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Classroom Library Organization

Have you ever wondered where to start with Classroom Library Organization? Well, today I am excited to share my top 5 tips for creating an organized classroom library, so every book has a home!

As most of you know, I teach full-day kindergarten. And like many of you, I spend lots of $$$ each year on tons of books for my classroom. The last 2 years I have just kept all of my books on bookshelves, but found that my kinders had a hard time finding their ‘perfect-fit’ book and my library was always a mess that I had to clean up! Finally I decided that there was no better time than the present to organize my classroom library. After looking at other teachers’ libraries and tons of pictures on pinterest, I finally came up with a library organization that works for me and my classroom. Note: These are just my tips and ideas…do what works best for you! 😉

Classroom Library Organization Tips

Tip 1: Decide on your library space. 

Where is your library going to be?
Are you going to bring in new shelves?
Open areas or cubbies?
Do you already have a space or do you want to move your library…now is the time to do it!

Tip 2: How are you going to organize your library?
Are you going to organize by genre, or author, or DRA/reading levels?

I decided to use these library book bin labels and coordinating book label stickers. I love them! There are tons of options on Teachers Pay Teachers, but I was looking for ones that would match my classroom decor and have pictures for the students to be able to see and ‘read’.
This pack has 220 different options.
(I will no longer link to this product, due to poor customer service.)

220 Classroom Labels

Tip 3: Bins, Baskets, or Shelves? Next decide how you are going to ‘house’ the books. Are you going to leave them on the shelves or are you going to put them in bins or baskets. There are so many options to choose from and a million places to purchase them from. Here is a great deal on book bins from Amazon that you can get in 2 days!! But after a little research and the great reviews I heard from other teachers, I ended up buying 4 dozen…yes, you read that right…4 DOZEN books bins from Really Good Stuff in black.

Really Good Stuff Book Bins for Classroom Library

Tip 4: Decide if and how you are going to label your books and location, including containers/bins/boxes. As I already shared, I bought my book bin and book labels from TPT and just printed them out at home on cardstock. I also laminated them using my awesome laminator!

Tip 5: Sort Books and Organize!! This was my favorite part! I put all of my books in big piles and started sorting them into genres and popular authors.

books

Finally, I affixed my laminated labels onto the bins with clear packing tape, which worked perfectly.

Labeled Book Bins

The labels for the books match the book bin label, which makes it easy for students to match and put back into the correct spot. No more big messes! The labels are printed on avery labels, which are then easily affixed to each book.

Book with custom book label

The whole project took me a few days to complete during this last Spring Break. First day back from Spring Break, I introduced the whole system to my class and we all practiced choosing a book and then putting it back into the right bin. I also created a librarian position, in which their job is to check on the library at the end of each school day. My class had 8 weeks of using this new organized library system and they loved it and so have I!

Organized Class Library

Is your classroom organized? If so, send me a link or a few pictures so I can check it out!


8 Responses

  1. Hello,

    I have a question – I’m working on my library and asking different people their opinion! I was wondering what you do for books that fit into more then one category? For example Pete the cat books that are about valentines day – or Little Critter books that are focused on family? Do you double sticker them, pull them out to highlight them for the holiday ones, or something else?

    Thanks!

    1. Hi Emma and thanks for the question! I kept each holiday book, like the Pete the Cat Valentines’ book into the holiday bin, just because I tend to not have an overflowing of holiday books. But honestly, it’s really your own personal preference. I don’t double-sticker anything, as my kids get confused. But I love my organized library! 🙂

    1. What about a cart with wheels, where you can still store the plastic book bins? You could always take cereal boxes and cut them diagonally. You can wrap them with paper and it’s an inexpensive alternative to plastic book bins. Hope that helps. 🙂

  2. Literacy labels for books and library tubs

    Would you still be willing to sell those to me? I’m very interested.

  3. I am moving into a new classroom that has NO shelves, so I am in the market for shelves. Where did you get yours, or do you have any suggestions? I like your set up with the same shelf x3. lol I have A LOT of books and I am panicking about where I am going to put them all.

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