Library Ties

Recently there was a post on LM_Net asking about when you started checking out books to students. My answer always is the library is open on the first day of school. Sometimes it takes us a couple of days to get the library cards made and most teachers aren’t ready to schedule a library orientation until after they’ve had a few days in their classroom, but for all practical purposes we’re ready to go on day 1.

Why?

• First and foremost every classroom in the building has to be open and ready for kids on day 1, why would the library be any different?
• We never close the library for any reason the entire year, so it is important from the perception of students and staff that the library is open for business on the first day.
• Our students are always excited about checking out books, so I want to harness that excitement as soon as possible.
• We start, even with Kindergartners, teaching them procedures for selecting a book from the shelf. My theory is why do I want to spend time pulling them off to a table and teach them one way to pick out books to only change it on them later.

The start of school is always hectic and there is always more to do than there are hours in the day to get them done, but it is critical to me that our library media center is open on Day 1 and that we start checking out books immediately.

Tags:   Carl Harvey · circulation · lmcNo Comments