Research from the Primary School Library Alliance (2022) tells us that across the UK 1 in 7 state primary schools (14%) have no library provision, equating to 2,900 schools. If your setting is not able to have a dedicated library space, here are 10 ideas to keep books and reading high-profile nonetheless.
This article has been published alongside a second piece considering primary schools that do have a dedicated library space and offering 10 ideas to make the most of this valuable resource. Find this article here.
1, Classroom libraries
Without the luxury of a dedicated library space, a popular option is to find a corner of each classroom to designate as your library. The danger is that it becomes a corner that is ignored with a selection of books that is rarely refreshed. But less could be more.
Rather than over-populating your book corners, keep them sparse but regularly refreshed. If possible, keep books in storage ready to circulate. Take suggestions from pupils for books that you might stock. Arrange the books in a similar way to how you would in a library – by author surname, for example. Children should still be encouraged to use a method for borrowing and returning books from their class corner.
Your book corner should be warm and welcoming with a bean bag or scatter cushions or perhaps a rug. If there is a display board use it in the same way as you would a library display. If not, consider having book-focused murals painted on the wall instead.
2, Topic books
Where library space is limited then linking your book provision to your topics becomes even more important. Each topic should, ideally, have a book box that accompanies it. These are then brought out for classroom display while the topic is being taught.
3, Trips to the local library
Visits to the local library are essential if you don’t have a dedicated library space. Perhaps your local library is also prepared to come and visit you, bringing a selection of books with them? Also, does your local secondary school have a library? If so, then this can be a particularly beneficial trip for your year 5s and 6s. Likewise, invite the secondary school librarian to visit and bring some books to talk through how they are used at secondary level. In more rural areas you might find access to a peripatetic library that travels between villages/schools and offers support with things like research skills.
4, Neighbouring schools
If you are part of a trust or work closely with neighbouring schools, you might be able to collaborate in ensuring that you have a good joint library collection that can be shared. Or perhaps if your partner school has a library then groups of your pupils could use it on a rota basis.
5, Book deliveries!
Whatever library skills you would have introduced to children in a regular library must still be taught nonetheless. This means circulating resources between classrooms. For example, a selection of reference books is unlikely to be accommodated realistically as a permanent fixture of your classroom book corners, but could be delivered to classrooms ready to support relevant topics or research work.
6, Activities and events
The majority of activities that relate to celebrating books and reading are still available to you whether you have a library or not. Inviting in local businesses or even authors, paired reading projects, book weeks, book fairs and reading clubs are all options for raising the profile of reading. Could you appoint someone as your school librarian to lead on these activities even though there is no physical library? This person could also take on the role of checking book provision in different classrooms, finding new titles, and allocating budget to replenish stock. They could research ways of promoting reading and could appoint pupil monitors for each classroom, too.
7, Multi-purpose areas
Is there an area that could double up as a library space? Perhaps even where a small number of library shelves could be wheeled in and out as required? At the end of break or lunch time is your school hall available? Look creatively at your corners and corridors. Is there anywhere you could put up a wall-mounted book rack? Do you have a space in reception for a book stand? Be as creative as space and budget allows. I know one school that turned an unused outside toilet block into a “reading stable” complete with hay bales to sit on and read.
8, Displays in shared areas
A shared area display board can become a book focus and draw together your school community in discussion. Use the board to create competitions such as “name the silhouette” of book characters or display the first lines of some popular books for pupils to name. A world map showing the location of some well-known stories can get pupils talking or how about a “match the teacher (or pupils) with their favourite book” challenge. The display board can be the responsibility of an individual or can rotate around classes.
9, Wall art
If you are worried about maintaining a display or simply don’t have one available – what about using murals on the wall to remind pupils of books they might have read, characters they have encountered or are yet to meet. Painting book spines on the wall can’t replace real books, but it is a reminder about their importance and can stimulate discussion.
10, Passion is important
What is most important is that your pupils develop a passion for books. Books in assembly, in classrooms during wet lunch times, for taking home from the class library, and being celebrated at every opportunity – this is possible whatever your school facilities look like.
- Suzanne O’Connell is a freelance education writer and a former primary school headteacher. Find previous articles from our regular top 10 tips series via www.headteacher-update.com/content/category/leadership-and-policy/top-10-tips
Headteacher Update Spring Term Edition 2024
- This article first appeared in Headteacher Update's Spring Term Edition 2024. This edition was sent free of charge to UK primary schools in January. A free-to-access digital edition is also available via www.headteacher-update.com/content/downloads
Further information & resources
Primary School Library Alliance: Working together towards a library in every primary school, 2022: https://tinyurl.com/mr492y5n