Over the summer I asked my dear Facebook teacher friends for advice about how best to maintain a classroom library (see part 1 and part 2). I learned a lot from teachers who had developed great systems with minimal loss at the end of school year. I knew, however, that any checkout-return system would not work for me because of the word “system.” I just can’t follow systems consistently when it comes to putting books into the hands of teens. I just don’t have the discipline once I get into book-talk mode.
Book-Talk Mode: Releasing
“I need a book,” one eighth grader says.
“What do you feel like? What are you in the mood for – sports, romance, horror, suspense, verse, graphic novel?” I ask.
“Romance,” she says.
“Okay, have a seat, and I will come over with a few suggestions,” I say as I proceed to grab Everything, Everything, Perfect Chemistry, Dumplin’, and If I Was Your Girl.
I bring the books to her desk and book talk each one. I leave them with her to browse.
“I need a book,” another student says.
“What do you feel like? Oh, wait, weren’t you just reading All American Boys?Didn’t you break a school track record last year?”
“Yes, the 400 medley,” he says.
“That was awesome! Okay, I have three ideas: Ghost , The Running Dream, and Not If I See You First,” I say grabbing the books off the shelf. “Take a look and see what you think.”
The bell rings.
“I’m taking this one. Thank you!” a student shouts rushing out the door.
“I like this one. Can I sign it out tomorrow?” a student says rushing out the door.
That is the “system” of (not) signing out books but rather releasing books into the hands of readers.
Catching
The shelves empty quickly when we are in book-talk mode. There is nothing more glorious for an English teacher than empty book shelves — until one realizes the book you really want to put into the hands of that just right reader at that just right time is missing.
“Oh, it’s in my locker. I will bring it tomorrow.”
“Sorry, it’s at home. I will bring it tomorrow.”
Trying to get books back can be frustrating, which, I imagine, is why real libraries have fines. Frustration is something I try to avoid, so I have just learned to accept the loss and hope the book enjoys its new home.
The best I can do, given my way of sharing books, is to set aside a few times a year for the classroom library book return. I did this before Christmas break by posting the titles of missing books on construction paper outside my classroom door and badgering a few students. This method “caught” a few books.
However, something I did not plan turned out to catch the most missing books in a matter of minutes!
The Friday of the long Presidents’ Day weekend, our school organized a locker clean-out day. I put a few empty boxes outside my classroom door, and ten minutes later, I had caught close to a hundred books. (I teach six classes of reading – 160 students.) Not every book made its way home, but many did. I spent Tuesday’s teacher plan day, restocking my shelves.
Releasing Again
The Wednesday after the four-day weekend was beautiful. When students arrived to school, their lockers were clean. When they arrived to class, the book shelves were full.
I began classes by sharing how I reorganized the books. I glided from shelf to shelf excited to tell them about some of the popular books that were once lost but now found.
“Have you ever heard of Jeffrey Dahmer? He was a serial killer, and a friend he had in high school decided to write and illustrate a graphic novel, My Friend Dahmer, to show readers the complex story of this deeply disturbed human being. And this book, If I Grow Up has been really popular this year. One boy read it in one day. Imagine growing up in the projects and wanting a better life for yourself and family only to feel this constant pull into the gangs? This is about a really smart boy who has to face this pressure every day, and it gets complicated. It is all about the “if” in the title,” I said.
I talked about how Everything, Everything is becoming a movie. I pointed out the book shelf with multiple copies of the same book in case students want to form a book group. I showed off the beautiful picture books.
Students raced to the shelves to grab few to browse more closely at their desks.
Within five minutes, the desks were covered in books. Within ten minutes, students had taken up their personal reading positions — slouched-in-seats-with-hoods-pulled-up, knees-tucked-under, sprawled-on-the carpet, books-on-lap-forehead-on-desk.
Wishing Well the Ones that Got Away
I’m still missing lots of books. They may find their way back to me, to us, but they may not. I want to wish them well as they hide under a bed waiting to be discovered, as a bus driver finds one and gives it to a son or daughter, as a younger sibling steals the book and reads it in a closet so as not to be admonished.