Please welcome my guest today, Becky from Just a Mom.
My boys LOVE to go to the library. We are there once or twice a week. And just this past week, they each got their own library cards. They are so excited to be official. But I knew this would mean we would have to be extra organized in our efforts. So here are a few tips about keeping your trips to the library organized and fun!
1. Have a designated library bag or basket. This is the basket I have used for years.
It works pretty well, but is heavy to carry when its loaded down with books. I have a friend who uses one of these collapsible rolling crates.
Now that my boys are older (5 and 6) and have their own cards, I have given them the responsibility of carrying their own library bag. They each picked a backpack and know that they can get “as many books as you can carry.”
2. Let your kids know if there is a time limit. I’ll admit – sometimes we have to make a quick library trip. But its helpful to let the kids know this beforehand. I’ll usually tell them, “Ok, we have some other errands to run, so we only have about 15 minutes to look for books today.”
3. When you can, allow time to browse. The flip-side to setting a time limit on hurried days is, every now and then, allow plenty of time for your little readers to browse the shelves and discover new books.
It makes the days when you have to set a time limit not seem so bad, because you can remind them that they’ll have more time to look on another visit.
4. Utilize your library’s request/hold service. As a homeschool mom, most weeks I have several specific books or books covering specific topics for which I am looking. I try to go online to our library’s website several days before our library trip and request that these books be placed on-hold for me. In our library, the held books are placed on a shelf right near the front check-out counter. This ensures that the book you want won’t be checked out by someone else, but also saves lots of time. This was especially handy for me when I had two rambunctious little boys, ages 1 and 2. I knew I wouldn’t have time to look through the computer catalog or browse the shelves without causing total chaos as they pulled every book in a 20-foot radius off the shelves.
5. Have a designated place for library books in your home. At our house, its simply a corner of our family room. The boys keep their books in their bags or on the coffee table of the family room, unless they are reading them. I keep my books in the basket.
I do allow them to take the books to bed with them at night, but they know that first thing in the morning they have to return the books to their bags. In the evenings, when we straighten up the house, if we find any stray library books laying around, everyone, even my husband, knows right where to put them so they don’t get lost in the shuffle.
6. Lastly, hang your library receipt in a place where everyone can see it. For us, it’s the fridge. But you might also use a chalkboard or bulletin board – wherever you put important papers or maybe near your family calendar. This keeps all the details about your library books (like how many you have checked out and when they are due) fresh on everyone’s minds. It helps ward off the “out of sight, out of mind” syndrome.
There you have it … six tips to help keep your library visits organized. Happy Reading!
Becky blogs at Just a Mom… a place to talk about cleaning and feeding and nurturing and molding … all the good stuff that makes life so much more than “just a life.”
Jenn says
Great ideas! We have two large canvas bags on our laundry room door (by the back door) one says in and one says out. Books that are still being or going to be read go in the “in” bag, and books that are finished go in the “out” back. That way when we head out, or if I am making a quick run, we can just grab the out bag and go. When we get back, we transfer the new books into the in bag. Also we have a “one” book out at a time rule. My kids are big, so they carry theirs with them, take it to their room, to school, etc, so we have a rule that they can only be reading one book, and the rest stay in the in bag until they are ready.
Jacqueline says
My library offers emails a couple of days before your books are due. It’s great, because if I lose the slip it’s not a big deal.
Dorothy says
My best tips for library use are NOT giving my 3 kids their own library cards—WAAAAAY too much trouble to track 4 accounts in our house. They all checkout their own books on my account, which I can manage online from home. Online management is my other best tip-I can check up on the books, renew them if we won’t be hitting the library in time, and as you mentioned, requesting books for pick-up for me! =)
mary b says
We use library bags too! (and keep the cards right in the pocket) If it is empty I leave it in the car in case of an impromptu trip by the library.
Our library is not high tech enough for “receipts” so at home we have a small dry erase board in the command center where we record our books & movies with the due dates. I also note on my calendar when we need to return, but the visual list is great for my DS to see when he must finish up his book or movie.
Coffeymuse says
If you have multiple library cards in your family check into libraryelf.com. My library has partnered with library elf so I get daily emails about what is due, what is almost due, and what holds have come in. It’s the one thing I recommend for families to help manage their library accounts.
Becky - Just A Mom says
To see the “rest of the story”, check out my blog. You’ll chuckle to see what I found in the backyard just a couple days after writing this post.
Mark Anthony Morales says
I used to think the collapsible crates were so hideous, that is until I started college.
If it wasn’t for the ability to roll around my books instead of having to carry them, I’m pretty sure I would have a broken back by now.
Suzanne Jackson says
Thanks for sharing these great tips, Becky!
Paula says
As a homeschool mom, designating the same day each week to go to the library has really helped me. I don’t have to worry so much about due dates because my books are always due on a Tuesday, my library day. I also have a library bag. When my child is finished reading a book, they log it on their homeschool book log and put it into the bag. On Tuesday, we quickly check through the library book basket with books we are still reading to make sure a book isn’t due that hasn’t been read. When we enter the library, we return our books and pick up our holds and if we have time, browse.
Also, my 9-year old manages her own library card. With my approval, she requests holds online, checks her account online and pays her own fines if she forgets to return a book. I give a little more assistance to my two younger ones but they are learning.
Living the Balanced Life says
When we were homeschooling 3 kids we went to the library weekly and I absolutely used a rolling crate! I wasn’t so great about keeping up with them, but once everything was online it was easier. I could print a list of what we had out and go on a scavenger hunt around the house and car!
Bernice
How to stop wasting time
Julie says
Great ideas ! Libraries LOVE patrons like you. As a librarian, I see the reason that most people get library fines: they check out DVDs and are late returning them. Our library doesn’t change fines for overdue books –we just want you to return the book, please. But we charge $1 a day for overdue DVDs. What’s worse is that the people lose the DVD, or just keep it. We send them a bill after a couple of months, but then they have a $25-$35 fine. They can’t check out any more books, and then they don’t use the library. Parents can place a “block” on their children’s library cards, so the kids can’t check out DVDs. Usually it’s not one overdue/lost DVD. I’s five. Combine that when each member of the family has checked out five DVDs and not returned them — the library has lost over $500. We’ll give you the DVD for free —just please return it !