Tips on How To Expand Your Classroom Library

So, I have finished The Book Whisperer. I just need to post about the other chapters. However, I thought I would post about ways to expand a classroom library since the book encourages teachers to allow students free choice when choosing books. Offering them a variety of choices will help them find something they like. 

I'm still deciding how I should organize the books in my library. I originally organized them by reading level. Now I organize them more by series, author, or genre. I hoped that organizing it that way would make it easier for students to find books that they were interested in based on the genre or author they enjoy.

Book baskets are from http://www.reallygoodstuff.com/

Over my three years teaching, I have collected over 250 books, and I hope to continue to grow that number. I'm not going to pretend like this has not costs me a small fortune over the years. But I will share some resources that have helped me grow my library without breaking the bank.

Tips to Expand Your Classroom Library:

* Goodwill- If I am out shopping, and I am near a Goodwill, I always stop by to check out their book collection. Some stores have better selections than others, but all stores offer great prices on their used books. From my experience, the prices have ranged from $0.50 to $2.50. 

* Ask for Donations- I have only done this once, but one year I thought maybe I should send out a note in my newsletter about book donations. I told parents that if they had any children's novels around the house that they would like to donate, that there would be plenty of students willing to love them. I was surprised at how many books were added to our library throughout that year. Even some teachers found out about it and donated some of their personal kids' books that were already read. 

* Scholastic Warehouse Sales- Scholastic has warehouse sales in our area twice a year. They basically open a warehouse full of their books that are up to 80% off! Take it from me, it is teacher heaven. I look forward to this event every year, and I always leave with quite a few books to add to my library. To find a warehouse sale near you, go to http://registration.scholasticbookfairs.com/events/warehouse/

* ThriftBooks.com- I don't use this site as much as I should, but they offer great deals! They have the deals where you can buy 2 for $7, 3 for $10, or 4 for $12. I just recently took advantage of those deals to update my Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.

* Grants- I have known several teachers who have applied for grants and were accepted. The one I hear about the most is the Walmart Community Grant. One of our other fifth grade teachers has received this grant for her Science Club and one of the teachers I know at the high school has received it for books in her classroom. It is very easy to apply! It is worth a try!