presents
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Beanbag Chair It’s colorful, comfy and everyone’s favorite place to plop with a good book.
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Reading Rugs An inviting place to sprawl with a favorite book or gather together to read aloud. Oval and rectangle rugs adorned with artsy alphabet books. Choose from two shapes and five sizes.
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Shorty Bookcase Custom designed by Classroom Library Co. for function and long life. Heavy-duty corrugate reinforced with aluminum rods. Shorty is just the right height for little ones to easily access reading on their own. Holds nine of our signature small bins (included).
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Tall Boy Bookcase The same durability and construction as Shorty... only bigger! Think kids are tough on stuff? We grown-ups abused it and misused it, and the original is still standing strong. Snugly fits 15 of our signature bins (included). Tall Boy also comes with wall anchors for a “tall” sense of security. Reading Level Chart A poster-sized version of our color-coded equivalency chart, to help you translate unfamiliar reading level systems to what you know. Mobile Classroom Library Cart The very best option for going mobile. If you travel the classrooms as a Reading Specialist or share books with the classroom down the hall, we have a great solution for you. It’s a super sturdy square-tube, metal frame on 5-inch, heavy-duty, locking casters. It holds nine large colorful, divided book tubs and labels. It will save you a lot of time when it’s time to roll.
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Large Hinge Box When is a box not just a box? When it’s a storage workhorse or a treasure chest for your reading room. The hinged lid keeps the secrets hidden and the side handles making toting a snap. Whether you’re storing today or revealing tomorrow, this box works harder so you don’t have to.
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The Classroom Library System!
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Step 1 2 Planning Your Physical Environment
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We make it easy for you to visualize your new classroom setup with our online tools.
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1 will select your Classroom Library Step We content or assist you in creating 2 the Classroom Library of your dreams. Our Classroom Libraries are shipped ready-to-use and clearly labeled by:
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• Theme • Genre • Authors • Series • Units of Study • Levels (GRL, Lexile, DRA, etc.)
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2 create your custom Classroom Library Step We and organize it! 3 A handy QR code for quick access to our website from a smartphone
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Color-coded reading level labels attached to every book
Front bin label, clearly stating the name and ISBN of the Classroom Library
Rear bin label, featuring a content list and ISBN barcode for easy receiving
3 even help you manage Step We your Classroom Library! 4 5 6
• Inventory your Classroom Library by scanning the ISBN bar code of each book • Retrieving reading level, bibliographic data, and availability for over 125,000 ISBN bar codes
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• Lend, track and return books that travel with your students • Purchase new books or replace lost titles
Scan this...
...print this!
• Check the hot list for newest and most exciting books • For iPhone, iPad2, and MAC/PC
Yes, we have an app for that!
4 Step Now it’s time to accessorize! 5 6
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Our Commitment Send us your
What list, order online, Call us and or call us. do talk to us, or send you us an email. need? Forget something?
Let us know, and we’ll ship it!
We have Have a problem? answers!
We assemble and ship your custom book bins with teacher guides.
Need something special? If we don’t stock it, we’ll find it for you fast . No minimums . No extra charge . Always the same discount
. Online label tool . Online classroom design . Color-coded reading level chart . Book retriever app for your smart phone . Available Face-to-face training
Creative Timesaver Solutions • Your books arrive in Classroom Library bins, complete and ready to use. • Every book has a color-coded, reading level label that coordinates to the bin. • Every bin has a coordinated front label. • Every bin has a rear label that lists its contents. • Scan any book label with the Book Retriever App and you instantly know where it goes. • The Reading Level Chart gives you color-coded levels and development stages at a glance. • The Classroom Library Book explains everything you need to know to use, teach, store, build and source anything related to Classroom Library.
Need to add a book to your bin? There’s an app for that! Use our online label tool to plug in any reading level value. It displays reading level equivalencies for several other systems and allows you to print a label. You can even customize the label with book title and teacher’s name.
Classroom Library Commitment We’ve been in the classroom and walked in your shoes. We know a teacher’s time is precious. The Classroom Library Company gives you Creative Timesaver Solutions so you have time for what is most important. With an estimated 300 hours a year saved, now you can do what you do best: teach children.
Evaluate Your Current Classroom Library
Check your current book inventory for damaged or necessary replacement copies. Then use the checklist below to determine the needs of your classroom collection of print materials (books, magazines, newspapers, etc.) and their use. Read each question and circle yes or no. YES NO 1. Is there a minimum of 8 to 15 books per student? YES NO 2. Is one new book per student added each year? YES NO 3. Is there a balance between the fiction and non-fiction books? YES NO 4. Have 30%–50% of the books been published in the last 5 –10 years? YES NO 5. Do the materials reflect the range of reading levels represented in the classroom, so that all students can find books that are appropriate to their independent reading level? YES NO 6. Do the books reflect cultural and linguistic diversity? YES NO 7. Do the books represent a wide variety of genres and types: picture books, chapter books, poetry, folktales, joke books, historical fiction, mystery, science fiction, fantasy, biography, classics, series, multicultural, nonfiction, etc.? YES NO 8. Are the books selected for their quality and reader appeal, both in interest and reading level? YES NO 9. Are the books attractive and in good condition? YES NO 10. Are there multiple copies of popular titles, so that students can read books together?
YES NO 15. Does the organization promote the reading of different genres, authors, and types of materials? YES NO 16. Is there easy-to-read and highly visible signage to aid the students in finding materials? YES NO 17. Does the organization and signage invite browsing and use? YES NO 18. Are many of the books arranged with their covers facing outward? YES NO 19. Is there a display area to highlight books and other materials and are the displays changed frequently? YES NO 20. Is the classroom library weeded of old, tattered, and worn books on a regular basis? YES NO 21. Is there a management system for checking out materials and monitoring their return? YES NO 22. Is the classroom library located in one area of the room or are the reading materials and reading areas dispersed throughout the room? YES NO 23. Are the reading areas defined with rugs or furniture arrangements? YES NO 24. Is there an area set aside for quiet reading?
YES NO 11. Do the students have voice in recommending books for the collection?
YES NO 25. Does the quiet reading area provide alternative seating: beanbag pillows, soft cushions, rocking or easy chair, sofa, loft, etc.?
YES NO 12. Does the library contain a variety of materials: books, magazines, catalogs, listening center with books-on-tape, computer and computer software, art supplies and writing paper to respond to reading, etc.?
YES NO 26. Are the students encouraged to use the classroom library for reading materials throughout the school day?
YES NO 13. Are the materials accessible to the students? YES NO 14. Are the books categorized and arranged in a logical and clear manner: authors, genre, themes, series, topics, new books read-alouds, award winners, etc.?
YES NO 27. Are students provided chunks of time to read for a variety of purposes throughout the school day: for pleasure, for information, to perform a task?
Tally your responses: YES ______ NO ______
If you answered YES to less than 25 questions, begin highlighting areas for enhancing your classroom library to promote literacy growth. Then call us and let us help you!
Helpful Hints & Tips Keep the focus on high quality books, both in content and construction. Book club/fair manufacturing is subpar compared to retail trade books. They will not last anywhere near as long. Usually the club would economize in any number of ways including using a smaller format for the book, printing the text on cheaper paper, using cheaper boards (often covered in paper rather than cloth), printing the dust wrapper on thinner or uncoated paper stock, etc. Books club editions usually don't have a printed price. You can view our available materials online easily, via app store, or E-catalog. Simply build a list and send it to us! If you don’t know where to begin, we are here to help. We have reading specialist that will create custom classroom libraries for you based on your needs. We can provide custom selections based on grades, themes, levels, genres and local student population. We can help you acquire and replace lost or damaged books. Be sure to include culturally reflective literature so your kids can relate to what they are reading. Make your Classroom Library comfortable. You will need adequate lighting, comfy chairs and pillows; Remember, you’re trying to create a whole reading experience. This is a project the whole class can be a part of: painting, posters, drawings, etc. We supply free online label makers and label templates for your use. We sell sheets of labels in many different colors.
Build anticipation If you’re anything like us, chances are that you might not be completely done with everything in your room when your kids arrive. To remedy this situation and build excitement, we’d cover our book shelves with butcher
paper and big “COMING SOON!” signs. This gave us time to actually finish our library during the first week or two of school, and gave us an opportunity to build anticipation about the library and present it as an exciting privilege in our classroom.
Build knowledge We love to use the opportunity of introducing our classroom library to not only build excitement about reading, but also to build knowledge. Our classroom library was generally organized by genre/theme/author/book series, so at the beginning of the year we’d reveal one shelf at a time, but would hide the labels. Each table group would get a group of books and try to determine how the books were organized. After they’d correctly determined the category of book (I’d float around to make sure they were on the right track), they’d get a poster where they’d describe the characteristics of the category based on the books in their group. After each group presented, we’d put the books in their correct “home” in the library. It’s a great way to teach students about genre, fiction/non-fiction, popular authors, etc., help your students understand how your library is organized, and get them thinking about what books they’re eager to read!
Build responsibility Besides building an excitement about books, we also found that building a respect for books is really important in keeping your classroom library upand-running over the course of the year. Taking time to be explicit at the beginning of the year about how you’d like your students to care for the books and why this is important can go a long way. (Marla Conn would share her experience teaching in Tanzania, where books are scarce.) Also, consistently modeling for students how to keep the books organized can also be a helpful reminder: If a read-aloud book comes from your classroom library, teach students to put it away in it’s home. Or even better, have a student put it away and explain where it’s going.
3901 Union Boulevard, Suite 155 St. Louis, MO 63115 toll-free: 1-888-318-2665 toll-free fax: 1-877-716-7272 sales@classroomlibrarycompany.com www.classroomlibrarycompany.com