When you need to restock your teaching materials and are looking to get a jump-start on the year ahead, getting your classroom library in order is easy with these six tips and recommendations.

Plus, raise funds and breathe life into your classroom library using a ClassroomsCount™ campaign!

1. Instantly Grow Your Library With Class Collections

Give your students the power of reading choice. A robust class library ideally has multiple copies of popular titles, so several students can read the same texts at the same time (even if they can’t share books at your school right now). At least 30 percent of the books in your classroom library should have been published in the last 3 to 5 years, if possible.

Thankfully, class collections allow you to instantly add a variety of titles to your classroom library that support both your curriculum and your students’ preferences. Whether or not it’s your first year teaching, teacher collections are the perfect foundation for building your library—and there are plenty of grade-appropriate collections to get you started!    

Shop more class collections at The Teacher Store.

2. Foster Inclusivity With Books About Diversity

Fostering a safe environment where every student feels welcome is an important part of teaching, and books can play a big role in that. Books that help students learn about characters whose lives are different and similar to their own (the concept of books serving as both “windows” and “mirrors”) are highly valuable additions for any class library. 

Not only will books about diversity encourage insightful discussions about acceptance, but they will also help your students actively practice inclusivity in the classroom and beyond.

Shop more books about diversity at The Teacher Store.

3. Support a Wide Range of Interests With Nonfiction Reads

A classroom full of students with the exact same interests? Unlikely! To combat the inevitable mix of passions in your class, opt for a wide variety of nonfiction titles that will suit a range of tastes. In fact, a class library that is approximately 50 to 70 percent nonfiction books can be highly effective in supporting students’ literacy development.

Series favorites such as Fly Guy and National Geographic are always popular with students, and with their steady stream of new releases, you are bound to always find a new title that one (or more!) of your students will absolutely love.

Shop more nonfiction reads at The Teacher Store.

4. Build Key Literacy Skills With Captivating Read-Alouds

Class read-alouds are fundamental for developing literacy skills. Considered a key primer for long-term reading and learning success, hearing a book out loud helps build students’ listening, comprehension, and vocabulary skills, even in upper elementary and beyond.

While some students will beg to have their favorites read aloud again and again, a fresh mix in your library will encourage your students to remain engaged throughout every class read-aloud. It is recommended to add five new books per student to your classroom library each year.

Shop more read-alouds at The Teacher Store.

5. Nurture Social-Emotional Learning

A strong supply of social-emotional titles will ensure your students always have a reliable and relatable resource on hand — whether they're learning how to deal with crankiness or how to be kind. Make sure all of your students' social-emotional learning needs are met by expanding your library’s reading level to cover two to three years above and below the grade level you teach.

Shop more social-emotional learning titles at The Teacher Store.

6. Stay Organized All Year Long!

The key to staying organized is to get your classroom library in order from the very start. There are a number of supplies and resources that make organizing your library a simple task.

Book bins and labels are all essential to keeping your library neat, while incentive charts and reward stickers will help cultivate a classroom community of enthusiastic readers.

Shop more classroom library supplies at The Teacher Store.

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