Library info and pictures......

First of all I wanted to share a picture, all summer many of us in the drought prayed, begged, pleaded for rain. Wouldn't you know the minute we turn in our crops for a loss(it wouldn't have mattered but still)

A neighbor a few miles over, didn't get a drop....I kept saying all summer, let me do recess duty and at the exact time it starts it would rain.
2ND warning long post AHEAD....
Now on to the library organization. As you know, I applied for a grant via donor's choose. It was for 30 baskets, a bookshelf, and supplies for organizing the classroom libraries. Now, where I got the idea that the baskets would be enough to share in more than one classroom, I am not sure.  But let me tell you I was getting a little worried on day one, while sorting my coworkers classroom. We went thru 30 baskets like there was no tomorrow. So here are a few tips and tricks I learned along the way.

Library organization tips and tricks

First of all, if you are going to use your classroom library and have students check books out here is the site you need.

FAQ's

Now if you are like me and will just use your books for classroom read alouds or projects. Here is the site for you.

Tour

Neither one is perfect. In fact ISBN's are tricky. Some pop right up. Others take some work finding. But in the end it is worth it Here are some sites I used to find isbn’s for the books.

I also had luck with finding the books better on librarything then copying the isbn to booksource. If that didn’t work I went to amazon and typed in the title and copied the isbn number from there. Note newer books were fine, But my coworker’s library used to be the previous teacher’s and well she was my first grade teacher …. So there were some books published every decade since.

Some sites for reading level help

http://www.jmeacham.com/leveled.books.htm
https://leveledbooks.beaverton.k12.or.us/
http://classroom.jc-schools.net/pohl...lingbooks.html
http://www.arbookfind.com/UserType.aspx
http://listbuilder.scholastic.com/we...0&beginIndex=0
http://listbuilder.scholastic.com/we...?storeId=10001
http://www.leeandlow.com/books/

http://lexile.com/fab/

In the end what I did was load them into Library thing, Export an excel when done. Put into a template from Booksource and upload to their site.

When it came to the labeling. We had already made a categories when I found These

Reagan's Labels 

Do NOT try and do this for yourself. These are SOOOOOOOOOOOOO worth it. Read more about her labels HERE. I had to start from scratch and do these. OY.......the best $10 you will ever spend. Believe you me. Here are some pictures.........But warning ignore the room, We were allowed to come in Only to work on the books as the follow up was due to donor's choose the first week of school. I will share the wonderful job my coworker Andrea did decorating in a later post.

Had to buy another scanner so we could both scan in the books.

Funny story, I shared this pic with friends on facebook,

Sigh ....@Andrea has the EXACT copy of Velveteen Rabbit as I did as a kid......

 Only to find out it WAS from when I was  in that room in 1st. LOL....

And here is the final reveal 

What I know for sure is.....There was several times, when I called Andrea saying WHY are we doing this again. Frustrated with no isbn's, technology glitches but in the end it was soooooooo worth it. Andrea had her kids help out, they were great. Thanks for letting me share!