if your library is all packed up and stored away, there are steps you can take to make your classroom library organization go more smoothly this next school year!

Planning your library set-up now will save you a lot of time and effort during the busy Back-to-School season. We all know how important it is to make things easier for ourselves during that time. So take advantage of this opportunity to prepare for the next school year.

Now, let's explore three different ways you can consider setting up your classroom library. And don't worry, I'll also reveal one organizational method that I think you should avoid.

Option #1: Genre-Based Organization

By strategically grouping books together based on their genres, we can create a rich and immersive reading environment for our students. Imagine walking into a classroom where biographies and autobiographies have their own dedicated section, inviting students to dive into the fascinating lives of notable individuals. As they continue to move through your classroom library, they will find a section for fantasy, historical fiction, graphic novels, and so on. . .
Benefits
Now let's talk through the benefits and limitations of this classroom library organization:
Limitations

Organizing your classroom library by genre allows students to easily locate books based on their preferred reading experiences.

Mirroring real-world bookstores and libraries, genre-based organization helps students navigate through different genres and discover new reading options.

This approach encourages students to become more aware of their preferred genres and introduces them to genres they may not have considered before, expanding their reading horizons.

When organizing a classroom library by genre, students may face challenges in locating specific books if they are unfamiliar with the genre categorization.

Certain books may fall into multiple genres, making it challenging to decide where to place them in the library.

Depending on the collection, some genres might have a larger number of books, leading to potentially overwhelming sections, while others may have fewer options. However, organizing by genre allows for easy identification of genres that require more books to be added to the library, helping to address any limitations and improve genre diversity (added benefit!)

Option #2: Theme and Topic-Based Organization
Benefits
Another option for classroom library organization is grouping books with similar topics or themes. Imagine the excitement when students can easily find books on their favorite subjects! Whether it's sports, school, friendship, science, or history, organizing books based on common themes provides a highly efficient way for students to locate books they would genuinely enjoy reading.
Limitations

Organizing books by similar topics/themes makes it easier for kids to locate books they enjoy reading if they already know their preferences.

Categorizing books based on topics allows for efficient classification, as there is flexibility to assign a topic to any type of book.

Creating subcategories within topics (e.g., picture books, informational books, chapter books) helps control the size of each category, making the search for specific types of books within a theme more manageable.

Organizing books by topic/theme can make it challenging to keep books from the same series or by the same author together if they don't align with the specific theme.

Picture books or fictional books with multiple themes may be difficult to categorize within a single topic/theme system.

Authors like Patricia Polacco, whose books cover various themes, might get separated within the library when organized solely by topic/theme, making it harder for students to locate all their works.

Having a wide range of topic/theme choices can sometimes lead to indecision when deciding where to place certain books, potentially causing difficulties for both educators and students in locating specific titles.

Option #3: Author-Series Organization
Benefits
Another approach to classroom library organization is grouping books based on their authors and series. This method enables students to easily find books from their favorite authors or beloved book series, fostering a sense of familiarity and excitement in their classroom library.
Limitations

Classroom library organization by author and series allows students to easily locate and explore all books within a beloved series like Percy Jackson or Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

It helps students recognize that authors often have multiple books, even if they are not part of a specific series. This realization can encourage further exploration of an author's diverse works.

By grouping all books by a particular author together, such as Jacqueline Woodson, students can discover the breadth of topics and writing styles the author offers, including picture books, chapter books, and poetry.

Organizing by author and series enhances students' understanding of an author's body of work and provides a seamless reading experience for fans of specific series or authors.

Classroom library organization by author and series may pose challenges when students are not familiar with the author of a particular book they wish to find.

Students might be drawn to books based on specific topics or characters without prior knowledge of the author, making it more difficult for them to locate those books in an author-series-based library organization.

Not every book belongs to a series, and there may be instances where you only have one book by a particular author. In such cases, that lone book can easily blend in and be overlooked in a library organized primarily by author and series.

What classroom library organization should I avoid?

Okay, now let's take a moment to discuss a classroom library organization system that I encourage you to avoid: leveling.

Many schools require or request teachers to set up their classroom libraries according to book levels, and for a long time, I followed this practice myself. I assumed that if my principal or district mandated it, it must be the best approach. I vividly remember using the red bins from Scholastic that conveniently came with books of a specific level, making library organization seem effortless.

I also recall the time and effort I put into creating my own library labels, meticulously designed to match my black and white polka-dot classroom decor. Determined to label each book accurately, my husband and I embarked on a quest, using the Scholastic Book Wizard to determine the level of every single book I owned, which amounted to hundreds of titles.

We devised a system where each book received a large sticker, clearly displaying its assigned level. It seemed like the perfect way to keep my library organized and ensure that students could easily find books at their appropriate reading levels...

But then I REALLY thought about it.

And I realized that setting up our libraries according to levels doesn't actually make sense.
We don't do that.
Think about it, when the last time you walked into a library or bookstore and asked them to show you all the books at a Level Q? Have you ever told a librarian that you are trying to grow to a Level W and you want to see where all their level W books are because you think you're ready for that challenge.

As life long readers, we don't think about the level of the books we read. And so, I don't think we should think about our classroom library organization with levels in mind either. If we want our students to become life-long readers, we want to build an inviting and exciting classroom library that makes our students like we feel when we walk into our favorite bookstore.

But, I do know that we can't always avoid leveling, so I'd like to end with some practice tips for classroom library organization focused on leveling.

If your school requires leveled and labeled books in your classroom library, prioritize your preferred organizational method (e.g., themes, genres) and then incorporate leveling as a secondary aspect.

Indicate the level of each book discreetly, such as writing it on the inside cover or using small color-coded stickers, rather than using prominent stickers or labels.

Label levels with a small range to provide students with more options within their reading level, as book leveling is not always 100% accurate.

Educate students about levels and how they can serve as a guide for making book choices, but emphasize that levels should not restrict their selection.

Teach students how to select books based on their interests and enjoyment, helping them understand how to identify if a book is too easy or too challenging for them.

Empower students to make the decision to abandon a book if it proves too difficult, emphasizing the importance of reading and understanding the content for an enjoyable reading experience.

I want to leave you with this: our goal as reading teachers is to excite, empower, and educate our students in a way that gets them excited about becoming a life long reader, so however you decide to go about your classroom library organization keep that at the forefront.

Think about your next steps...

1. Check out The Stellar Teacher Podcast for bite-sized episodes that will show you how to level up your literacy instruction and make a massive impact with your students, all while having a little fun!

2. Join us inside The Stellar Teacher Literacy Collective, where you will get access to a resource library filled with reading and writing resources that you can use to help your students become more confident readers, and ultimately use your classroom library to its fullest potential!

Happy Teaching!

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Effective Classroom Library Organization Tips

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Today we're going to dive into classroom library organization! I know it may seem a bit odd to discuss this in July when your classroom library might be dismantled, or your mind is on summer...

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I like the way the books are organized in this image. It not only says what the book group is with words, but it also has a picture. The picture helps. students who may not be able to read as well.

~ Ashlynn Whitney

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This article talks about ten ways to motivate readers. My favorite is allowing the students to choose their own books. I believe giving the students a choice gives them a sense of power, and children love having power. Allowing them to show their classmates their favorite books also motivates them.

~Ashlynn Whitney

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10 Ways to Increase Students’ Love of Reading

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As teachers, we’re always searching for ways to encourage students to love reading. We cannot emphasize enough the benefits one can get from reading. It opens the door to knowledge, allows us to learn new things, and gives us different perspectives of the world around us. The problem is, many students are not that enthusiastic about reading. How can we address this issue? Read this article to discover ten ways to increase students’ love of reading. Ways to Motivate Students to Read1. Be a role m

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I will be adding this book to my future library. I have read this book and heard it being read many times. Students struggle with knowing when to wait. They raise their hands frantically, then call out. Or they will come up to you and poke you to ask questions or say statements over and over. Although I love it, they need to learn the social skill of waiting. This book teaches an important life lesson.

~ Ashlynn Whitney

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I think that as a student I always tried hardre when a reward was invloved, with this speicific example once a student reads seven books they are rewarded with a prize determeined by the class or teacher.

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I like the library by a window because sometimes the environment can decide what book to read based on our mood and the natural light that is coming in

-Isaiah Yarrell

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I like how this reading corner has a lot of variation with the seats. This gives students an opportunity to sit in multiple areas. I also really like that there is a lot of natural lighting. The school lights can be so hard to read and sit in, so I feel like the natural lighting gives the corner a fresh feel.

-sydney lambdin

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I like that these books are organized by genre. Students should get a review of each genre at the beginning of the year so that they know where the books go when they are done using them. I think this is a very effective way of organizing books.

-sydney lambdin

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This article gives teachers 9 ideas on how to build a love for reading. My favorite tip was about having different books for various reading levels. I think that this is nice to give students a challenge if they want to try something new.

sydney lambdin

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I have always wanted my classroom to be a place of comfort, and that's in every corner, including my reading corner. I want students to enjoy reading and find a love for it, not feel obligated to read at a desk a book they don't like. If students have the option of sitting somewhere fun, they will most likely enjoy reading more- I know I did.