Sorting Tubs for Library Check-In

Hi friends! Do you get overwhelmed by all of the library books that your students check in every day? Our guest blogger Amanda Maslonka shares her genius solution, plus more ways that students can help you keep your school library organized! Here’s what Amanda has to say…

My name is Amanda, and I work in a large district in the Houston Area.  My district has 36 elementary schools alone. This is my seventh year in the library and I can honestly say being a librarian is the BEST JOB EVER!  My first year was a big change for me and the faculty.  There were many changes the principal wanted, and, as we all know, being the first year at anything can be challenging.  

We are a small campus that originally had very low circulation numbers. Students did not visit the library independently, and they were allowed only two books at a time.  I wanted students to visit when they needed to, not just when they had a scheduled class visit.  My first year circulation was almost triple what it had been in previous years, madness!  Book check-in was driving me crazy! 

By nature, I am VERY ORGANIZED, and I wanted the process of getting books in the hands of kids to be efficient. Efficiency was not what was happening, and the entire process frustrated me. 

The Book Drop

I, like many librarians, used the regular Book Drop.  This large heavy box was where my kids dropped all their books upon entering the library.  I left them there until I had “time” to scan everything.  There were several problems with this process for me.   If you use the book drop and it works for you…good for you!  It just did not work for me.

1. Overdue Books: Students checking out showed multiple overdue books.  “But Miss, I turned those in.” This led to me pulling out the drop, searching for those books and then clearing the student so they could continue checkout.
2. Damaged Books: Books never drop neatly. Paperbacks ended up damaged or lost between the gaps. Hardback spines were damaged and pages started falling out.
3. Time: It took me time to sort the books, scan them in, place on a cart for shelving.  I do not have an aide to assist.

Allowing Students to Check-in their own books

I have several library friends that have their students check in their own books and place them on labeled carts. Again… “Miss, I turned those in,” which meant I was searching carts looking for the books that either were not present OR were not scanned properly. It also backed up the line and left little time for those at the end of the line to check out books with care, because students were rushed to finish in time. I did not like either of these processes.

I was lucky to do my library internship in my district and visited many wonderful librarians who all had a different process. While looking through pictures I took during internship, I saw a solution that another librarian used. She happened to be a good friend of mine so, after discussing with her the how and why she had students turn in books her way,  it totally made sense to my organized brain AND it stopped all of the issues I was having with the book drop and checking in books.

The New Way

I purchased bins from Wal-Mart.  They are actually trays that go inside a large tub. Each tub is labeled with where the book goes in the library. I am lucky in a way to have a large circulation desk that fit the tubs perfectly! I purchased mine many years ago, but these would work just as well without the lids.  https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-Set-of-2-28-Qt-Storage-Box-Teal-Sachet/456290081

E – Everybody

F/Series – Fiction & Series Books

Numbers – Nonfiction

B – Biography

I teach my students about the books’ “address” early in their library visits.  I explain that the top letter or number is like the street you live on.  E is Everybody Street and the letter underneath is like your house number. You can tell me the street you live on, but if I do not know your house number, I will not find you!  It takes a bit of time on the front end, but it is so worth it in the end. 

Upon entering the library, the students place their books in the correct tubs, all facing the same direction, just like they turn in papers in their classrooms.  Spine up, label at the bottom is how they turn in the books. 

Everything is sorted and ready for me to scan.  While students are selecting new books, I am able to scan the entire tub quickly and place the books on the cart for shelving.  This process stopped all of the issues I was having with the book drop and self-check in!  It was a total game changer! 

Not only was it saving me tons of time by not having to sort, our books stay nice longer AND the added bonus is kids are more familiar with the areas of the library, and where to find the kind of books they are looking for!  In addition, if I am with a class, students can take care of their library business independently which was my ultimate goal.

I will not ever say that one way of student check-in is right or wrong, just that this way makes my life so much easier.  

Lost in the Library Books

I want my students to be independent, but sometimes when I am shelving books, I find “lost” books.  Books were selected, but then the student changed their mind and just stuck the book wherever they were standing.  UGH! This is one of those things that we can teach and preach forever and it will still happen. 

I solved this by placing an “I am lost” bucket on the top of a shelf. It is okay to change your mind about a book; we all do it!  I would rather have the book in a box than just stuffed somewhere.  It is RARE that the box is full because I review making good book choices.  Once the novelty wears off, the box is never full.

Here a Dot, There a Dot

I do not know what it is about the circulation computers that makes the kids want to pile up on it!  I used to have round rugs from IKEA that I spread out, but they kept sliding around and I was constantly moving them back.  I had painted dots on the old carpet but after new carpet was installed, I couldn’t do that so…enter the Sit Spot!  One of our PreK teachers showed them to me, and I was hooked.  These dots are made from the sticky side of Velcro and stick easily to carpet.  Students stand on a dot and wait their turn to check out their books. 

The spots (available at sitspots.com) keep them from all standing close to the computer at the same time.   I use them in our reading corner and at the circulation computers.  I have used them for two years and have not needed to replace any of them.  

No Stress Absences

We have all had those days when a kid wakes us up in the middle of the night sick, or we ourselves are sick.  I know that I do not want to have to go to work to prepare for a sub…enter the sub tub.

I used this same tub as a classroom teacher for emergency plans but now I have worked it for the library.  This hanging file crate has saved me stress when an unexpected absence occurs.  The crate holds books and activities for each grade level along with a detailed binder of how to run the library in my absence.  I select books for the month and place them in the files.  I change the books monthly. 

If I know I am going to be absent, I fill the crate with things that are needed that I would read or do if I were present.  Everyone on my team knows where to find my crate.  When I need to be out unexpectedly, I call a teammate and ask that they place the crate on my circulation desk.  Everything the substitute would need is there.  I do not need to worry if the substitute that comes does not know how to work in the library, because all the details are in the binder.  My principal could even be my substitute!

I hope you find some of these tips helpful!  They sure have been life-savers for me!

Amanda Maslonka or “Miss Library” has been an educator for 21 years and a Library Media Specialist for the past seven. She is married to a teacher and together they are raising three daughters and an 80 pound rescue dog. She has a passion for children’s literature and finding new ways to get kids excite about real reading for pleasure. Her “spare time” is spent reading, crafting, and spending time with her family.

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