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10 Ideas for a Successful Open House in the School Library

10 ideas for a successful open house in the library
If you’ve ever spent weeks prepping your library space only to have a handful of families trickle in during open house, you’re not alone. It can feel discouraging when your library, so full of potential, is overlooked. Open house night is a golden opportunity to introduce your families to all the library has to offer beyond just checking out books. With a few strategic ideas in place, you can turn it into a meaningful and memorable experience for your students and caregivers alike. Today, I’m sharing 10 creative and practical ideas to help your library stand out and leave a lasting impression! Start With Take-Home Tools That Inform and Engage 1. Hand Out Informational Bookmarks Families get a flood of papers at an open house. Many of them don’t make it out of the backpack, purse, or folder. Instead, try handing out bookmarks packed with quick facts about checkout
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The Ultimate School Librarian Survival Kit

Use this ultimate school librarian survival kit to make this the best year ever for you and your students.
While sometimes it feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day to tackle everything on our to-do list, being an elementary or middle school librarian is such a rewarding gig! From cataloging new books to organizing reading programs and helping students find their next favorite read, there’s a lot of variety in this job! If you love what you do, but need some systems to help make it more efficient, I’ve got your back! Let’s talk about my school librarian survival kit and how it will be a total game-changer for you. What’s Included in This School Librarian Survival Kit My school librarian survival kit has EVERYTHING you need to rock the new school year. It includes lesson plans, activity ideas, library management tips, and even some fun decorations to brighten up your space. With these resources, you’ll have all the tools to keep your library running smoothly
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School Library Planners

When I first became a school librarian, I bought a teacher planner at a teacher store. I loved the bright colors and cute graphics and thought it would keep me organized all year. Unfortunately, I quickly found out that the planner was not what I needed. It was made for classroom teachers, not librarians. I tried a few others over the years, but nothing worked for my specific needs. I do not need to keep track of student data or their IEP information or their test scores. So that’s when I decided to make my own school library planner. I could customize it any way I wanted and only include pages that would help me. Once I realized how much I loved the planner and how useful it was, I wanted to share it with other librarians. So I added it to my TpT store and it quickly became
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Back to School Checklist for School Librarians

Use these back to school checklist for school librarians ideas to help you start the school year ready to tackle any challenges that come your way.
Can you believe it’s that time again? The back-to-school hustle is upon us, and if you’re anything like me, you’re feeling a whirlwind of emotions. There’s excitement bubbling up as we gear up for another school year, but there’s also a healthy dose of nerves mixed in there. It’s a rollercoaster ride of anticipation and anxiety, am I right? The neverending back to school checklist for school librarians can be overwhelming. But after years of experience, I have learned that it doesn’t have to be. As I sit down to think about all the things I need to check off my list before that first bell rings, it’s hard not to feel the pressure mounting. But then I remember that I have prepared a checklist that will guide me through all.the.things that must be done. So, stick with me as I lay out my ultimate back-to-school checklist for school
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Teaching Students to Choose Just Right Books

Finding just right books is something that a lot of our students struggle with, especially early in the year. Some grab a book that looks fun but is way too hard. Others pick something that’s super easy just to get it over with. Then, some feel completely overwhelmed and don’t even know where to begin. That’s why I make it a point to teach this skill in the library, not just leave it up to the classroom setting. Even though I revisit the concept of just right books throughout the year, I like to start the conversation with second graders. That’s when I introduce the Five Finger Rule and dive deeper into helping them understand what it really means to choose a book that fits them. One that’s not too hard or easy but just right. I’ve built this lesson out over the years to include read-alouds, modeling, interactive
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Teaching Book Care in the Elementary School Library

Teaching book care in the elementary school library
One of the most important lessons you can teach in the elementary school library is book care. It’s not just about keeping books neat. It’s about helping our kiddos understand respect, responsibility, and the shared joy of reading. When our students know how to care for books, they’re learning life skills that will serve them well everywhere. When I first became a librarian, I assumed older students already knew how to handle books responsibly. I quickly realized that many kids didn’t have books at home or hadn’t been to a public library before. For them, the elementary school library was the first place they encountered books they were trusted to borrow. That’s why book care became a central lesson, not just for kindergarten and first grade, but for every grade level. Why Book Care Matters in the Elementary School Library Teaching book care in the elementary school library is
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Staying Cool in the Library is my blog, where I share my passion for fostering a love of reading with children. As a librarian, I believe reading should be fun and accessible to all students. That’s why I share engaging and interactive lesson plans, creative ways to build exciting library collections, and resources to inspire even the most reluctant readers in any classroom or library. Check out my blog posts and products in my store, and join my email list below.

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