Christi Fultz

teacher resources • blog design • branding •

  • Home
  • Blog
    • Holiday Ideas
    • Decor
    • Early Learning
    • Literacy
    • Math
    • Tech Tips
    • Archive
  • About
    • Hello, Christi Fultz
    • Beauty
    • Wellness
    • Completely Christi
  • Teacher Shop
    • TeachersPayTeachers
    • Favorite Resources
  • Design Services
    • Website + Logos
    • How to Start a WordPress Blog
    • Apparel
  • Contact
  • Legal
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
You are here: Home / freebies / Classroom Library Organization
freebies, literacy, reading

Classroom Library Organization

January 21, 2012

Pin It

The library is one of the most important parts of our classroom.  When I first started teaching, I inherited a handful of used books from the teacher who retired the year before.  I sorted the books into four small tubs of picture books and one spinning rack of chapter books, roughly organized by genre and topic.  It was sad.  Fortunately, I was able to check out two crates of books from our school library and I rotated the selections frequently.  I knew right from the start that providing students with interesting choices inside our classroom was key to getting them to read.  


I purchased more books slowly over the next two years.  Books are expensive and new teachers (and experienced ones for the matter!) don’t make much money.  Instead of going to the mall for shopping sprees, I started hitting up the used book stores.  Scholastic Book Clubs also helped.  I usually purchased $20 of books each month from their Lucky catalog and a few titles from SeeSaw and Arrow as well.  This $20 minimum was the magic number to unlock free books and bonus points each month.  If a student ordered on top of that, I was thrilled. Gradually, my library grew.  It was time to reorganize.


First, I needed more storage.  I picked up used bookshelves on CraigsList, plastic tubs from the Dollar Tree, and book pockets to hold check out index cards from a local teacher store.  Then I purchased a large carpet remnant on sale and cheap pillows to keep it cozy.  I also made t-shirt pillows from our school shirts. I wanted the library to feel inviting so students would want to curl up with their books and stay a while.


It was time to get organized.  I sorted my books by topic, genre, and series.  Each tub was clearly labeled to help students browse.  I initially used color-coded dots on the back of the books to make returning books easier for the students.  However, as my library grew I ran out of options.  Now I stick small return address labels on the back corner of each book.  Students simply match the sticker to a basket’s label.  I know in Utopia students are expected to return books without the stickers as part of the learning process, but in the real world it was just easier to sticker the books than constantly have to clean and sort the library.  I say pick your battles.

The final thing that has helped keep my library organized and relevant to my students’ needs is cataloging my books. I keep an excel sheet of every book in the library.  It was a pain to initially log my library, but now I just update the list as I purchase new books.  I can easily sort my books by genre, theme, series, author, etc. This makes pulling books for units fast and efficient.  It’s also been useful to have this list while trying to fill the gaps in my offerings.  For example, I realized I didn’t have nearly enough biographies after I sorted my books by genre.  Using the list, I’m able to spend money wisely and purchase books that will make our classroom library more well-rounded. 


Setting up a classroom library is a lot of work, but maintaining it is easy once you have a system in place.  You can do it!


Freebies:
Book Labels I use orange for fiction, yellow for nonfiction, and pink for poetry and jokes.  Students can easily browse the library by genre this way.


Excel Book List Template I include title, guided reading level, AR level, genre, author, series, basket, theme, teacher, and number of copies.  I have sorted by all of these fields as I’m looking for books for a specific unit, child, etc. The teacher field is useful if you’re sharing and trading books with different classrooms.


T-shirt Pillow Tutorial Learn to sew quick and easy pillows for your classroom library.  They’re inexpensive too!

See other classroom libraries through linky parties at The Sweet Life of Third Grade and Literacy and Laughter.


library organization
by Christi Fultz 

About Christi Fultz

wife • mom • teacher • writer • tech obsessed • sometime crafter • beach lover | Empowering entrepreneurs through branding & website design

View all posts by Christi Fultz

Related Posts

  • Smooth Sailing into the Back to School Season with Tips and Giveaways!
  • Erin Condren Planner Debut and Coupon
  • Erin Condren Discount and Throw Back Thursday!
  • Warning: Nerdy Organization {a gift card too!}

I MAKE STARTING YOUR OWN BLOG EASY…

previous post: Teachers Steal
next post: T-Shirt Pillow Tutorial for Classroom Library

Comments

  1. Lori says: March 29, 2012 at 1:17 am

    Your reading area looks so comfy and cozy! Love the run! I linked up to the party too. 🙂
    Lori
    Conversations in Literacy

  2. Christi at Ms. Fultz's Corner says: March 29, 2012 at 9:09 pm

    Oh, thank you! I love seeing all the libraries too. =)

  3. Amy Rider says: March 30, 2012 at 1:55 am

    Christi,

    THANK YOU so much for linking up!!!! Love your library! I am sure your students LOVE curling up to read in that cozy area. wow! Thank you for the links to the freebies too!

    Amy

  4. Christi at Ms. Fultz's Corner says: March 31, 2012 at 5:30 pm

    Thanks for hosting!

  5. Zizie says: June 29, 2012 at 1:35 am

    wow…..how i love to see your classroom..wish i had one:))

  6. Daniel Anthony says: December 11, 2012 at 10:04 am

    Classroom library organization is shared on the post here. Good post
    Corporate team building

  7. Amanda Sands says: June 21, 2014 at 1:36 am

    Thank you so much for your great ideas. Can't wait to try the Tshirt cushions!

Christi Fultz

wife • mom • teacher • writer • tech obsessed • sometime crafter • beach lover | Empowering entrepreneurs through branding & website design

Let’s Get Social

Search

Erin Condren Love

Click here for your $10 discount!

Follow by Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Follow on Bloglovin
Follow on Bloglovin

Instagram

christifultz

mama • teacher • business bestie | Helping busy moms & 9-to-5ers create websites + blogs that make a difference. FREE digital marketing guides. ⬇️

Christi | WordPress Expert + Brand Strategist
DIY Floral Wallpaper // Charlotte’s first big gi DIY Floral Wallpaper // Charlotte’s first big girl room is one of my favorite places in the house. We let the kids choose their own decor for the new house and Charlotte’s room is a purple and pink dream... no surprise there! 

The DIY wallpaper was probably a “once and done” experience for us and took about six hours for this 9 by 16 wall. More pictures and sources are on our family blog, also linked in bio: https://completelychristi.com/2022/02/diy-floral-removable-wallpaper.html

#louisvilleky #momsoflouisville #louisvillemoms #louisvillemomcollective #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #derbycitymama #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #homedesigninspiration #homeinspo #homemakeover #diyinspo #makehomeyours #kidroomideas #childsroom #childsroomdecor #childroomdesign #kidsroom #kidsroommakeover #kidsroominspiration #kidsroomdesign
Kid Closet // Because we were so happy with our ow Kid Closet // Because we were so happy with our own custom closet, we decided to do my son’s too. We primarily use his closet for off-season storage and toys, but it was always a MESS! Then the mess spilled out onto his nightstand, desk, dresser, building table, and under his bed. He needed a system! 

I used the online design tool from @containerstorecustomspaces to create this DIY Classic Elfa system. It took about three hours to install and set up. I love how flexible the system is, which means we can reconfigure the layout as he grows. I’m also really proud of his label choices... maybe he inherited some of my organizational skills after all!

#louisvilleky #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #homedesigninspiration #homeinspo#homemakeover #diyinspo #makehomeyours #homeorganization #homeorganizing #closetorganization #organizedhome #organizedcloset #walkincloset #closetgoals #closets #closetdesign #customcloset #closetmakeover #kidroomideas #childsroom #kidsroom #kidsroommakeover #kidsroominspiration #kidsroomdesign
DIY Board and Batten Accent Wall with Display Ledg DIY Board and Batten Accent Wall with Display Ledge Tutorial // Carter’s room needed a punch of color and a place to display his favorite Legos. This weekend project was exactly what I had hoped for! Full tutorial and sources on my hobby blog, linked in bio. https://completelychristi.com/2022/01/diy-board-and-batten-accent-wall-tutorial.html 

#louisvilleky #momsoflouisville #louisvillemoms #louisvillemomcollective  #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #derbycitymama #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #homedesigninspiration #homeinspo#homemakeover #diyinspo #makehomeyours #kidroomideas #childsroom #childsroomdecor #childroomdesign #kidsroom #kidsroommakeover #kidsroominspiration #kidsroomdesign
Farm Flowers // I absolutely love my monthly flowe Farm Flowers // I absolutely love my monthly flower delivery. It’s the perfect “pick me up” on a gloomy January day… or any time! As a momma, it’s easy to do all the things for your family. This is one thing I do for me! And since I work from home, it makes my space just a little happier every day. I was initially intimidated by the thought of arranging my own bouquets, but they provide tips and pictures to help. The best part? They arrive mostly in bud form and bloom in your home so you can enjoy each arrangement longer. ✨ Mine usually last 10-14 days. Link in bio to learn more.

#louisvilleky #momsoflouisville #louisvillemoms #louisvillemomcollective #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #derbycitymama #momselfcare #freshflowers #thebouqscompany
Primary Closet // We had to empty our closet for t Primary Closet // We had to empty our closet for the bathroom remodel, so we decided it was time for an upgrade before it all back together. ✨ We worked with a designer from @containerstorecustomspaces and are so happy with the results!

#louisvilleky #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #homedesigninspiration #homeinspo#homemakeover #diyinspo #makehomeyours #homeorganization #homeorganizing #closetorganization #organizedhome #organizedcloset #walkincloset #closetgoals #closets #closetdesign #customcloset #closetmakeover
Bathroom Makeover // We aren’t quite finished in Bathroom Makeover // We aren’t quite finished in here, but I’m pleased with the progress so far! We had plenty of room to turn our primary shower into a wet room with freestanding soaking tub. Shower glass is on the way, and I think we’ll tackle those mirrors too. The closet makeover is underway now, so check back for that next.

#louisvilleky #momsoflouisville #louisvillemoms #louisvillemomcollective #bathroommakeover #homemakeover #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #derbycitymama #momsselfcare
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Pinterest

Visit Christi Fultz's profile on Pinterest.

Affiliates



Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase from one. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Categories

Holiday Ideas

Early Learning

Decor

Literacy

Math

Button Up

Other Projects

  • Contact
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

As an experienced third grade teacher with a Masters in Elementary Education and K-12 reading license, I know educational resources need to be both inviting and engaging to capture students' interests. I am passionate about creating user-friendly resources to help all students learn while saving valuable prep for teachers. Read More…

Follow by email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Blog Design by

Illustration by Lovely Tocu. ©Design by Christi. Plaid Apple Ltd.

Follow @ ChristiFultz

DIY Floral Wallpaper // Charlotte’s first big gi DIY Floral Wallpaper // Charlotte’s first big girl room is one of my favorite places in the house. We let the kids choose their own decor for the new house and Charlotte’s room is a purple and pink dream... no surprise there! 

The DIY wallpaper was probably a “once and done” experience for us and took about six hours for this 9 by 16 wall. More pictures and sources are on our family blog, also linked in bio: https://completelychristi.com/2022/02/diy-floral-removable-wallpaper.html

#louisvilleky #momsoflouisville #louisvillemoms #louisvillemomcollective #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #derbycitymama #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #homedesigninspiration #homeinspo #homemakeover #diyinspo #makehomeyours #kidroomideas #childsroom #childsroomdecor #childroomdesign #kidsroom #kidsroommakeover #kidsroominspiration #kidsroomdesign
Kid Closet // Because we were so happy with our ow Kid Closet // Because we were so happy with our own custom closet, we decided to do my son’s too. We primarily use his closet for off-season storage and toys, but it was always a MESS! Then the mess spilled out onto his nightstand, desk, dresser, building table, and under his bed. He needed a system! 

I used the online design tool from @containerstorecustomspaces to create this DIY Classic Elfa system. It took about three hours to install and set up. I love how flexible the system is, which means we can reconfigure the layout as he grows. I’m also really proud of his label choices... maybe he inherited some of my organizational skills after all!

#louisvilleky #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #homedesigninspiration #homeinspo#homemakeover #diyinspo #makehomeyours #homeorganization #homeorganizing #closetorganization #organizedhome #organizedcloset #walkincloset #closetgoals #closets #closetdesign #customcloset #closetmakeover #kidroomideas #childsroom #kidsroom #kidsroommakeover #kidsroominspiration #kidsroomdesign
DIY Board and Batten Accent Wall with Display Ledg DIY Board and Batten Accent Wall with Display Ledge Tutorial // Carter’s room needed a punch of color and a place to display his favorite Legos. This weekend project was exactly what I had hoped for! Full tutorial and sources on my hobby blog, linked in bio. https://completelychristi.com/2022/01/diy-board-and-batten-accent-wall-tutorial.html 

#louisvilleky #momsoflouisville #louisvillemoms #louisvillemomcollective  #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #derbycitymama #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #homedesigninspiration #homeinspo#homemakeover #diyinspo #makehomeyours #kidroomideas #childsroom #childsroomdecor #childroomdesign #kidsroom #kidsroommakeover #kidsroominspiration #kidsroomdesign
Farm Flowers // I absolutely love my monthly flowe Farm Flowers // I absolutely love my monthly flower delivery. It’s the perfect “pick me up” on a gloomy January day… or any time! As a momma, it’s easy to do all the things for your family. This is one thing I do for me! And since I work from home, it makes my space just a little happier every day. I was initially intimidated by the thought of arranging my own bouquets, but they provide tips and pictures to help. The best part? They arrive mostly in bud form and bloom in your home so you can enjoy each arrangement longer. ✨ Mine usually last 10-14 days. Link in bio to learn more.

#louisvilleky #momsoflouisville #louisvillemoms #louisvillemomcollective #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #derbycitymama #momselfcare #freshflowers #thebouqscompany
Primary Closet // We had to empty our closet for t Primary Closet // We had to empty our closet for the bathroom remodel, so we decided it was time for an upgrade before it all back together. ✨ We worked with a designer from @containerstorecustomspaces and are so happy with the results!

#louisvilleky #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #homedesigninspiration #homeinspo#homemakeover #diyinspo #makehomeyours #homeorganization #homeorganizing #closetorganization #organizedhome #organizedcloset #walkincloset #closetgoals #closets #closetdesign #customcloset #closetmakeover
Bathroom Makeover // We aren’t quite finished in Bathroom Makeover // We aren’t quite finished in here, but I’m pleased with the progress so far! We had plenty of room to turn our primary shower into a wet room with freestanding soaking tub. Shower glass is on the way, and I think we’ll tackle those mirrors too. The closet makeover is underway now, so check back for that next.

#louisvilleky #momsoflouisville #louisvillemoms #louisvillemomcollective #bathroommakeover #homemakeover #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #igerslouisville #derbycitymama #momsselfcare
Merry Christmas // Does anyone still scroll their Merry Christmas // Does anyone still scroll their regular feed, or are we only seeing Reels and Stories these days? Either way, this deserved a permanent place. Merry Christmas from our family to yours. We are very thankful for another year together. Now bring on our second Kentucky Christmas!

⁠
#momsaroundlouisville #kentuckyblogger #kyblogger #louisvilleblogger #louisvilleky #igerslouisville #derbycitymama #kyproud #ky #kentuckymom #kentuckychristmas #christmasinkentucky ⁠#louisville #locallouisville #louisvillelove #mylouisville⁠ #howwelou #louisvilleigers #momlife #instagrammom #momsofig #christmastime #festive #holidayseason #tistheseason #christmasspirit #holidays
Kentucky Christmas // It’s our second year home Kentucky Christmas // It’s our second year home for Christmas and you’ll catch me here by the fire all season. This is what dreams are made of. 

#kentuckychristmas #christmasinkentucky #louisvillechristmas #momsoflouisville #kentuckymom #christmasdecor #christmas2022 #merrychristmas

Copyright © 2023 · Christi Fultz

Copyright © 2023 · Website + Branding Design by Christi Fultz.