Elementary Library

Step 1: Book Care Sort Say: One of the main purposes of coming to the library is to borrow books. When you borrow a book from the library, do you keep it forever? [Response] Borrowing means taking something for a short while and then returning it. You have to bring it back, or return the book, so another friend can borrow it after you. Have you heard the word circulation before? [students may connect it to the circulation of blood in the body or the shape circle] Just like our heart pumps blood into the body and back to the heart, or how a circle flows, borrowing books and returning them is called circulation. [Write the word for students to see] Books circulate in and out of the library. If you don’t take care of your library books or return them on time, no one else will be able to enjoy them, and you may lose your borrowing privileges. Let’s play a quick game to learn how to take care of library books, then we will take a tour of the library collection. Use the Book Care Kit to instruct students how to take care of books. This may be done as a whole class or in small groups. Allow students to choose a picture card, read the back outloud to the whole class, and then individually or as a group sort into “No, we don’t” and “Yes we do” categories. When finished, review with the class by mixing up the cards again and showing one at a time. Allow all students to show if this is a way to take care of a book or not with a silent hand signal (such as thumbs up or down, or one or two fingers). Step 2: Collection Tour Congratulate students on their learning and express trust that they will take care of library books. Pass out Collection worksheet and lead students on a tour of the library. Highlight fiction, nonfiction, quick reads, picture books, holiday, folklore (traditional literature), graphic novels, and look books. Students should complete the worksheet throughout the tour. Let students know that they will learn more about how to find specific books using call numbers and the library computers in the next few weeks. Step 3: Teach & Practice Circulation Procedures Bring students back to tables to teach circulation procedures. This includes how students will be dismissed to look for books, voice level while searching, walking feet, no climbing or jumping on shelves, what to do if they take a book off of the shelf that they don’t want, how to line up to borrow books, how to borrow books, how long they can keep a book, and what they should do once they have checked out a book. Lay out the expectation that everyone checks out a book unless they haven’t returned their old materials. Explain warnings and consequences for misbehavior. Demonstrate any timers you use to manage student time. Review “I can” statements and ask students for thumbs up or thumbs down if they think they mastered today’s learning. Dismiss for circulation. READER’S ADVISORY, CIRCULATION PROCEDURES, & DISMISSAL 3rd - 5th grade may borrow two books. Best practice is that students only be allowed to borrow one graphic novel at a time. The library is all about sharing. What are some ways we can be good at sharing in this library? [answers should include return books on time, keep books nice]

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