5 Tips for Back To School In Your Library
The back-to-school season in your school library is here! Keep this time as stress-free as possible with these simple and easy organizing, decorating, and time-management tips to get you started in your library.
The back-to-school season is not only for classrooms but for libraries too! Our preparation is different for this time of year but can be equally overwhelming. After 11 years as a teacher-librarian, I’ve learned to keep my BTS season manageable by reminding myself of these tips.
KEEP THINGS SIMPLE
I love to keep things really simple at the beginning of the year. Simple decor and bulletin boards are key for me during this season. You have all year to add things and create elaborate displays, and keeping things simple will allow staff and students to see the basics in your space. Take a look at my favourite decor items and back-to-school bulletin board ideas.
GET ORGANIZED
Let’s be real, there is never a time when everything is organized…but we can try our best! I love to make the student space as organized as possible at the beginning of the year. Things in their place, straightened books, and cleared counters are a way to make your space look ready and inviting.
(My hack: shove all of the things you don’t have time to organize in your office and close the door! LOL You’ll get to it when you get to it, and nobody has to see it until then. My heart goes out to all of you without a closed-door office - I couldn’t do it!) Here are few of my must-have organizational tools!
GET PERSONAL
Does anyone else get anxious about forgetting the names of hundreds of students over the summer? I hope I’m not the only one! I love addressing as many students as I can by their names. It helps build trust and community…and usually makes them smile! In the past, I’ve done mental refreshes when I saw each class in person.
However, we now have completely web-based library software so I can access it at home. *Assuming I stay organized* I am going to look over a couple of class picture lists each day before school starts. I am hoping this will help me remember more of them, and learn a few names of new students. I’ll keep you posted on how it goes!
START NETWORKING!
It’s never too early to start networking with your teaching staff! Ask educators about how they are starting their year, ask about pain points, and plant some seeds for future collaboration. You can read a few of my tips for collaborating with teachers, get started with a meeting template and if you're ready to go full force, this blog post is all about how to plan a lunch & learn for your staff.
PACE YOURSELF
This tip is as simple as it sounds. Don’t try and have everything ready for Day 1 because you simply can’t. There will always be something you don’t have time to get done or a space you don’t have time to organize or decorate. Remember that you have the whole school year. Although this statement usually causes dread in other contexts, it’s a great way to relax your mind. If you have too many ideas and tasks, write a list or make a plan to accomplish these things in a schedule that doesn’t stress you out!
If you are new to the librarian role, or are looking for some fresh ideas to get the year started…be sure to check out this no-prep Back-to-School Library Lesson bundle. It will cover all the topics you need to teach AND keep your kiddos engaged!
I’d love to hear if these tips helped you, AND love to hear any great tips you have! Let us know your ideas in the comments below.
Happy Back-to-School season!
Jenn