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There are numerous reading challenges available to do with students in an effort to promote reading. The goal of a reading challenge, in my opinion, is to cultivate a community of readers who love and want to read (Just Add Students, n.d.). With the busy schedules our students have, and the technology filled world they live in, incentives can help students make time to read. I believe how to make any reading challenge valuable would be to not just reward students for reading, but to set goals and not restrict what they are wanting to read. I know this is a huge ask in the standards-driven school environments in which we work; however, a school-wide reading challenge has the opportunity to promote the love of reading for all students and help motivate students to do those required readings in the classroom.

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Ready to host a reading challenge with your class? Whether you want your students to read 4 or 40 books this year, here are some ideas that will help you be successful.

The Problem with a Reading Challenge

It's no secret that middle school students aren't spending as much time reading as they are on their phones or playing video games. Add to that the other activities that students are involved in...and reading for pleasure certainly takes a back seat.

But there are more great books than ever for this age group! (I've given up reading adult fiction because I think that YA books are better written!!)

With the busy lives our students lead, they need incentives to read. And one way to do that is to host a reading challenge with your class.

You want to create a vibrant community of readers who LOVE to read and WANT to read.

Before Starting a Reading Challenge

Think about what you, as an educator, want your students to gain from a reading challenge.

You want students to read, yes. But more than that, you want to create a vibrant community of readers who LOVE to read and WANT to read.

We don't want students to think of it as a punishment - one more requirement they have to complete. A reading challenge shouldn't make students feel dread. The last thing you want students to do is to lie about what they've read (or haven't read).

Keep the ultimate goal of your reading challenge at the top of your mind - and the minds of your students.

At the end of the year, you want students to tell you, "I used to not like to read, but I love reading now!"

So how do you get there? Read on!

How to Implement a Successful Reading Challenge

1. Join the challenge yourself.
Read right along with your students! This tip is number 1 for a reason.

Show that you value independent reading by modeling it. Take that one better by reading the books your students are reading and ask them for recommendations on what to read next. When you are excited about reading and can talk to your students about books they are reading, you add value to the challenge.
2. Determine what is right for your students.
You may want to use the 40 book challenge, which means students read about one book a week during a school year.

However, be sure to determine what is appropriate for your students.

Meet with them and allow them to set their own goals. Of course, a reading challenge isn't a challenge unless students are working toward something ... challenging!

But keep in mind your goal for this challenge. If a student read zero books last year, reading ten this year would be a challenge!

3. Rejoice in the accomplishments.
Keep a class tally of the number of books your class has read ( you can find one here). This is a powerful tool!

Update it weekly and post it on your classroom door - or better yet, in the hall for the world to see.
4. What about long books?
Should they count as two books? One of my team teachers allowed students to count books that were over 300 pages as two books.

The advantage of this is that it takes pressure off students who want to reader longer, more challenging texts.
5. Book reports...
Should you require students to write a report for each book?

Look back at your ultimate goal for the reading challenge. If it's to create a community of passionate readers, a book report might not be quite what you're looking for. Not to mention, you'll be grading them.

And let's be real here. Would you join a book club that required you to write a book report? Me neither.

Alternatives? You could just have students record the title of the book and give it a star review. Or you might want to have students give a monthly book talk.

6. Create a reading frenzy!
You will know you are on the right track when a book makes its way around your classroom like wildfire! And book talks are a great way to do this. It is so exciting when students start passing books to each other!

We know our students are much more likely to take the recommendations of their peers over ours. With book talks, students are taking turns recommending titles to each other. Golden!

Plus, book talks provide opportunities to reach the listening and speaking standards - not just once, but several times a year.

Schedule books talks monthly or once a grading period.

7. Requirements?
What should you require?

If you look online, you'll see school requirements for a 40 book reading challenge that specify a certain number of books for particular genres or topics.

I am not at all behind that idea for the simple reason that it doesn't align with my goal for a reading challenge: instilling the love of reading in my students.

Requiring students to read 5 biographies feel more like jumping through hoops than developing a love of reading.

You might be wondering how can you get students to read biographies or... anything besides fantasy? Here's how:

8. Meet with your students
When you meet with your students regularly, you'll be able to adjust and fine-tune their challenge.

If a students is reading just fantasy, the challenge might be to read a biography. Talking over your students' book choices can lead to interesting conversations and real connections with your students! This is where the two of you can create and set challenges.
9. Build community
Provide simple ways for students to share what they're reading. You can do with a quick weekly "turn and talk" as students tell another student what they are reading and what the book is about.
10. Keep a running list
Create a graffiti wall for students' suggestions. Just hang a big piece of paper on the wall with the title, "What are you reading?" and allow students to write out titles. They can give a star review next to the title as well.

This simple graffiti wall is helpful when students ask, "What should I read next?"

11. Easy record keeping
Make recording what books students are reading painless for both the students and you. Use a "status of the class" or book log.

You can also have students keep a reading log that has the title, author, date finished, and star review.
12. Reduce needless competition
Assure students that they are "running their own race." That means they are just competing with themselves. They've set their own goals and are working toward meeting them.
13. Return to your student's goals
Support your students by revisiting their goals and expectations often.

Check in with them regularly to assess how they are doing. Are they meeting their goals? Do they need to reset them? Are they challenging themselves or is the goal they set unattainable?
14. Off limit books?
Are there books your students aren't allowed to read or that shouldn't "count" toward their goal?

In my opinion, no! Let's not go there!

I tell my students that there are "candy" books. Books that are fun to eat, super easy to enjoy, but probably not really great for me. Books like Captain Underpants and Diary of a Wimpy Kid are wonderful books, but maybe not for a middle school student. Or maybe not all the time.

It's okay to read The Twits. But for a student who only wants to read "candy" books...there is an opportunity for discussion and growth!

Of course, we want our students to read "nutritious" books, but even adults will read a book that isn't high literature every once in awhile (right?? right?).

And again, go back to your goals! Use reading choices as a topic for the conferences you have with your students.
15. Celebrate all the successes
Make sure to celebrate what your students achieve!

Here's to a great reading challenge!

Ready to host a reading challenge with your class? Whether you want your students to read 4 or 40 books this year, here are some ideas that will help you be successful.

The Problem with a Reading Challenge

It's no secret that middle school students aren't spending as much time reading as they are on their phones or playing video games. Add to that the other activities that students are involved in...and reading for pleasure certainly takes a back seat.

But there are more great books than ever for this age group! (I've given up reading adult fiction because I think that YA books are better written!!)

With the busy lives our students lead, they need incentives to read. And one way to do that is to host a reading challenge with your class.

You want to create a vibrant community of readers who LOVE to read and WANT to read.

Before Starting a Reading Challenge

Think about what you, as an educator, want your students to gain from a reading challenge.

You want students to read, yes. But more than that, you want to create a vibrant community of readers who LOVE to read and WANT to read.

We don't want students to think of it as a punishment - one more requirement they have to complete. A reading challenge shouldn't make students feel dread. The last thing you want students to do is to lie about what they've read (or haven't read).

Keep the ultimate goal of your reading challenge at the top of your mind - and the minds of your students.

At the end of the year, you want students to tell you, "I used to not like to read, but I love reading now!"

So how do you get there? Read on!

How to Implement a Successful Reading Challenge

1. Join the challenge yourself.
Read right along with your students! This tip is number 1 for a reason.

Show that you value independent reading by modeling it. Take that one better by reading the books your students are reading and ask them for recommendations on what to read next. When you are excited about reading and can talk to your students about books they are reading, you add value to the challenge.
2. Determine what is right for your students.
You may want to use the 40 book challenge, which means students read about one book a week during a school year.

However, be sure to determine what is appropriate for your students.

Meet with them and allow them to set their own goals. Of course, a reading challenge isn't a challenge unless students are working toward something ... challenging!

But keep in mind your goal for this challenge. If a student read zero books last year, reading ten this year would be a challenge!

3. Rejoice in the accomplishments.
Keep a class tally of the number of books your class has read ( you can find one here). This is a powerful tool!

Update it weekly and post it on your classroom door - or better yet, in the hall for the world to see.
4. What about long books?
Should they count as two books? One of my team teachers allowed students to count books that were over 300 pages as two books.

The advantage of this is that it takes pressure off students who want to reader longer, more challenging texts.
5. Book reports...
Should you require students to write a report for each book?

Look back at your ultimate goal for the reading challenge. If it's to create a community of passionate readers, a book report might not be quite what you're looking for. Not to mention, you'll be grading them.

And let's be real here. Would you join a book club that required you to write a book report? Me neither.

Alternatives? You could just have students record the title of the book and give it a star review. Or you might want to have students give a monthly book talk.

6. Create a reading frenzy!
You will know you are on the right track when a book makes its way around your classroom like wildfire! And book talks are a great way to do this. It is so exciting when students start passing books to each other!

We know our students are much more likely to take the recommendations of their peers over ours. With book talks, students are taking turns recommending titles to each other. Golden!

Plus, book talks provide opportunities to reach the listening and speaking standards - not just once, but several times a year.

Schedule books talks monthly or once a grading period.

7. Requirements?
What should you require?

If you look online, you'll see school requirements for a 40 book reading challenge that specify a certain number of books for particular genres or topics.

I am not at all behind that idea for the simple reason that it doesn't align with my goal for a reading challenge: instilling the love of reading in my students.

Requiring students to read 5 biographies feel more like jumping through hoops than developing a love of reading.

You might be wondering how can you get students to read biographies or... anything besides fantasy? Here's how:

8. Meet with your students
When you meet with your students regularly, you'll be able to adjust and fine-tune their challenge.

If a students is reading just fantasy, the challenge might be to read a biography. Talking over your students' book choices can lead to interesting conversations and real connections with your students! This is where the two of you can create and set challenges.
9. Build community
Provide simple ways for students to share what they're reading. You can do with a quick weekly "turn and talk" as students tell another student what they are reading and what the book is about.
10. Keep a running list
Create a graffiti wall for students' suggestions. Just hang a big piece of paper on the wall with the title, "What are you reading?" and allow students to write out titles. They can give a star review next to the title as well.

This simple graffiti wall is helpful when students ask, "What should I read next?"

11. Easy record keeping
Make recording what books students are reading painless for both the students and you. Use a "status of the class" or book log.

You can also have students keep a reading log that has the title, author, date finished, and star review.
12. Reduce needless competition
Assure students that they are "running their own race." That means they are just competing with themselves. They've set their own goals and are working toward meeting them.
13. Return to your student's goals
Support your students by revisiting their goals and expectations often.

Check in with them regularly to assess how they are doing. Are they meeting their goals? Do they need to reset them? Are they challenging themselves or is the goal they set unattainable?
14. Off limit books?
Are there books your students aren't allowed to read or that shouldn't "count" toward their goal?

In my opinion, no! Let's not go there!

I tell my students that there are "candy" books. Books that are fun to eat, super easy to enjoy, but probably not really great for me. Books like Captain Underpants and Diary of a Wimpy Kid are wonderful books, but maybe not for a middle school student. Or maybe not all the time.

It's okay to read The Twits. But for a student who only wants to read "candy" books...there is an opportunity for discussion and growth!

Of course, we want our students to read "nutritious" books, but even adults will read a book that isn't high literature every once in awhile (right?? right?).

And again, go back to your goals! Use reading choices as a topic for the conferences you have with your students.
15. Celebrate all the successes
Make sure to celebrate what your students achieve!

Here's to a great reading challenge!

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15 Tips for a Reading Challenge - Just Add Students

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Ready to host a reading challenge with your class? Whether you want your students to read 4 or 40 books this year, here are some ideas that will help you be successful. It's no secret that middle school students aren't spending as much time reading as they are on their phones or playing video games.

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Blindly choosing books allows students to venture out of their norm with new authors, genres, or series (Stinchcomb, 2017). Book tastings have been a popular way to introduce books to students; however, students are still able to pick books based on interest. Mystery check-outs offer a way to promote new, or award-winning books that some students might not otherwise read. This exposure is beneficial to see various perspectives or to find characters in which the students can relate to. Media specialists can use circulation data in order to find books that are of interest to many students and attempt to promote others that may not be circulating but still correlate to those interests.

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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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Many students read and often are left with questions about the book stemming from the plot, the characters, the ending, and more. Author visits give students the opportunity to not just learn more about how the author got his/her ideas, but also an opportunity to ask those questions that they want answered (TeachThought, 2020). While these visits can be expensive, libraries can partner with the public library or other school systems to help financially cover the expense (TeachThought, 2020). Virtual visits have become more common and cost efficient as well. Author visits can help motivate students to read for pleasure.

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25 Ways Schools Can Promote Literacy And Independent Reading

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A literacy-rich environment not only supports the academic growth but also encourages conversation, empathy, and critical thinkink.

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National Library Week/School Library Month

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National Library Week/School Library Month

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National Library Week and School Library Month allow time to celebrate the contributions of libraries and the individuals who help run them, as well as promote library use. The more knowledge the school and its students have about the services offered in the library allow for more people to take advantage of them. Highlighting these services, as well as offering digital means to access of these services, ensures that our students will use them.

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National Library Week 2021: Welcome to Your Library

The theme for National Library Week (April 4-10, 2021), "Welcome to Your Library," promotes the idea that libraries extend far beyond the four walls of a building - and that everyone is welcome to use their services. During the pandemic libraries have been going above and beyond to adapt to our changing world by expanding their resources and continuing to meet the needs of their users. Whether people visit in person or virtually, libraries offer opportunities for everyone to explore new worlds and become their best selves through access to technology, multimedia content, and educational programs.

Natalie Portman is 2021 National Library Week Honorary Chair

Actress, author, and activist Natalie Portman is lending her star power to shine a spotlight on our nation's libraries as the honorary chair of National Library Week 2021. She will help highlight the essential role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in serving their communities, especially during challenging times.

Portman is an Academy Award-winning actress, director, producer, and activist whose credits include "Black Swan," "Jackie," and the upcoming "Thor: Love and Thunder." A lifelong fan of books, she shares the books she's reading on her Instagram feed, as part of Natalie Portman's Book Club, using the hashtag #whatnatreads. Born in Jerusalem, Israel, she is a graduate of Harvard University, and now lives with her family in Los Angeles. Natalie Portman's "Fables" is her debut picture book.

Celebrations during National Library Week

Monday, April 5: State of America's Libraries Report released, including Top Ten Frequently Challenged Books of 2020.

Tuesday, April 6: National Library Workers Day, a day for library staff, users, administrators and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers.

Wednesday, April 7: National Library Outreach Day, a day to celebrate library outreach and the dedicated library professionals who are meeting their patrons where they are.

Thursday, April 8: Take Action for Libraries Day, a day to rally advocates to support libraries.

Ways to Celebrate National Library Week

4. Follow your library, ALA, and I Love Libraries on social media

Be sure to follow your library on social media so you don't miss out on all they have to offer, including the most reliable information about keeping your family safe during these uncertain times.

Post one of our available graphics to your social media account and join the conversation by using the hashtags #NationalLibraryWeek and #LibrariesTransform.

Don't forget to follow the American Library Association and I Love Libraries on social media!

Free Tools to Celebrate

Natalie Portman graphics

Post these National Library Week Natalie Portman graphics on your social media pages, blogs and websites!

Graphics with the "Welcome to Your Library" theme

Share these "Welcome to Your Library" graphics on your websites, social media channels, e-newsletters and more!

About National Library Week

National Library Week is an annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities.

In the mid-1950s, research showed that Americans were spending less on books and more on radios, televisions and musical instruments. Concerned that Americans were reading less, the ALA and the American Book Publishers formed a nonprofit citizens organization called the National Book Committee in 1954. The committee's goals were ambitious. They ranged from "encouraging people to read in their increasing leisure time" to "improving incomes and health" and "developing strong and happy family life."

In 1957, the committee developed a plan for National Library Week based on the idea that once people were motivated to read, they would support and use libraries. With the cooperation of ALA and with help from the Advertising Council, the first National Library Week was observed in 1958 with the theme "Wake Up and Read!" The 2018 celebration marked the 60th anniversary of the first event.

Future National Library Week dates:

National Library Week is made possible by:

Join ALA's Libraries Transform public awareness campaign for year-round access to public awareness tools and tips.

Thank you to ALA Library Champions for supporting ALA's efforts in raising public awareness for libraries and librarians.

Thank you to Dollar General Literacy Foundation for funding The American Dream Starts @ your library program.

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National Library Week 2021: Welcome to Your Library The theme for National Library Week (April 4-10, 2021), "Welcome to Your Library," promotes the idea that libraries extend far beyond the four walls of a building - and that everyone is welcome to use their services.

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Student voice and recommendations matter to our students. They want to have a personal connection with those they are taking advice from when trying to choose their next book to read and value them more. Byrne (2014) recommends compiling all student book reviews on a website so that the whole school can access them.

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There's nothing like a book recommendation from a friend. Encourage students to share their opinions by creating a student-driven book review site. Richard Byrne shows you how in the accompanying screencasts.

We put a lot of stock in personal recommendations-particularly when it comes to books. Plenty of websites offer tips on great reads, but none will carry as much weight with your students as a site based on peer recommendations. The next time your students create book reviews, either independently or as a class assignment, consider compiling them on a website that the whole school can access.

Book Trailers for Readers is one of the best models of a book review site for students and by students. The site was built on Wikispaces, the ad-free wiki creation platform for schools. Try using Wikispaces to create a similar site with your classes.

Wikispaces allows you to arrange your book review in a variety of ways. If I were organizing a school-wide site, I'd be inclined to structure it with pages for various genres and use page labels to identify the reading level for each review. The great thing about using Wikispaces is that you can invite teachers and students to add reviews on their own so that you're not the only person responsible for maintaining the site.

Maybe you want to make a graded assignment out of a student-driven, Wikispaces-enabled book review destination? If so, Wikispaces has a helpful administrative function to help you do that. The "Events" feature allows you to schedule due dates for Wikispaces projects and specify a lock time for your Wikispaces Events. Once that lock time arrives, no one is able to make further edits to that page.

There are other fine options out there for organizing student book reviews. Schools that take advantage of Google Apps for Education have some great sharing tools at their disposal. To start, students who use Google Docs and/or Google Presentations to craft book reviews can simply publish their work by choosing "publish to Web" in their sharing settings. After that, I'd suggest you use Google Forms to collect the published reviews in one spot. To do so, simply create a Google Form where students submit links to their published reviews. Designate sections for genres and/or grade levels to make it easy for you to sort the submitted reviews. Information collected through Google Forms goes to a Google Spreadsheet that you can then share with your teacher colleagues and students.

Now that you've organized your students' book reviews in one online location, let's get all that good work out into your school. Create QR codes, then print and insert them into the dust jackets of the books in your library. Then, when students crack the covers of titles they don't know, they can scan the QR code with their mobile phones and access a review by one of their peers.

Two of my favorite QR code creation tools are QR Droid and Goo.gl, Google's URL shortener. QR Droid lets you create standard QR codes that, when scanned, open a webpage on a mobile device. It's perfect for generating QR codes from your Wikispaces pages or your students' published Google Documents. QR Droid also lets you make codes that don't require an Internet connection to open text. When scanned on a mobile device, these codes simply access chunks of text.

Besides shrinking URLs, Goo.gl will also generate a QR code for every link you shorten-very handy. Added bonus: Goo.gl keeps a record of the number of times a link has been opened. That collective data provides useful information about which books and book reviews are most popular with your students.

Kick the year off right by launching a student-powered book review site. As it grows, your students will have a great destination for tips from those whose opinions they value most-their peers.

Get Print. Get Digital. Get Both!

Libraries are always evolving. Stay ahead. Log In.

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Cool Tools for Featuring Student Book Reviews

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There's nothing like a book recommendation from a friend. Encourage students to share their opinions by creating a student-driven book review site. Richard Byrne shows you how in the accompanying screencasts. We put a lot of stock in personal recommendations-particularly when it comes to books.

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The Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl Team is considered a student club at my school that any student can join. However, it is also a state-sanctioned event that holds a competition each year to test the teams’ knowledge on the books nominated for the Georgia Children’s Book Award. These students form close bonds that stem from the love of reading, and what is great is that these bonds end up being extended as they meet other teams at the competitions. For students who do not participate in sports or other extracurriculars, this team offers them the same in terms of learning teamwork and getting to work with and meet people who have the same interests.

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Several years ago, Mrs. Helen Ruffin, a library media specialist in DeKalb County, wanted to find a way to use the nominee books from the Georgia Children's Book Awards to encourage her students to read. She therefore created a unique reading competition in game format, called the Reading Bowl, using the award nominees. Her vision was to have teams comprised of students from different schools compete to test their knowledge of the selected books.

Today, the Georgia Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl is open to students in grades four through twelve across the state. The winning teams from the Divisional Bowls meet at the Annual Conference on Children's Literature in March for the State Championship of the Georgia Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl. For more information about the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl and how to get involved, click here.

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Several years ago, Mrs. Helen Ruffin, a library media specialist in DeKalb County, wanted to find a way to use the nominee books from the Georgia Children's Book Awards to encourage her students to read. She therefore created a unique reading competition in game format, called the Reading Bowl, using the award nominees.

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Encouraging ‘book talk’ or offering recommendations for reading is a great first step to modeling lifelong reading, and a love of reading, to students. One way our library encourages book talk and offers recommendations is the librarians’ "Currently Reading" display behind the circulation desk. Students pay attention to what we read and it sometimes helps with recommendations, but most of the time it ends up stemming conversations about ‘good books’. “It is helpful if students see that their teacher not only reads but is interested in a range of topics or genres” (Lee, 2020, para. 5).

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A literacy consultant explains how schools can encourage all students to share the joy of reading.

Regular reading is vital to improving students' literacy skills and their overall academic performance. So what can schools do to ensure that students are getting that practice? At Lifelong Literacy, literacy consultant Maria Losee describes strategies for creating a culture of reading across classrooms.

Make sure classroom libraries are engaging: Surround students with diverse and interesting material, and add new titles to your classroom collection with an eye toward a wide range of interests. "I cannot just buy what I like to read, I have to buy what I know will get my readers excited to read," teacher Amy Heno told Losee. Pay close attention to student interests to better match reading selections with topics they enjoy.

Beyond observation, Losee suggests educators consider offering "written or online surveys, asking students to take a quick genre poll, or taking data from an activity such as speed dating with books" to determine what books would be best suited for them. For speed dating, set a timer and let students peruse a stack of books-allowing students to sample books before committing can alleviate pressure and make reading more fun.

Employ visual displays: Design displays for classroom walls or hallways to show the importance and fun of reading. "Keeping reading visible sends an unspoken message that reading is important and valued in a school," Losee writes. Large artistic depictions of books or their contents can offer a hook for students. Teachers at a Chicago school partnered with a photography studio to transform the halls into a "giant motivational tableau to encourage reading."

Model a love of reading: Losee carries multiple books with her wherever she goes to demonstrate her love of reading. She likes to carry the book she just completed, one she is presently reading, and the next one in her queue. It's helpful if students see that their teacher not only reads but is interested in a range of topics or genres.

Let students lead: Turn the tables and ask students for their recommendations for great reads for both teachers and their peers. They can offer their views through book talks-concise presentations that serve as an advertisement for a particular book. Unlike a book report, these quick talks are designed to pique interest rather than summarize the plot. Students, teachers, and other staff can share their thoughts on a book they've read and why they would recommend it to others. More introverted students can try "writing a review on a sticky and leaving it inside the front cover or putting a book on a special shelf with a recommendation."

Highlight individual authors: Use the narratives and biographies of individual authors to promote interest in their work. Losee suggests sharing authors' websites with students. She shared the personal story of popular author Jason Reynolds, who didn't read a book until he was 17 years old, and students were aghast. She used their shock as a springboard to boost interest in Reynolds's work.

Make reading a priority: Time designated for reading should be a non-negotiable in schools, Losee says. For upper elementary, middle, and high school students, she recommends setting aside an hour a week for independent reading. "If we care about reading and we want our students to read more, we have to make time for it," she writes. "It's that simple."

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Schoolwide Strategies for Promoting a Love of Reading

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A literacy consultant explains how schools can encourage all students to share the joy of reading.

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Books lists and book awards are always helpful when adding to the collection; however, students know what they would like to see on the shelves in their library. Allowing their input when it comes to making decisions about the books we add to the library is important and gives them a sense of ownership over their school library. It can also help assure that the books appeal to our students and will get circulated.

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We've come a long way from the passive classroom model, where students sit and listen to a teacher talk, then take a test on what they talked about. Today's classrooms are full of students finding their own voices, contributing to classroom discussions, and practicing the skills and thinking strategies they will need in their future careers. I believe the same should be true in today's libraries.

Every year at David C. Barrow Elementary, a group of students volunteers their time to select new books for the library to purchase. They meet during lunch and/or recess a few times per week to select books students have requested. They work with an allotted budget that comes from grants, book fair profits, and rewards points. The money is completely under the control of these students, but they must base their decisions on what the rest of the school wants to read.

To determine this, they create a Google form survey, which we email to the upper grades in the school. For the lower grades, each student on the book budget team chooses a class to go and survey with an iPad. Students then analyze their results to identify top-requested genre categories, as well as specific books.

The committee then meets with vendors, creates consideration lists, and narrows down these lists to a final order. This year's book budget group purchased more than 150 new books for our library. This year's committee also had to sort the books, labeling them with the correct genre and then scanning them into our barcode system. Students then arrange the books for display all over the library.

Every year, some new interest or connection arises for a student. For example, one year a student had the creative idea to start putting the books on the little ledge in the wall of windows that faces the hallway, facing out. That way, people would see them as they walked down the hallway, and it would entice them to come into the library. It was a great idea, and within the day that the books were put on display, almost all of them were checked out.

Student voice matters in the library, and every year I value this process of seeing students take part in the process of collection-development, instead of just requesting books to be purchased. When they take part in every step of the collection-development process, they see the thought that goes into each book on our library shelves, and they see that their interests and requests matter because they immediately see them represented in the books on our shelves. On top of that, one of our vendors, Capstone, allowed each of our committee members to choose a book that was their personal choice for the library. These books were donated to us, and students got to put a personalized label on the inside cover to show that they were the selector of the book.

If the library is to be a true community, then one person can't decide on all of the books in the collection. As the media specialist, I certainly have a major role in collection development, but when my students work alongside me in this process, we all become members of our library, rather than just consumers.

(Photos courtesy of guest blogger)

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Andy Plemmons is the media specialist at David C. Barrow Elementary in Athens, GA. He is also the 2017 American Association of School Librarians Social Media Superstar for Sensational Student Voice, a 2016 Library Journal Mover and Shaker, a Google Innovator, and an NSBA "20 to Watch" honoree. Find him on the Barrow Media Center Please note that as a guest post, the views expressed here do not represent the official position of ALA or ALSC. If you'd like to write a guest post for the ALSC Blog, please contact Mary Voors, ALSC Blog manager, at alscblog@gmail.com. , or on Twitter at .

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Empowering Student Voice in the Library - ALSC Blog

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We've come a long way from the passive classroom model, where students sit and listen to a teacher talk, then take a test on what they talked about. Today's classrooms are full of students finding their own voices, contributing to classroom discussions, and practicing the skills and thinking strategies they will need in their future careers.

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In an effort to promote reading for pleasure, as well as create a culture of reading, new books are highlighted on the school’s scrolling announcements .  Scrolling announcements are shown on TVs in the main areas throughout the school, as well in teacher’s classrooms. School information and events are disseminated this way, so including our school’s new books shows their importance. New books are highlighted on the slideshow and are updated on a weekly basis.

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The story that went viral earlier this year about the teacher who had the genius idea of installing a basket of books on her school's bus has a crucial message behind it: Small acts can have a big impact when it comes to fostering a culture of reading in your school and community. When we let students know that reading is worthwhile and empower them to experience it joyfully, it creates a chain reaction of literacy learning. Here are 25 of our favorite strategies for fostering a reading culture.
Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!
1. Leave reminders about books everywhere.

Whether it's on your classroom bulletin board, or in the hallway, or even on the wall clock, dropping not-so subtle hints about great books gets students' attention.

2. Make sure actual books are everywhere, too.

Display books attractively in all areas of your classroom to highlight their many uses. Little kids can use books as pretend play props-baby dolls love bedtime stories! Kids of all ages will be intrigued if you leave a field guide near the window for birding or with a cool rock or shell collection.

3. Make your classroom library a sacred-and accessible-space.

Make sure your library is organized to allow kids to get in, find a great book, and get reading immediately. For tons of insight about effective classroom library setup, we're loving the professional book It's All About the Books: How to Create Bookrooms and Classrooms that Inspire Readers by Tammy Mulligan and Clare Landrigan.

4. Ditch the level labels.

Yes, it was standard practice at one point to organize classroom library titles by level, but this approach is outdated. Organize your library by topic, author, or genre instead to encourage readers to choose books they will love.

5. Stay up to date on the best books.

There will always be classroom classics that every kid should read, but kids gravitate to what looks fresh and new. Replace worn or dated titles, assess your library regularly for representation, and celebrate new releases and book arrivals as notable classroom events. (Do you need to brush up on the newest, best titles to share with students? WeAreTeachers' book list archives have you covered.)

6. Share those recos.

Source: Bookriot

Create a community in which readers recommend books to each other in visible ways. Create a What I'm Reading bulletin board, highlighting picks from teachers and other school staff (the more unexpected, the better) to model lifelong reading for students. Peer recommendations pack incredible currency, so make sure you have an ongoing way for kids to promote their favorites. (It doesn't have to be fancy to be effective.)

7. Give lots of book talks.

Hearing someone rave about a book immediately makes it more appealing. Give frequent book talks to highlight titles for kids.

8. Dial up the fun factor.

Gimmicks tend to work with kids. Add a fun reading-themed element to your school to spark excitement about books. This book vending machine got rave reviews from kids. Repurpose an old gumball dispenser into a poem vending machine or make your own from recycled materials.

9. Read aloud to all ages.

What's the one practice that should happen in classrooms at every grade level (plus, we'd argue, at assemblies, faculty meetings, and parent events, too)? Reading aloud. You're really never too old to enjoy being read to, and reading aloud a compelling title is one of the BEST ways to promote enjoyment of books. To get reinspired, check out The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction by the Wall Street Journal children's book reviewer Meghan Cox Gurdon.

10. Make reading a social activity.

Reading is a solitary pleasure, but reading in a community makes it even better. Ask compelling questions and give kids plenty of low-stress opportunities to talk about books. How about encouraging Lunch Bunch book clubs?

11. Try a whole-school read.

There's a special connection created by shared book experiences. Scale this phenomenon. Elementary school classes can all read aloud the same title. Classics like E.B. White's Charlotte's Web appeal to a wide range of ages and have curriculum tie-in possibilities for any grade. Middle and high schools can select a title everyone reads to provoke important community conversations and build empathy. Check out the One School, One Book program website for ample resources.

12. Incorporate literacy into your morning announcements.

Get kids to stop chatting and start listening to the announcements with a fun literacy-themed component each day. Share a quote from a favorite book or book trivia fact. Or, share a joke of the day to build vocabulary and show students the fun of word play.

13. School leaders, be literacy leaders.

School administrators set the tone in a school in so many ways. Make sure authentically promoting reading is one of them. Be that principal who's always carrying a book around, excited to talk about it with students. Be that principal who invites students into your office to browse your principal's bookshelf or pick out a book to keep as a birthday treat.

14. Connect kids with authors.

It's so powerful for kids to realize that books are created by real people. In-person author visits can be expensive, but virtual visits are a fantastic option. Author Kate Messner offers an extensive list of authors who Skype with classes for free. Writing to authors can also be a powerful exercise for kids. This post has some helpful tips.

15. Make it reading for the win.

Everyone's loving the March book madness ideas on social media, but you don't need to stop there. Organize a book pennant race during the World Series, a book Super Bowl (who will play the halftime show?), or host the Library Olympics à la Mr. Lemoncello. Who says reading can't be a sport?

16. Roll out the red carpet.

Source: Patch.com

Participating in a book award process as a class or school generates excitement about great titles and builds community around reading. Join in with one of the many state book award programs, submit a class nomination for the Nerdy Book Awards, or create your own. Do it up right: paparazzi, a red carpet, sunglasses, and feather boas are totally appropriate when you announce the big winners.

17. Take on a challenge.

A good challenge can build intrinsic motivation for reading. (Plus, checking off items on a list IS a reward, as to-do list addicts everywhere know.) Challenges can also encourage readers to try out books they might not otherwise have chosen. Brightly is a reliable resource for monthly reading challenges, or create your own.

18. Tap into the power of social media.

There are lots of ways to use Insta, Twitter, and Snapchat to get kids excited about reading and connect with the wider reading community. Have kids join the #bookstagrammer ranks to recommend books to others or create fake profiles for book characters. Even the act of publicly logging page-number progress or books read on a book-driven social platform like Goodreads can be motivating.

19. Change it up with theme days.

Inject a little novelty into reading time by planning special themed reading days. Grabbing a flashlight to curl up and read in a blanket fort on pajama day is a perennial favorite. You could also try a reading picnic outdoors, a book-themed treasure hunt in which the treasure is a stack of new books for your classroom library, or a fractured fairy tale day.

20. Host a community read aloud day.

What's even more exciting than a teacher reading aloud a fantastic book? A firefighter reading it. Or a police officer. Or a local athlete, news anchor, or even a notable school face like the custodian or a favorite bus driver. Put the call out for volunteers to grab their favorite titles and spend time sharing them in classrooms.

21. Celebrate book holidays.

There are plenty of other reading-themed celebration days in addition to Read Across America Day. How about bringing World Book Day to your school and ask everyone to dress up as a favorite book character? Or honor Día, (Children's Book Day), a national celebration that promotes literacy for children from all backgrounds. Need more ideas? This month-by-month list of book-themed holidays has plenty.

22. Get books in kids' homes.

The power of book ownership is unparalleled for kids. Host a book giveaway event with your school's book fair to make sure all kids get to bring home new books, even if they can't buy them. Donalyn Miller and Colby Sharp's book Game Changer! Book Access for All Kids has tons more ideas for getting books in kids' hands (plus lots of online resources you can unlock with a hard copy purchase).

23. Celebrate libraries of all sizes.

Source: littlefreelibrary.org

You can't beat the charm of a Little Free Library . Involve students in bringing one to your school or other community location, or create a list of existing local ones kids can seek out. Give your public library every shout out possible, too. Meet with your local librarians to determine barriers to kids' public library use and work together to overcome them.

24. Provide virtual read-aloud alternatives.

Of course, there's no perfect substitute for a snuggled up, in-person read aloud, but if you're worried students don't have anyone to read to them at home, offer an online substitute. The Internet loves Texas principal Dr. Belinda George, who hosts the Tucked-in Tuesday read aloud for her students each week via Facebook Live. Check out the WeAreTeachers Storytime series, too!

25. Highlight and support literacy champions in your wider community.

Source: Barbershop Books

We love hearing stories of literacy-themed community programs, like barbershops stocked with books, or efforts to bring books to places kids tend to hang around waiting, like the laundromat. Identify places where your students spend out-of-school time and offer to partner with community members to get kids reading when they're not in class.
How does your school foster reading culture? Share your tips in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook. Plus, 21 ways to build background knowledge and support readers.

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25 Ways to Build Your School's Reading Culture - WeAreTeachers

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The story that went viral earlier this year about the teacher who had the genius idea of installing a basket of books on her school's bus has a crucial message behind it: Small acts can have a big impact when it comes to fostering a culture of reading in your school and community.

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Bulletin boards and signage are an easy, cost efficient way to promote library resources and events. They are visible to students walking by the library, or coming in, and can be personalized to fit the event they are needed for. Creative displays are able to capture the interest of reluctant or hesitant readers.

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Looking Backward - No Sweat Library Lessons & Management That Works

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When I began my School Librarian position, I didn't have any bulletin boards and I didn't care-I didn't see the point in "cutesy" bulletin boards. Rather, I focused on decor for the rather bare 2-year-old library, installing purposeful posters and informational signage. One day I realized that folks had to decide to enter the library to see what's there, and if I had bulletin boards outside the school library, I could entice students and teachers to make full use of everything the library had to offer.

Now, Bulletin Boards are my primary way to promote the School Library to students, faculty, administration, and visitors! It doesn't cost much because I don't use prepackaged theme pieces; instead I create my own signage with slide presentation software that allows for a variety of text and graphics on 11″ x 8.5″ signs. I print them in color and laminate so they can be reused from year to year.

For any bulletin board, what we display and how often we update depends on how many boards we have and where they are located. By designating certain bulletin boards for certain purposes, and carefully planning for long-term display, we can minimize the time needed to create and maintain them, yet still have them convey valuable and relevant information.

IN-LIBRARY BULLETIN BOARD

The first bulletin board I installed was a 3′x4′ one inside the library, on a wall next to the circulation desk. I put up a calendar for planning class visits, but after switching to an online library calendar that could be viewed by anyone in the building, I turned the bulletin board into a place to display the "nuts & bolts" of my Library Program so our operation is completely transparent to visitors. This board is all business, but that's its purpose, and the infrequent updates are quite easy to do. Signs and items on the bulletin board include:

Library Program Mission Statement - This sign typically stays the same for 2-3 years, and reflects my current Strategic Plan.

My Professional Information Literacy Theme - I create a new Info-Lit theme when I rewrite my Strategic Plan. It's my personal goal for focusing Library Lessons to integrate with classroom subject content and new technology.

Monthly Library Schedule - I simply print this out from online calendar the first day of each month. Anyone can see who's scheduled for library use, and I can pencil in notes when planning with teachers.

Library Activity Report - This is an infographic I create at the end of each 9-week grading period. I submit one copy to the principal and mount one on the bulletin board.

Public Library News & Events - Our school area includes 2 different city libraries and their Youth Librarians provide me with info and flyers, especially for the start of the school year and before each school break.

GRADE LEVEL BULLETIN BOARDS FOR SUBJECT CONTENT

Our school library is in the center of the building, surrounded by four hallways, so I mounted a 4′x4′ bulletin board in each of the three hallways that border our 6 th, 7 th, and 8 th grade wings to promote reading and using the library.

I designed a sign system to set them up at the start of the school year and not have to redo them, yet I can change individual signs to coordinate with subject area classroom activities during the school year. Each bulletin board includes a series of customized signs:

A grade-level Information Literacy Theme sign that reflects my lesson focus for that grade at the top left corner.

A grade-level English/Language Arts Unit Theme sign in the center. This sign changes for each 9-week grading period.

A grade-level Social Studies Theme sign in the bottom right corner to promote their Special collections: "Read Around the World" for 6g, "Read Your Way through Texas History" for 7g, and "Read America" for 8g. I keep bookmark pockets filled with reading log bookmarks for this reading promotion program.

I add smaller signs for other subject area classes that visit the library during the grading period, like infographics of online services for research projects. These change each grading period, too.

Students can create a book review on a 3″x5″ index card and staple it on the board. It's a great way to involve students and to update bulletin boards without a lot of extra work.

Teachers really appreciate that I coordinate these bulletin boards with their subject content, and students constantly see them as they move between their classes.

MONTHLY THEMATIC BULLETIN BOARD

The 4 th bulletin board is located in the hallway near student bathrooms and is visible to nearly everyone on their way to the cafeteria. I share this 4′x4′ board with others so we can have a new theme for each month of the school year yet I don't have to do it every month.
Heritage displays
September is decorated by our Spanish teachers and student Spanish Club for Hispanic Heritage Month, February is decorated by our Black History Month Committee (which includes students), and May's Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month is decorated by our ELL teacher and her students (we have a large Asian population in our school). All these groups use wonderful accessories to dress up and draw attention to the board and share classroom activities. I support that by displaying books inside the library that coordinate with each heritage, such as related biographies and authors.

November is Native American Heritage Month, and I use the board for an Indigenous Peoples Around the World display to bring awareness of this issue and support our IB program. I create the display by continent and post signs with historical insights or quotations, along with pictures of book covers of our indigenous collection, including books by and about Native Americans.
Topical displays
The March board is handled by the Fine Arts Department to feature Music in Schools Month and Youth in Art month. The April board is handled by the Math and Science teachers for Math Awareness Month and Earth Month, which includes highlights from our student Recycling Club. October is National Bullying Prevention Month and National Red Ribbon Week. Our school counselors-and student office aides-take on the bulletin board since they sponsor Red Ribbon Week and bullying also falls under their purview.

December is a short month with our winter break, so I post coming activities at our public libraries to encourage students to visit the library and continue reading during the break.

January is for our district Internet Safety Month, during which all librarians present lessons to our schools. National Internet Safety Month is actually in June, but since we aren't in school, our district has chosen January for these important lessons with the theme Be Safe in Cyberspace and Become a Digital Citizen. In addition to the board, student-created posters from my Library Lessons are displayed around the hallways.

The monthly thematic bulletin board is popular with teachers, especially those who otherwise don't have a public bulletin board on which to display their subject content classroom activities. Because students contribute to these displays, they are more meaningful to all students.

Join my mailing list if you want more information about these bulletin boards! You can download my Purposeful Bulletin Boards ebook, which includes 15 Info-Lit and ELA signs.

You can also choose other free downloads from my e-List Library resources.

As a subscriber, you receive email notice of each new blog post covering school library lessons and management.

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When I began my School Librarian position, I didn't have any bulletin boards and I didn't care-I didn't see the point in "cutesy" bulletin boards. Rather, I focused on decor for the rather bare 2-year-old library, installing purposeful posters and informational signage.