5 Tips To Create Your Classroom Library

Cassidy Mullins
Oct 29
3 min read

Since I decided to become a teacher, I dreamed of my classroom library. I thought I could convince every student to read some of my favorite books. Now in my fifth year of teaching, I realize how delusional that thought was.

My classroom library has shrunk to less than a full shelf of books. Why? Because I can't stock a book for every student that walks in my classroom. There's no room and I'd be broke. That's what their school library is for anyway.

So, how can you curate your classroom library? Here are 5 tips to consider when choosing those beloved books.

Consider Your Students
Okay, this one seems obvious, but it's harder than you think. Right now, more students are below grade level than on grade level. According to NAEP Report Card, reading proficiency scores have trended downward since 2019. Even with accommodations permitted, these scores are as low or lower than they were in 1992 without accommodations.

In 2019, 34% of students were at or above proficient reading level. In 2024, only 30% of students were at or above proficient reading level, a number that has steadily gone down. The Pew Research Center shows an overall decline in students who read for fun or in their own time in an article from 2021. On average across multiple races and ethnicities, 28% of students read for fun in 2012, compared to 19% of students in 2020.

All of this being considered, students need to read. So, how can your classroom library help? Have a variety of genres. You want to have some genres they may not know they like such as historical fiction, literary fiction, science fiction, and nonfiction. However, don't overload your library with these as it could deter them from picking any books. Primarily focus on realistic fiction for your grade level(s) and have lower level books to ease them into the idea of reading. For example, I have The Bone series which is very popular for my 8th and 9th graders, even though it is a lower level graphic novel. I also have The Hobbit for higher level readers.
Take Recommendations
Once you are in the classroom, ask students for recommendations or let them know you're open to suggestions. If they know you want their opinion, trust me, they will give it. This year, I have added a few Lynn Painter books based on one student's recommendation. Not only has she re-read them, but other students have picked them up as well.

I've not tried this, but think about having a recommendations station next to your class library. I suggest shopping for these books at Half Price Books or Thrift Books. You could also post a teacher wish list in hopes that parents may contribute!
Don't Be Afraid To Make Your Students Read
During my second year of teaching, I decided to have a First 10 where students would read for the first ten minutes of every class instead of completing bellringers. They did not like this practice initially, but it was amazing how much it helped them. Not only were they building reading comprehension, but they were practicing a dying skill: doing something for an extended amount of time. Even though it took time away from the main lesson, I truly believe this was a game changer in their skills. This just so happens to be the only year my test scores went up.

The next year, we got a new curriculum, so I've been navigating the pros and cons of that for the past two years, but I am bringing back independent reading time in November of this year. Doing this exposed my students to all of the books in my classroom library. Many of them didn't want to commit to a book from the school library, so they would pick a random book from my shelf and some of them found that they liked reading more than they thought.
Start Small
Even if you set class time aside for students to read or you make it a grade for them to read a book, you probably won't need a ton of books in your classroom library. Start with your favorite books for your age group and work from there. You could also start with books you know would go well with your units.
Check The Content
I have found myself weeding out many books due to content. An amazing resource to help you identify what to look out for in a book is Common Sense Media. I have started looking at the For Parents section to see what parents might find questionable in a book. This site also tells you the recommended age group of a book.