I had planned to write about something totally different today, but I got an email from an assistant principal on Monday that has been plaguing me ever since. This is a paraphrased version of the email I received, slightly edited to remove personal details.
Our librarian's policy is that when a student forgets to return their book during their scheduled library time, they're not allowed to check another book until the other one is returned. That student is also instructed to sit away from class and wait until library is over. The students who constantly forget to return their books never get a chance to check out more books, and they also do not get exposed to library instruction. I would like to provide feedback for the librarian to change the system she has in place and also develop more ways to motivate the student to take ownership in responsibility of leaving books at home. Do you have any suggestions?
Oh, you'd better believe I had suggestions... 🙂
My Response
Here's how I responded, slightly edited to remove personal details:
Thanks so much for your email. I appreciate your concern about your students' exposure to effective library instruction. I am very passionate about library instruction in the 21st Century. In fact, I think it's more important now than ever before.
I have never been a fan of rigid checkout policies. While it is important for students to learn responsibility when it comes to borrowing library books, it's more important to me that the student gets to check out a book that he/she enjoys in the library. I want visiting the library to be an enjoyable experience, not a place where someone is nagging them or punishing them for not bringing books back.
That being said, there is a point where a line must be drawn. I have always allowed students to check out up to a maximum of 5 books. If they have late books, it is OK as long as they do not have over 5 books checked out. If a student already has 5 books checked out (and not returned), he or she is allowed to browse books in the library during checkout time, but cannot checkout.
In my opinion, the best thing you can do is gently voice your concerns to your librarian and come up with some new ideas together. You should also develop a school library policy with your librarian that clearly states expectations for student book checkout. I will have examples of these documents available on my website later this year.
Keep on fighting for what's best for students! I want them to love the library as much as I do.
Honestly, I'm still a little speechless.
If you're the librarian the email is referring to (or even if you're not - but could be), I beg you to rethink this archaic policy. Maybe it's your first rodeo and you're trying to protect your collection. Maybe you've been doing this for many years and just can't stand the thought of losing more books. I understand this to a point. We all know how frustrating it is for a brand new student to check out two brand new books only to find out that he or she moved to another school a week later... or when a student returns a brand new, only-checked-out-once book on the last week of school with wavy, once wet pages and all the library stickers peeled off (which may or may not have happened to me). 😉
As school librarians, we have to be good stewards of our school's investment in the library's collection. We certainly should teach students to be responsible with library books, and also encourage them to bring them back on time. But isn't the job of school librarian about more than being keeper of the books?
What's best for students?
My most important job as a school librarian is to facilitate student enjoyment of reading. It's probably not on the official list of librarian job duties, but it's what's truly important to me (and should be to you, too). Whenever an issue comes up in the library, my first question is always, "What is best for my students in this situation?"
Keeping students away from the library's resources is not what's best. Constant nagging about missing books and being punished for forgetting to bring a book back is also not what's best.
What's truly best for students is to help them love the library (psst... it's also what's best for librarians). We can do that by having a lenient, but consistent, policy for returning books on time. We can also help our students love the library by allowing them to use its resources even if they can't check out that day.
Isn't this teaching students it's OK to be irresponsible?
I can see where you could say that, but I'm not asking for students to be able to check out every book in your library without returning them. I'm simply asking you to be more flexible. If your current checkout limit is 2, increase it to 5. As long as a student does not have more than the maximum number of books checked out, let them check out even if they have a late book. Give gentle reminders, but don't nag. You can say things like, "I see you still have Green Eggs and Ham checked out. Were you able to finish reading it? What did you think?"
In the grand scheme of things, a few lost books are a small price to pay for making your library a more inviting and pleasant place for your students.
What's your policy for late books? Share your thoughts on this issue in the comments!
Crystal says
Students really need to understand where the books come from. They are old enough to grasp the concept that these books are for everyone and when they aren't returned, it's almost like stealing even if is isn't on purpose. I use the comparison of having your hands full at the store and sticking a small item in your pocket. If you forget to pay for it, is it stealing? Of course, the answer is yes. They get it.
I let my big kids check out 4 at a time, but K-1 only get one at a time and 2-3 get 3 at a time. I'd love your opinion. Since I only see them once per week and do not have much flexibility in my schedule, do you think I need to let my littles check out more? 😉
Jocelyn says
Crystal, I only let my littles get one at a time, too. If they don't bring them back on time, I go ahead and let them get one more as long as they don't have over 5 checked out. My 2nd through 4th grade students get 2 at a time, and my 5th grade students get 3 at a time.
That's just the way it's set up on my system - I don't have time to babysit the computer to see exactly what they have checked out, but I do give them the benefit of a doubt in most cases.
Michelle says
No student should be excluded from learning, but it is important to teach responsibility. I share that the books were bought by the citizens of our community, and we must be good citizens by returning them in acceptable condition. I also limit to 2 books per check out because I am the only one checking in, out, shelving, and planning lessons. When a book is lost, there is no way to replace it (except when a teacher dies and leaves memorial money to our library.) I have never had money from the schools in the 8 years I have had this position as the Library Secretary. Half an hour is not much time to manage a class of 25 students, share a story, help students find a "just right book", and check out those books before the next group swoops in. We all have our ideals of what we would like, and then we have our realities. I am just grateful that at the end of the month nearly 2000 books have been appreciated by students. I also enjoy being a team player in our school community and helping our teachers find the resources they need from the limited supply we have.
Brooke Berg says
I also use the term good citizens, and remind everyone that we all share the books and we all should work to take care of them.
Anne says
Our school system has "written off" $103,000.00 worth of books in the last three years. $54,000.00 just last year because we forgave all fines and marked the books lost. As a tax payer I find this completely unacceptable. What is wrong with being responsible and accountable?
Elementary Librarian says
That's definitely a lot of money!
I just wanted to chime in and say that there's a balancing act to all of this. We (as librarians) have a responsibility to be accountable for our library's resources. I just don't want that responsibility and accountability to stand in the way of students feeling welcome in the library.
The best way to deal with this situation is to establish a policy in the school or district.
Susan says
I have been fighting with this issue myself. I am in a very rural school and a lot of my students don't have access or a good home life. I take any and every donated book anyone wants to offer me for this reason. I have so many books that never come back. My library circulation system is tied into my county public library system so they handle all of the overdue notices. I do have a few parents that get highly upset over lost books and have even had some to punish a child over them and ask me to not allow them to check out. That's where my donated ratty old paperbacks come in. I have no problem allowing those students to "checkout" those books. Right now my limit for k-2 is one book. 3-5 is allowed to have 2 at a time. This is mainly due to the time I spend shelving. I start out the year with this policy and see how well my classes do with it and adjust as needed. I struggle a lot with the students simply bringing them from the classroom to the library snd getting lost on classroom book shelves as well.
Diane says
I too think it is wrong for this principal to contact you and not talk to his or her librarian. While I can see that you are trying to offer solutions, you also might not fully understand the shoes the other librarian is trying to fill. Our district has over 20 elementary schools, but we have such different communities to serve that not one of us out of 20 has the same job. EX. Inventory takes me a week while a newer school takes only a day. I don't complain because my library is blessed with books. It's just one small example that we're not all apples in the bucket.
Lisa says
If a student has had a book checked out for a while, I do face to face reminders when they check out for a few weeks by asking them when is the last time they actually have SEEN the book. This gives me a good idea if it is really on the kitchen table like they say, or if they really have no idea where it is. If they say they are looking for it, I direct them to my Moodle page where I have a link to another librarians website that has a 105 Places to Look for Your Library Book document, and encourage them to print it off and have a scavenger hunt that night. I also found a wonderful idea on Pinterest and printed off reminder bracelets on brightly colored paper that say, "Please return your library books!" that have a cute graphic on it, whether it be a football or smiley face or peace sign. Mostly the 1st/2nd graders like those, but I do give them to the older kids to use as bookmarks when I have been missing a book for a while. Every month or two, I do run an overdues list by homeroom I pass out to the homeroom teachers and they are great about helping remind the kids, sometimes even adding their own consequences. Letters are sent out to parents if I don't see the book for a while and its getting close to the end of the school year, and I try to find a pic of the cover art to put in the letter to assist parents in their search. Even so, I still have @ 10 books that are still missing at the end of the year that mostly get paid for, but not always....
Alicia says
Can you tell me where to find that 105... List? I think I would love that!