Library Book Bins

The books that were so well loved in my classroom needed to find a home in my new library.  I didn't want the books to get lost on the shelves, and I didn't have money for a book browser.  As my husband and I were talking about building a book browser that fit on the library shelf, I made the decision to bring my classroom book organization into the library.

Two years ago, I bought ice bins from Wal-Mart so I could store my books in my classroom.  I didn't have $4 per bin to spend, so the allure of the under $2 price point was overwhelming.  I seriously drove to three local stores in order to outfit my classroom.  The cashiers would look at me like I was crazy when I walked up with ten ice bins in my arms.

I decided to label the bins and the books in order to keep it organized.  I labeled the fiction bins by the first letter in the author's last name, and the non-fiction bins to the 100 in the Dewey Decimal System.

I then put a label on the front of the book so the students could put the book back in the correct bin.

We went over procedures on how to go "book shopping", and they were ready to go.  While the section was meant for kindergartners, I see all of the kids "shopping" in the bins.  They are easy to look through and the books catch your eye.  Those white ice bins were the best purchase I ever made to organize the classroom.  Four years later, and they are still holding strong.

Happy back to school season!