Our First Book Clubs at Bethel Middle School

Since I started working as a school librarian, I've always found a way to have a book club. In this post, I'll talk about my current method for administering a book club. It has evolved a bit over the years. Since coming to Bethel Middle School this year I have adapted it for 6th and 7th grades in my current position. The students seem to really enjoy it.

This year we have read two books in 4 separate clubs. In the fall we read The Girl in the Locked Room by Mary Downing Hahn. During the spring semester, we read Pax by Sara Pennypacker. Since we use a Scholastic Book Fair as our main fundraiser for the fall, I use some of the money to purchase book club books (usually from Scholastic). While we are reading a book, I generally have 3-4 book club meetings during lunch in the library. As long as students come to all the meetings and/ or participate in my Google Classroom discussions, they get to keep the book at no cost. I usually have around 10 students in each club. I have a 6th-grade club and a 7th-grade club that meet separately during their lunch periods.

Agreement Form and Scheduling

I create an agreement form for students to sign. It states they understand they are expected to participate in our face to face meetings and/ or Google Classroom discussions in order to keep the book at no cost. If they do not participate as indicated, the form states they must pay for the book or return it to the library. When students signup, I give them a calendar showing the dates we will meet. What has worked best this year is to meet during the last 15-20 minutes of lunch for our discussions. I email a list of the student participants to principals on Fridays when we meet and request them to be sure and release the students to the library halfway through lunch. It has been very successful.

Example of agreement form

Questions

As I read the book I develop questions for our discussions. This year the meetings have mostly been led by me. A few students have submitted questions, but none have stepped in to take the lead. I hope to encourage students next year to take the lead on discussion questions where I can facilitate the meetings. I have done this successfully with high school students in the past, and I believe it will be an excellent way to spark growth in my middle school learners. 

Participation

It has been very encouraging to see how deep some of our discussions go, especially with 6th-grade students. Many times we have never made it past my first few questions. Students have repeatedly taken the discussions in directions I didn't anticipate. To me, this is the thrill of a book club. Everyone has a unique perspective when they read the text and the story line. This usually comes through in a book club meeting.

A student votes for the book club title for spring semester

Something new I tried this year was allowing the students to vote on the book we selected for the spring semester. I created a Google Form that contained four titles with book trailers. They voted for their top choice. I loved giving the students a chance to share their voice by making a selection. I will continue this practice because it generates buy-in and ownership.

If you have had successful book clubs, be sure to share your stories in the comments below.

Other links that may interest you:

Our Library Student Worker Program

Our First Mystery Skype at Bethel Middle School

New Year, New School, New Job

Contact Me/ Follow Me

Email: stony12270@gmail.com

Are you on Twitter?

Follow me : @stony12270

Our Library Student Worker Program

Ever since I've been a school librarian, I've tried to include students in the library program as much as possible. This year I took a job as a middle school librarian after working with high school students for many years. One thing I remember from previous experiences with middle level students is that a large percentage of them want to help their teachers. I began thinking about how this could work well in a 6th and 7th grade library setting. I decided to try recruiting some student workers to help me cover the circulation desk.

A student worker helps a student patron

Recruiting

When I started at Bethel Middle School this year, I immediately focused on creating a welcoming environment for students. I made a sincere effort to talk to students as much as possible. I decided to open the library before school so students could come in to use the library resources and technology. This took off with overwhelming success since each day between 40-60 students came in to the library before school. I knew I needed to recruit some student workers to run the circulation desk so that I could be free to interact with library visitors. I started targeting students that frequented the library by asking them if they would like to work at the desk. A few students indicated they were interested.

Training

I usually start students as workers by showing them how to check in books and what to do with them

Student workers help a visiting class checkout books

when they come in. I also show them how to have students enter their ID number and check out books. I explain our rules which include how many items can be checked out and what to do if a student has an overdue or lost item. I explain that what students have checked out is private information. We go over good customer service practices like greeting students when they come to the circulation desk and using phrases like "have a good day" or " thank you". Most students take to this training very well at this age. I watch over their shoulder until I see them making almost no mistakes before I leave them to work independently.

Scheduling

A reward party for student library workers!

After several student workers experienced success, other students were drawn to this program after seeing students working behind the desk. They asked me how they could become student workers, and I was able to recruit additional students. I had the student workers create a Monday through Friday schedule so that everyone got to work an equal amount of periods. In addition, some teachers allowed these students to come to the library to work during their study skills classes if they were caught up on their work. This rewarded the students, and it provided me additional help in the library. Since I work by myself in the library most of the time, any help is appreciated! I have a Google Form that student workers sign in when they work so I can keep track of who is working regularly.

Benefits 

Since using student workers in the library, I've realized there are several benefits. It helps our library program serve more students and teachers since student workers free me up to get out from behind the circulation desk to meet visitors that need assistance. Student workers benefit because they are learning valuable customer service skills. They learn to greet patrons and help them. They also have a place to belong in the library and are viewed as student leaders by other students and teachers. It has been good for everyone involved.

Rewards

It has been so good to see students workers grow individually in these roles over the course of the school year. Many have become very proficient as library workers. In addition, our school culture encourages affirmations. Some students have written me some very nice affirmation notes over the year.

This student wrote: 

"Mr. Evans, I am so glad you like me enough to let me work here everyday. 

I love it and I am thankful for someone like you to let me work here. Thank you so much."

We never know what impact empowering students in this way will have on them personally. These notes indicate that it does make a difference. Everyone wants to feel they are needed and important to others. We all want to feel appreciated and vital. For these students, being a library worker does just that. I look forward to developing this program even more in the future. If you have had successful student workers in the library, be sure to share your stories in the comments below!

Other links that may interest you:

Our First Mystery Skype at Bethel Middle School

Our Outsiders Library Collaboration

New Year, New School, New Job

Contact Me/ Follow Me

Email: stony12270@gmail.com

Are you on Twitter?

Follow me : @stony12270