Library Club

This week I want to tell you about my Library Club. About four years ago I happened upon an article about using student helpers in the library. I was very interested in this and did some more research online. I found that many schools use students to help in their libraries. I decided to start a Library Club here at Rogers. After much planning and thought and discussion with my assistant, I decided to use only 5th and 6th grade students. My research showed that having only a few helpers was much better, so I opted to have a limit of 12 in the Club. I then advertised the Club during library classes and had applications ready. I ended up with 12 helpers that first year. The students who are accepted into Library Club are in a service club. They are required to volunteer in the library at least one lunch recess a week. Usually a number of students come more than once a week which is fine, also. When they arrive, they sign in and report for work. I have jobs ready for them. They do small but important jobs such as cleaning the computers in the lab, dusting in the library, watering plants, and they learn to shelve books. When I teach them to shelve books, I do a lot of one-on-one teaching so they feel confident. They shelve a book and put a bright strip of paper beside the book with their name on it so I know who is shelving correctly and who might need a bit more instruction. Club members also help with the book fair by keeping the book fair shelves straight and returning books that are out of place.

Library Club members aren’t paid, but there are perks in the job. Once a week we have Library Lunch. The club members are allowed to come in to the library during lunch and we visit, make plans for a project, or watch part of a video. At Christmas time they get to choose a book from a shelf in my storage room. I get donated books, or double copies, or books I pull from the book fairs at low prices and keep them ready for gifts or prizes. At the end of the school year I have a party at my home for the Club members. The first year I had only girls so we had a tea party and they dressed up. The next year I had a few boys in the club so we had vegeburgers and played games. Last year we had another tea party and did crafts. I also hand out a lapel pin with Library Club engraved on it for each Club member.

I advertised in library class for three years and each year I had more and more students want to volunteer and last year I had 40 applicants! This year I didn’t advertise at all. The Club is well established and students have come to me to ask about it. I have them fill out an application and will send invitations to them. If a student was in Library Club in 5th grade and wants to be in again in 6th grade, they are automatically in. I send invitations on bright jungle stationary and put them in a bright green envelope and place the invitations on their desks in their classrooms.

If you decide to have student helpers in your library, decide how you want to use student helpers. What things need to be done that students can do? What grade level will work best for you? If you have a very small school, you may decide to have two or three 7th or 8th graders. You may already be using student helpers.

I hope you are off to a great school year. Let me know if I can help you in any way. Check my blog to see if there are previous entries that might be helpful to you as well. Sdalibrarian.blogspot.com.

Have a great week,
Audrey