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July 3, 2018

Tech Tip Tuesday - Setting Up a Classroom Library

Confessions of a Frazzled Teacher

I am OBSESSED with books! I currently have almost 3,000 books in my classroom library, and I am still growing it! This may seem cumbersome to manage. Let me share a little secret...it's not! I use an online tool that keeps track of all my books and lets me check them out for FREE!

I use Classroom Booksource for my classroom library. This website has an app that accompanies it. I use this to add all of my books, search for books to see if I own them, and check books out daily. The video below focuses on how you can add books to create your library.



This is a bit time consuming in the beginning! I won't sugar coat that. However, the time it saves in the long run outweighs the initial set-up in my mind. As I stated in the video, there are definitely some tips to save you time as well. 

I would start by downloading the app onto your phone or tablet. This is perfect for times when the network is down on your classroom computer! Second, I would invest in a bar code scanner. These are pretty inexpensive. My only regret was not buying one sooner. The pic below is the one that I bought from Amazon. Mine has worked very well for me. (Disclaimer: The pic is an affiliate link. It will help me earn a small commission if you make a purchase.)



You do not need to complete this all in one sitting. I started off scanning most of my books one summer (with lots of help from my Mom - the librarian)! I gradually added to what I have. If you have a scanner or the app, the time it takes to do this is sped up considerably.

Come back next week, and I will share how students are able to check out books! Until then, check out all the technology resources I have HERE.

What areas are you looking for help when it comes to technology in the classroom?

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