Library Management Archives - Page 7 of 8 - Staying Cool in the Library

6 Tips for Teacher-Librarian Collaboration

Teacher-librarian collaboration can be difficult in the best of situations, but if you are on a fixed schedule this can be even more challenging. When I was working on my Master’s degree I took an entire class on collaboration one summer. When I went back to school I was so excited to implement what I learned. I scheduled a meeting with my principal to discuss strategies to increase collaboration with teachers. My principal’s solution? To make it mandatory that every teacher collaborated with me at least one time during the school year and to provide documentation to show what we did. Well, I’m sure you can imagine that went over like a lead balloon. One of the biggest issues was that I had no time to meet with teachers. Their planning time was during specials so it was hard to sit down and plan together. And I was not

Digital Rewards for the School Library

Classroom management can be quite an adventure for librarians and other “specials” teachers. We’ve all been there trying to keep things on track when we only see our students once a week for a brief session. Kids often see their specials time as a chance to chat with friends and take a break from the regular school grind. Plus, knowing they won’t get a grade for our activities can make them think they don’t need to put in the effort. With so much to cover in such a short time, it’s easy to miss some of the mischief. That’s why today, I’m excited to share a fantastic system that uses digital rewards to keep students motivated and focused on the task at hand! How Did the Digital Rewards System Get Its Start? Over the years, I’ve tried all sorts of systems to encourage positive behavior. I’ve done sticker charts,

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

End of the Year Checklist for School Librarians

The end of the school year always seems to sneak up faster than expected, doesn’t it? One minute, you’re reading winter stories, the next, you’re hunting down missing books, pulling down bulletin boards, and prepping for summer maintenance. It can feel like there’s so much to do and never quite enough time or energy to get it all done. That’s exactly why having an end of the year checklist is essential. It keeps your mind clear and your tasks in order so you can finish strong and walk out the door knowing you’re set up for a smooth return in the fall. I created my editable checklist over the years and am now sharing it with you! End of the Year Checklist: Organize and Clean Your Library Space By the time May or June rolls around, your office, workroom, and even your storytime nook might look like a whirlwind

5 Tips for a Smoother Book Check Out at Your School Library

Are you struggling to get all of your students’ books checked out in a timely fashion? Do you feel like you are running in a million different directions and not able to answer everyone’s question? Have you ever felt like pulling your hair out at the end of a class because of the check out process? I know I have! In this post, you will learn 5 tips, ideas, and tricks to help you and your school library have a smoother book check out. Thankfully I have been blessed with an amazing library assistant, so most of the time there are two of us to handle book checkout. However, the past couple of years she is constantly pulled to cover classrooms. So I am often by myself and have felt the frustration many times. Why We Need a Smoother Book Check Out Process There is so much to do

6 Book Fair Survival Tips

Book fair! The two words guaranteed to strike fear in the heart of any school librarian. That may be a little melodramatic but book fair week is definitely a very stressful and challenging time. If you have ever run a book fair before then you know what I mean. This post will go over my 6 best book fair survival tips! There are many factors that go into just how challenging your book fair will be. How big is your school? Will you have parent volunteers? Are you going to stop book checkout during this time? A librarian at a nearby school has less students and more volunteers than she could ever use. She love the book fair and can’t wait for it to arrive. I have a large school with very few volunteers, so my assistant and I pretty much do it all. For us book fair time