Reorganizing grade levels and dividing collections

We are about to reorganize our schools and create a new library media center. Currently we have a K-2 school and a 3-5 school. Our schools will be changing to K-1, 2-3 and 4-5. I am interesed in any ideas that you might have about working to make sure that core materials are included in each media center. It would also be good to hear from someone who has moved a school library.

Tags: center, core, curriculum, materials, media, moving

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Permalink Reply by Angelica Harris on March 26, 2009 at 12:16pm

Margaret, this sounds like a real challenge. The grade level divisions are so close, you will almost certainly be "robbing Peter to pay Paul." I'm going to be an idealist and assume that the new library will have a good budget, and that all the libraries will loan to each other until the collections are built up. Start by creating the 4-5 library. Then, evenly split the remainder of the collection between K-1 and 2-3. Pay some attention to reading levels, but there will be hi and lo readers at ALL 3 libraries. Ask for a one-time "capital improvement" line-item for the newest/smallest library, so you can get a set of encyclopedias, duplicate favorite resources, and add titles. Use a tool like Follett's Titlewise to check the balance of each collection.
As for moving, just be sure the Librarians oversee packing and unpacking. When I took the job at my school, the new facility had only been open a year, and the shelves hadn't been read. I found that books were out of order, but on the right shelves. The first handful out of the box was 796.1 and the second handful out of the box was 796.5, etc. So folks unpacked by alternating L and R from the box! Pack in order, label, unpack in order. Good luck!

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