Library Stick Toppers for Your Classroom

Hey teacher friends! I have had a few comments on Organized Classroom’s Facebook page lately about organizing your classroom libraries and wile I do have a few ideas for library checkouts, I also thought the idea below might also help out just for keeping your books organized a little better while students are “shopping.”

Oh, and they are super easy to make!

Library Stick Toppers for Your Classroom

There’s nothing worse than students digging through your perfectly organized classroom library books bins that have painstakingly been labeled with the correct category or level, only to have books tossed back in different bins and have to start all over again.

It makes my organizational heart hurt.

So I needed a way to allow students to peruse the book titles, while still having an easy way for them to also replace the books back into the correct book basket when they were finished.

Fostering Student Responsibility

No matter which system you choose, the most important element is teaching students how to use it and instilling a sense of responsibility for the books. Regular reminders about returning books, demonstrating the check-out process, and discussing why it’s important to take care of shared resources can make a big difference. You might even assign “library helpers” to assist with re-shelving or checking on overdue books. Empowering students in this process not only lightens your load but also teaches valuable life skills.

Involving Students in Maintenance

Students can be excellent library assistants. Encourage them to help straighten shelves, organize books, or identify books that need repair. Perhaps they can even suggest new titles they’d like to see. Having a “library squad” or designated student librarians can foster ownership and teach practical organizational skills. This also lightens your workload and ensures the library remains a space that truly belongs to and serves the students.

Regular Culling and Repairing

Books will inevitably get loved a little too hard. Set aside time each month or quarter to go through your collection. Take out any books that are beyond repair – a few worn pages are charming, but a book falling apart is frustrating. Repair what you can with clear packing tape or book repair tape. This is also a good time to cull books that are no longer relevant, out-of-date, or simply aren’t being read. Don’t be afraid to let go of books that are taking up valuable space if they’re not serving your students.

Book Basket Organization

To make:

1. Grab some paint sticks from your local home improvement store, or old rulers from your stash of school supplies. {I used rulers because they were on hand and easy for me to grab.}

2. Find some washi tape in your classroom decor colors and decorate your sticks however you like. The possibilities are endless.

3. Create some toppers. You can either use a Word processing program , or even go freehand! Print out on cardstock. Use a large paper punch to make it uber simple to cut them out. Laminating is optional.

4. Attach toppers to your sticks with hot glue or a large piece of clear packing tape.

That’s it! Did I mention how simple it was?

Students Organizing the Classroom Library on Their Own

Now, students can either grab the library stick with their name or number on it whenever they are searching through your classroom library.

When they find a book, they place their stick in that basket or lay it down horizontally on the bookshelf where the book was or vertically in a book bin. When it is time to return the book, the student will know exactly where to place it upon return! Yay!

Of course, no system works perfectly, but I bet with practice, most students should be able to follow this system easily!

Drop all the sticks into a large clear container and set it right by the classroom library so the sticks stay presentable and close at hand.

Need some numbered library stick toppers? I have a fun file that includes numbers 1-36 just for you to get started right away!