library tour for elementary students

• Picture Book Brain

30 Minute Library Lessons: Ideas for Busy Elementary Librarians

• May 17, 2023

Don’t let a busy schedule keep you from providing engaging library programming. These 30-minute library lessons are perfect for busy elementary librarians who find themselves short on time but not passion.

What to do with 30 minute library lessons?

Some of the buildings I work in have 30 minute library classes, while others have as little as 15 minutes. You can still get a lot done and somehow still get a good lesson in with that time even with checkout. You should be able to implement most if not all of these ideas with the right planning and preparation.

1. Book Talks: Quick and Engaging Reviews

Book talks are a great way to get your students excited about reading under-circulated classics. They can also be used to promote new books in your collection. In just 30 minutes, you can give a quick and engaging review of a book, highlighting its plot, characters, and themes. You can also provide recommendations for similar books or books in the same genre. Upper grade students could also give the book talks after seeing you give them.

2. Mini Makerspace: Simple STEM Activities

If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to incorporate STEM activities into your library programming, try setting up a mini makerspace. In just 30 minutes, you can provide kids with simple and fun STEM activities that encourage creativity and problem-solving. Some ideas for mini makerspace activities include building structures with toothpicks and marshmallows, creating paper airplanes, or designing and testing a simple circuit. Lego walls are also quite popular. If you’re looking for more ideas, I have a lot more ideas in my What to Buy For Your Library That Isn’t Books article. Students could come in, check out, and then do the Mini Makerspace activity once they’ve finished.

3. Speed Dating with Books: A Fun Way to Introduce New Titles

If you’re looking for a fun and engaging way to introduce new titles to your students, try hosting a Speed Dating with Books event. Set up tables with different genres or themes and have participants rotate around the room, spending a few minutes at each table to learn about the books on display. This is a great way to get patrons excited about new titles and encourage them to check out books they may not have otherwise considered. Plus, it can be done in just 30 minutes!

4. Book Blind Dates

Wrap some books in paper bags and write some brief, attention-grabbing descriptions on them. Students choose a book based only on what is written on the wrapping. Watch as students delight in discovering the book they chose isn’t what they expected but STILL enjoy it!

5. Library Tour

Introduce students to a new part of the library. If you have a genrefied library, you can introduce some of the different sections. You could also spend a few weeks teaching the different Dewey sections. This could be combined with the book talks idea to book talk a few books in the section to highlight some exemplar books in that part of the library.

6. How to Use the Library Catalog

This is another lesson that can take several weeks. Teach students how to use the library catalog and how to narrow their searches with filters for things like genre, language, format and more. Quick lessons that let students practice and immediately use the learning to search for books!

7. Research Basics: Tips for Conducting Effective Research

If you want your students to use effective research strategies, they need to know what they are and how to use them. Teachers also need to know what databases and encyclopedias are available to them, so teaching quick research tips will help students as well as staff. This is especially true if you can collaborate with teachers to know when they will be conducting research. In the brief time available, it’s best to highlight one resource during your 30 minute library lessons and show some of the features.

8. Evaluating sources: How to determine if a source is reliable and credible?

This is an especially important lesson that can be done quickly with any grade level doing research. Teach this in combination with research strategies to help students use reliable sources and to be able to evaluate if any non-library databases are reliable or not.

9. Placing Holds on Library Materials

If you allow students to place holds on materials that they want to use, you need to teach them how. Most library catalogs and OPACs make this fairly easy. With limited library time, this can be a huge time saver because if students already have their books ready to be checked out, you have more time for your library lesson!

10. Citing Sources

Upper grades need to learn how to cite sources for their research, and the library databases and resources often have easy ways to cite sources. Most teachers don’t know about them, though! Be the hero when teachers are showing a more complicated way of citing sources, when students tell them that you already taught them an easier way!

11. E-books and Audiobooks: How to access and download eBooks and audiobooks

Whether you have a small digital collection, a big digital collection or your students use other sources for digital reading like Epic!, students need to know how to use them. This is also a great opportunity to educate teachers about the benefits of offering multiple ways to read including listening to audiobooks.

12. Library Events and Programs: Learn about upcoming library events and programs

Quick library lessons for elementary are also great for introducing and reviewing library programs that you’re doing. Things like Lunch Bunch, Battle of the Books, March Madness, Readers Cafe, etc. are just a few programs. This again might be mixed with book talks if the program features any certain books.

13. Promote Programs For the Public Library

This is a great one any time that the public library is offering a really cool program. At the end of the year when you stop doing checkout, you can always bring them in to talk about the local summer reading program !

14. Shelf Care

It might be simple, but it’s something that pays dividends every time you teach and reteach it. Showing and practicing with students how to use shelf markers, helps you keep your shelves in order. It also helps students find the books that they’re looking for because more books will be where they are supposed to be.

15. Book Care

At the beginning of the year, both younger and older students should hear about how to care for books. Each grade level and group has its own problems when it comes to book care. For some, it might be about returning books or how to not lose them. For other groups, it might be about keeping food and drinks away from books.

16. How to Read Graphic Novels and Wordless Books

Reading graphic novels is as much a skill as reading text. Graphic novels follow some of their own rules for reading and have specific features just like informational texts. Treating graphic novels like other texts tells students that reading graphic novels is indeed reading and valued. So, show them how to read graphic novels and wordless picture books !

17. Using Call Numbers

Tired of constantly walking students to the exact location of a book because they found the book on your library catalog and now don’t know where to find it? Teach them how to use call numbers to find their books!

18. Library Games

There are some great free library games out there including the Library Shelf Order videogame and the Librarian Assistant Game ! Do a short introduction, let kids checkout and then they can play the game, all during your 30 minute library lessons!

19. Coding Games

Teaching coding through games doesn’t need to be a one a year for the Hour of Code. There are a lot of free coding games out there that you can try with your students.

20. Keyboarding and Typing Games

The library is sometimes the place where students are taught and teachers are expected to teach pretty much everything else that isn’t covered in the classroom. Keyboarding/typing on a computer is one of them. You dont’ want students hunting and pecking their whole lives, especially not with so many free typing games !

21. Find the Book!

Provide students with clues and have them find the book that it corresponds to. You might give students a call number and they have to find the book title. It could also mean giving students a few clues that they put into your library catalog like Destiny Discover and then use the filters to find the one book that it corresponds to.

22. Flipped Instruction

With this type of lesson you could take a normal lesson and provide it digitally. Students could either complete the lesson individually before check out or after check out.

23. Read Aloud

With the proper planning and preparation, you can read an entire picture book and have an engaging discussion during your 30 minute library lessons all while still having check out. Here are some great free library lesson plans to try.

24. Blackout Poetry

Ever wonder what to do with the books you’ve weeded and no one wants? Rip some pages out of the books and pull out some black markers. Let students create their own poetry by blacking out the words they don’t want. The words that aren’t blacked out become the poem!

25. First Chapter Book Teasers

Read the first chapter or a really interesting chapter from a book to grab students’ attention. Allow students to check out the book afterwards when you send students off to check out books.

Despite having a mere 30 minute library lesson, you can still get a lot done with these ideas and the right preparation. Do you have any other ideas for quick library lessons? Let me know in the comments!

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How We Do Library Tours (Grades 3 & 4)

Posted May 31, 2016 by Angie & filed under Programming , School Age .

We did it!  We finished another school year of library visits and tours! Lessons were learned, improvements were made, and tons of kids, teachers, and parents visited our main library and our branch library for tours and outreach. I previously wrote up the process of how we do tours for our K-2 visits and people have found that post really helpful so I decided it was FINALLY time to write up the next entry in the series.

I’ll go over some of the basics, but a lot of that is covered in my K-2 tours post , including all of my amazing inspirations (check the comments there’s great stuff there too!) so definitely go over there and take a look.

Nothing has made my life – and my staff’s lives – easier than getting our tours down to a routine! This is the #1 thing I’d like to stress about however you want to handle tours: make it routine .  Get to the point where you can pull out a standard tour schedule without blinking.  It will make you more receptive to saying SURE YOU CAN COME without panicking about it and it gives an overall much better experience.

My main disclaimer, as last time: yes, our tours take a lot of staff.  (in fact, we have them down to such a routine that now our biggest problem is figuring out the scheduling parts.) But we get a lot of yield out of that staff.  The majority of these tours are the entire grade from a local elementary school, 2-3 classes of kids. That means it’s usually 45-65 kids plus a minimum of 12-15 adult chaperones. That’s a big program so it warrants a big staff investment.

We make great contact with the schools and help encourage visits through our Celebrate A Grade Initiative . Our 3rd-4th grade tours have lots in common with our K-2 tours – but we gear up everything for our older kids, especially the skills lessons.

As with the K-2 we invite the 3rd & 4th grade classes/grades to visit for one hour.  In this hour we rotate through three stations, each lasting twenty minutes.  Most often the classes/grades come in groups of three, which make this rotation simple but if they come in groups of two, we rotate them through the first two stations and then have a big storytime as a final activity.

Here are the three stations we’ve created for the 3rd & 4th grade tours.

Tour! Since these kids are older, we give them a slightly more in-depth tour.  Some of their favorite things are: going outside to see the book drop, seeing the inside book drop and where things end up (notice a trend), hearing about and seeing the hold shelf, and hearing about our circulating art collection. (We check out framed paintings – kids love knowing about this.  So, if you have a cool/unique collection, think about adding it to your tour!) We usually spend this part of the tour talking to them about how the library works/touring the adult department. (Our children’s department is on another floor, lucky us.) I have thought about adding in a tour of the kid section, but they enjoy the larger behind the scenes picture of the WHOLE library and I think that’s important to learn about. But we shall see!

We also have an art gallery on the third floor and when there’s a kid friendly show up there we sometimes take kids on a tour of that instead.  They like hearing about how many people visit the gallery and what it means to have a gallery inside a library.  And they love getting to go through the exhibits. They have come during Youth Art Month when the gallery is all art from local students and when the local photographer’s club have their work up and those are two favorites.

Dewey Decimal Activity! This is the simple craft (color your owls) station for K-2.  But we think the 3rd-4th graders are ready for some Dewey Decimal lessons. We start by watching this Capstone video about BOB THE ALIEN .  The kids freaking love Bob the Alien because … we have no idea! This video is slow enough to read along out loud and since it doesn’t have commentary, we can add our own extra info. There’s even a book about Bob , should you be so tempted and want to use it as part of your tours. (note that’s a whole series from Capstone covering book/reading topics, so it could be of use in school libraries/tours.)

After watching the video, the staff member running this station talks a little bit about the Dewey Decimal system.  Usually we’ll talk about how learning Dewey is sort of like learning a new alien language … but with the numbers and letters we already have! Then we all hop up to do an activity.

My amazing colleague Melissa came up with a fun activity where the kids become books and put themselves in order. We usually start by just alphabetical order, which they are used to.  They make a line and call out all their names and they love it. THEN they get …. their own book spines.

Melissa originally just printed out slips of paper for this activity but … REPEATABLE ROUTINE! Instead, these are laminated and taped onto big Popsicle sticks, so we can use them over and over again.  And the kids love them, of course.  We have 30 – more than we need for any one class but it’s always good to have some extras. They are real books from the collection, which we make sure to mention. We always slip in some high interest titles: oooh, you have Minecraft books?  COOL! Here’s an up close:

This activity makes the kids work together and pay attention to detail. They also get to see that Dewey means more than just the first three digits. We tell them that they are books and they must make sure they are in the right order so people can find them to check them out and this makes them giggle but also think seriously about why it matters where books are. It also gets them moving, gets them talking and working together, and helps them pay attention to the Dewey Decimal system in a hands on way.

We have an answer guide to check their work, which we have them call out, and that makes it easy and quick to check their work.

Their take home for the visit is a Dewey Decimal bookmark.  We buy the oversized Dewey bookmarks from Upstart and the kids really love them.  They’re worth the money.

Storytime! We like to have a story as a part of all the tours for K-4th. (for the upper grades we do booktalks – more about that in the next post!) I mean…it’s a library tour.  Much like the K-2, we use this station as a chance to talk about what they can do/find at the library : things like where they can talk loudly and play games and where they have to be more quiet to study and work.  We talk about looking for people with nametags to help, how they can read anything they want and we have so many cool things (video games, magazines, computers to game on if your parents say it’s OK, tons of comics and manga) And even though they are older, we still sing some songs, which they get into even when they are sure they won’t, of course.

We can do longer books with more imaginative play/word play with this group, so we have three main choices we rotate through, all of which I highly recommend!

Quiet! There’s A Canary in the Library by Don Freeman. Yes, this old classic! This Don Freeman classic from the late 60s is about a girl imaging how if SHE ran the library, she’d have all the animals come in and it’d be just great…until…maybe… I like this one because we can talk about what you would do in your library and some of the rules about how we use our library.  Also, the older kids get that this is her using her imagination, which is a good bridge for talking about how stories and libraries let us imagine all kinds of wonderful things.

A Library Book for Bear by Bonny Becker. Bear doesn’t want to go to the library with mouse.  He has seven books at his house, he doesn’t need any more! But maybe he can find some treasure at the library.  The kids love grumpy old Bear, his love for pickles, and the scene where he gets to SHOUT. (lots of fun to read.)  Gives us a chance to talk about how you can find a book about every thing you might be interested in and, yes, even programs that are just perfect for you. (And this is just one book in the series about Bear and Mouse, so we can talk about series books too.)

No Pirates Allowed! Said Library Lou by Rhonda Gowler Greene.  Pirate Pete wants the treasure hiding in Seabreezy Library, but Library Lou says she’ll only help him figure out the map if he learns her code…it’s full of strange symbols and letters besides X. There might even be a clue in all those books on the shelves. I HIGHLY recommend this slightly longer book for the older kids. I just did it with about to graduate 3rd graders and they were with me every page. It’s told in rhyme and is, of course, about a pirate who learns to read (and then works his way through subject areas/genres) and comes to love reading.  Lots of chances to talk about how the library works/different kind of books and for the kids to figure out what’s going on and a sing-song pirate speak is fun to read. Also, I dig that he does not marry the librarian at the end.

The other thing about all three of these books is that if you have younger 3rd graders, older 2nd graders,  not enough time to do the Dewey Lesson (or they already cover that at school etc) you can easily make the third station crafts connecting back to the books .  We’ve done color your own pirate/bear bookmarks, respectively, to go with these and they were hits.

As I said – we do still do a song or two with these kids so besides opening with something to warm them up, I like to close with everyone standing up, shaking a little bit, and then doing Form the Orange , which even if they know it, sends them into fits of delight. Sometimes we also do this version of Put Your Hands Up High (thanks to  Jbrary! ) which also cracks them up and can then be done again in slo-mo (a favorite) or super fast.

And that’s about an hour!  We had a great year with the older kids touring and, again, having it all down to a routine has really made it a breeze setting one up.  Once we got the Dewey station set up with more solid props, that just added to the overall experience. Teachers, parents, and kids definitely notice that we’re prepared and I think it absolutely makes them feel more welcomed and excited about the library.

I’ll hopefully have one more post in this series, covering what we do for the upper elementary (and sometimes even middle school – the entire 7th grade of our town usually stops by once a year, oh boy!) but in the meantime, I’d love to talk tours with YOU!  How do YOU do tours and class visits?  What works for you?  What have you had to discard?  How often do you get class tours from your schools? Tell me all about it in the comments – and if I left out anything you’d like more info about in this post, let me know – or chat with me on Twitter .

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A Tour of Library Tours!

We present a tour of tours, or more accurately a stealing all of the ideas! Lindsey and I have both taken up new job posts within the last little while and I have found myself thrown into a couple tours unawares. What did I do? I turned to the Twitter-Sphere and resident Tour Gurus (which sounds cooler when said in Canadian) Sara Bryce and Marge Loch-Wouters and their awesome coworkers at La Crosse Public Library ! I have learned so much from colleagues near and far I thought it high time to share. And by share, again I mean pool all the internet genius.

May I first recommend a “tour” label search of Sara’s blog ? It is so cool to read about how much work they have put into tours   Field Trip Adventures ! Some of the big ticket things I have learned and incorporated into my library visits are:

• Asking kids (no matter how young!) who owns the library and letting them know they do!
• Showing damaged materials as a way to talk about sharing, taking turns and being respectful with library stuff.
• Setting up stations at exciting/important spots around the library signaled by visual cues or even stickers. Eep, such fun!
• Developing scripts not as a cop-out but as a way to create consistent, high quality tours around really cool themes no matter who is delivering them.

Next up you have to read Marge’s posts which focus more on the bigger picture stuff like identifying key messages you want your tour to target and the relationships  La Crosse Public Library has cultivated with their schools .  Can I just say how amazing it would be to have Marge as a boss?! Now let’s head to LibrErin where Erin adapts Sara’s Dog’s Colorful Day  tour for a daycare visit! LibrErin sang the ABC’s with her group to talk about how the books are arranged and made dog necklaces for the kidlets to collect stickers on!

Nikarella ‘s post on tours was quick and simple but I really liked how she included books about library etiquette, which I always forget to talk about. I usually draw heavily from our Library Storytime board for songs and books all about, well, books and the library!

Now may be the time to ask if I have any ideas of my own. Yes, yes I do! I would love to create a tour and have the kids all pretend to be tourists, complete with photo ops which get emailed to their teacher/caregivers and a pretend tour bus! Please let me know if you’re ever done anything like this!

Okay, now questions: I would love to learn some quick ways to incorporate e-resources into the tour. Has anyone used apps as part of a tour? Also, I stumbled across this amazing school library tour  created by Andy Plemmons at Barrow Media Cent er  which uses QR Codes linked to Youtube videos. So cool!

That about does it for the Tour of Tours. Please comment below if I’ve missed an awesome post or idea and thanks again to all the fabulous folks out there doing such great work!

2 thoughts on “ A Tour of Library Tours! ”

• Pingback: How We Do Library Tours (Grades K-2)

You’ve done it again! You’ve given me resources right when I needed them!

I’m currently in the middle of getting my MLIS degree and in my current class (Services and Programming for Youth), I need to gather some information on library tours. I’ve never done a tour before, so I was starting from scratch when I came to your site first! I already knew you ladies were awesome because I use your resources all the time for my preschool story time–including our “Hello, Friends” opening song that all my little friends now know and love!

Thank you for everything you do! Kate D. (in San Diego)

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Ideas for Engaging students in Library Media and Technology

Best Resources for Elementary Library Orientation

• elementary media

Looking for new ways to do your library orientation for your elementary school students? I am going to give you some of my favorite resources that won’t leave you or your students bored.  As related arts or specials teachers, the beginning of the year and setting up rules and procedures looks a little bit different than it does in the classroom.

We have the same students every year, so for the most part they know how many books they can check out each week.  They know what they should do if they cannot find a book.  They know what to do after they check out or if they can’t check out that week.  How many times can you tell the same students the same rules and procedures?

But it is also hard to come up with engaging and creative ways to teach library rules and procedures and orient the students to the library every single year.  The worst part is that you can’t reuse the lessons from year to year because you teach the same kids!

Here are some of my favorite Library Orientation Resources and lessons for grades K-5.

Teaching Book Care

This is actually one of the lessons I really don’t like teaching.  It has the potential to be great and engaging, but I found that I was always just reading a book like  Mr. Wiggles and giving them a worksheet that in some way illustrated how you should or shouldn’t treat your book.  Now, there is nothing wrong with these lessons, but because I didn’t like teaching them, they also weren’t engaging for the students.  And if the students weren’t engaged then I didn’t think they were actually understanding or caring why it is so important that they take care of their books.

So my favorite resource for book care for grades K-2 is a youtube video that was created by a school Library Media Specialist, who used humor to engage students in an important (but sometimes dry) topic. The video is timely, it is funny and engaging and the students learn how to take care of their books without being bored to death by me!

Mr. Ginger: How to Take Care of Library Books

I feel like this video is pretty popular among Media Specialists everywhere, but if you haven’t watched it, you should definitely check it out.  After watching the video, we have a great class discussion about what we learned from Mr. Ginger.  The students still complete a worksheet where they have to draw a picture showing how to take care of a library book, but it leads to students forming their own ideas and great discussion!

Reviewing Library Rules and Procedures

When reviewing rules and procedures, my favorite resource to use is a jeopardy game.  You can download your own template or download mine below and edit them.  I use this for grades 2-5.   It’s fun, engaging and it gives you a chance to review all of your rules without it being repetitive.  Remember, for the most part you have the same students every year.  Make it apparent that you value their time, and the short time that you have together each week and give them a chance to remember and review the rules on their own.

Below, I have uploaded my library orientation games.  These games are run on PowerPoint and completely editable.  I promise your students will love them. Enjoy :o)

Library Rules Jeopardy 2nd and 3rd

Library Rules Jeopardy 4th and 5th

How to Use a Shelf Marker

I have to admit I have a REALLY hard time teaching students (especially kindergarteners) how to use a shelf marker.  I have done it all.  We have listened to the shelf marker song.  I have created videos using older students to teach the younger ones.  I have had a shelf marker “boot camp,” where we have read a story, sang the song, practiced as a class then practiced individually.  However, I have still yet to come up with the BEST way to teach these young ones.  So at the start of my 6th year as an elementary Library Media Specialist, I am going to yet again come up with a new way to teach it.  That post is yet to come, but in the mean time, I am going to share with you some of my favorite resources for teaching shelf markers.

The Shelf Elf:   (Not to be confused with the Christmas Shelf Elf).  This book is great for teaching students about why shelf markers are

important, but I find it to be a little long for Kindergarten, so I don’t tend to introduce this book until 1st grade.  For this shelf elf book to work in terms of keep students using their shelf markers correctly and every time they book check out, you do have to create some buy in with this book.  The great thing is that this book lends itself to so many ways to get your students to buy into using their shelf markers.

You can create or buy a shelf elf and hide him somewhere different in the library every week.  Students will love finding him.  You can create a shelf elf award that you will award to the class that uses their shelf markers every week and keeps the book organized.  There are endless, creative ways to get your students to buy in.  However, it is a lot for you to stay on top of as a media specialist with a million things to do. I find that even just moving the shelf elf each week can get to be a tedious job so enlist the help of your older students on this task to keep it going throughout the year!

You can download the song lyrics here!

Shelf Marker Hokey Pokey

Create your own Shelf Marker Videos With Your Students:    One of the best ways for students to learn is to have them teach! So why not have your Kindergartners create their own videos about how to use a shelf marker?  This is what I will be working on this year.  We will spend one day learning and practicing.  During the next class,  I will put students in pairs and film them teaching others how to use a shelf marker!  I will absolutely be writing a post about how this all goes so stay tuned!

I hope you were able to get some useful lesson ideas out of this post!! Sign up for my email list for more lessons and freebies!  And please comment with any great lesson ideas you have for teaching library rules and routines in your library!

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8 Ideas for Educators to Get Students Excited About the Public Library This School Year

Do you know how many books your students or their families own or even have access to? The start of school is a great time to introduce (or reintroduce) children (and their families) to the public library.

In the home visits  many of us make at the beginning of each school year, they are powerful opportunities to see not only where our students live, but also where they study and keep their books. I learned that many of my students had only a few books in their homes and our classroom libraries would be vital to enabling student discovery of new interests and topics, as well as access to texts at and above their levels.

Families may not be able to afford books or find few books for sale. For example, one study of low-income neighborhoods in Philadelphia found one book for sale for every 300 children.

As we set out to create literacy-rich environments in our classrooms this school year, let us remember a powerful ally in the community: public libraries.

September is also  Library Card Sign-Up Month  so many public libraries have programs and resources available to students of all grades. Check with your nearest branch to see field trip availability, possible funding, and to download and distribute the library card application.

Below are just 8 ways to get students thinking about public libraries and how these spaces can help them this school year.

Before You Go

1. Read Aloud Book Recommendations

• Lee & Low Teacher’s Guide for  The Storyteller’s Candle

• Lee & Low Teacher’s Guide for  Richard Wright and the Library Card
• Comparing  The Storyteller’s Candle  and  Richard Wright and the Library Card

• Lee & Low Teacher’s Guide for  Destiny’s Gift

Questions during reading

• Why does this character/historical figure believe in the power of books?
• What obstacles does this person have to overcome to achieve his/her goal?
• How do reading books change the main characters/historical figures?
• How does this person demonstrate respect or show appreciation for books and the library space?
• Why are libraries an important part of a community?
• Should having a library in a community be a right or is it a privilege?

2.  Shared Reading Activity — The following articles, which can be downloaded as a PDF file, contain information at just the right level for readers. Comprehension questions also included:

*note: must sign-up to read, but free for teachers

“ A Helper at the School Library ” by ReadWorks.org

“ A New Kind of Library ” by ReadWorks.org

“ Homework takes over the library for kids without Internet ” by Newsela

“ A Chicago library’s books hit the road on two wheels ” by Newsela

3.  Bring in a library book for students to observe — Compare the library book to a classroom book. Note the spine label on the side, the barcode label on the back, the plastic covering, the library pocket, and so on.

Finally, before your class visits the library, print off library card applications for students to fill out in class or at home with their families. This will streamline the process at the library and students will have the necessary information like their home addresses to obtain the cards. With cards in the hand, students can borrow some books!

If Doing a Visit or Field Trip, Here Are Some Activities at the Library:

4. Interview a librarian— Have students brainstorm a list of questions before they visit to ask, including:

• What motivated him/her to become a librarian?
• What is his/her favorite part of being a librarian?
• What are some of the challenges of a library?
• Why is it important for communities to have libraries?
• How have libraries changed? How has this library changed since it first opened?
• What can someone do at a library in addition to reading books?
• What if someone does not speak English (or very well)? What resources can he/she use to get the most out of the library? How does the library make an inclusive space for multiple languages?

5. Library scavenger hunt— Premade lists for grade bands are available from ALA. Ideas include:

• Get the signature of two librarians.
• What is the name of the Children’s Librarian?
• How much does it cost to make a copy in the library?
• List two magazine titles the library has available to read.
• Find a chapter book with an author whose last name begins with “D.” What is the title of the book?
• What newspaper does the library have for reading?
• How many computer stations does the library have for visitors to use?
• Have students try to find a couple of the read alouds you have already read in class this year, such as The Storyteller’s Candle / La velita de los cuentos or Richard Wright and the Library Card .

Activities After the Visit to the Library

6.  Create a poster to advertise the local library — With words and pictures, explain the benefits of visiting a library and highlight the perks of the space. How is the library rewarding to one’s education? How can a library help with homework? Depending on the class size and the amount of posters, encourage students to donate their poster to each classroom in the school as well as the main office to post on the bulletin board.

7.  Write a thank you letter to the children’s or teen’s librarian or community volunteers . Encourage students to include what book title they would like to borrow first with their new library cards.

8. As a class, brainstorm a list of ideas on how to responsibly treat a borrowed library book. What does being responsible with a library book look like? Record student ideas on a chart. Look up the behavior rules on the library website. Post this list in the classroom library as a reminder for all borrowed books throughout the year.

How to make a trip to the library affordable and achievable:

• Most important: TALK to the librarians! Many public libraries have back-to-school programs available (or preferred times for such visits) and schedules that work with the school calendar. The children’s or teen librarian may also know of funding or grants available specifically for school visits to the library.
• Make it a family affair. While optional, encourage students’ families to join you on a Saturday at the library. This will save you having to pay for bussing or coordinate chaperones as students will attend with their families.
• Absolutely can’t get off campus? Make sure to prioritize a program at your school library or see if the public library has school-visit programs.
• Virtual field trips: (elementary school age) KidVision VPK Library Field Trip and (middle school age) Tour the Library by Harper College Library or Check It Out by Topeka Library

For further reading on educators engaging librarians for student achievement:

• Strategies to Help Educators Explain Lexile and Invest Stakeholders

Dear librarians — What other ideas do you suggest or have you seen work well for encouraging students to discover all that the library has to offer them (and their families) this school year? Share with us!

Jill Eisenberg, our Senior Literacy Specialist, began her career teaching English as a Foreign Language to second through sixth graders in Yilan, Taiwan as a Fulbright Fellow. She went on to become a literacy teacher for third grade in San Jose, CA as a Teach for America corps member. In her column at The Open Book, she offers teaching and literacy tips for educators. 

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20 Fun And Engaging Elementary School Library Activities

Elementary school libraries are not just about books and silent reading anymore. They have transformed into dynamic learning centers, where students are encouraged to engage with literature, technology and each other. With this in mind, here are 20 fun and engaging activities perfect for elementary school library programs:

1. Book Bingo: Create bingo cards filled with book titles or characters, and have students compete to get a bingo by reading the corresponding books.

2. Reading Buddies: Pair younger students with older ones to read together, fostering mentorship and a love of reading.

3. Author Visits: Invite local authors to visit the library and speak about their work, followed by a book signing session.

4. Scavenger Hunts: Craft a scavenger hunt that challenges students to find books based on clues or riddles related to various genres or themes.

5. Storytelling Workshops: Host workshops where students learn to create and share their own stories.

6. Read-a-Thons: Encourage friendly competition by hosting read-a-thons where students read as many pages as they can within a specific time frame.

7. Book Swap: Allow students to bring in gently used books they’re finished reading and then swap them with others.

8. Library Lock-In: Host a memorable after-hours event with games, crafts, storytelling, and more.

9. Book Club: Start an age-appropriate book club where participants discuss literature and share opinions.

10. Storybook Character Dress-Up Day: Have a day dedicated to dressing up as favorite storybook characters in the library.

11. Makerspaces: Incorporate hands-on learning experiences like 3D printing or LEGO building stations within the library.

12. Digital Literacy Workshops: Host workshops that teach digital literacy skills such as coding, online safety, or website creation.

13. Silent Disco Reading Party: Provide headphones for students to listen to audiobooks or calming music while they read together silently.

14. Battle of the Books: Host a competition where students answer book-based trivia questions from popular titles in a quiz-show format.

15. Poetry Slam: Encourage students to write and perform their own poems at a library-hosted poetry reading event.

16. Reading Rewards Program: Create a rewards system where students garner points for checking out books and participating in library events to redeem for prizes.

17. Library Field Trips: Arrange visits to other libraries, bookstores, or literary landmarks to broaden students’ experiences beyond the school library walls.

18. Ambient Reading Events: Set the mood in the library by creating cozy reading nooks with soft lighting and comfortable seating.

19. Themed Display Areas: Design unique, interactive book displays based on seasonal themes, celebrations or specific genres.

20. Collaboration Stations: Equip the library with collaborative workspaces for group projects, brainstorming sessions and peer-to-peer learning.

In conclusion, elementary school libraries have come a long way from the traditional concept of quiet reading rooms. By offering engaging activities like these, school libraries can become an indispensable hub for learning and enjoyment that inspires a lifelong love of reading among students.

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Library Tour

The library is a sanctuary of knowledge, a repository of stories, and a gateway to endless exploration. In the digital age, where information is at our fingertips, the physical library space remains an invaluable haven for those who seek to delve into the depths of human understanding. Stepping beyond the threshold of a library unveils a realm of possibilities, and one of the most engaging ways to embark on this journey is through a library tour. Whether you’re a newcomer to the hallowed halls of academia or a curious community member, a library tour offers more than just a glimpse of the shelves; it is an invitation to uncover a world rich in resources, services, and the history of human thought.

1.1 What is a Library Tour?

A library tour is a guided odyssey into the heart of a treasured institution, a captivating journey that introduces participants to the multifaceted world of libraries. More than a mere walkthrough of book-lined aisles and quiet study nooks, a library tour is an immersive experience designed to acquaint visitors with the myriad resources, services, and spaces that libraries offer. From the moment one steps into the library, the tour becomes a portal to discovery, unveiling the intricate web of knowledge meticulously curated and preserved within its walls.

At its core, a library tour is an orientation initiation- offering a comprehensive introduction to the library’s layout, services, and the diverse array of materials at one’s fingertips. Guides, often librarians well-versed in the library’s offerings, lead participants through a carefully choreographed sequence of stops, each unveiling a new facet of the library’s offerings. These stops might include vibrant children’s sections that ignite young minds, serene reading areas that invite quiet contemplation, cutting-edge technology hubs that bridge the gap between tradition and innovation, and bustling research zones where intellectual pursuits come alive.

But a library tour is not merely a physical journey. It’s a tapestry woven with narratives of the past, present, and future. Within its narrative threads lie tales of authors, thinkers, and inventors who have contributed to the world’s intellectual wealth and insights into the library’s historical and architectural significance. Moreover, a library tour acts as a compass, guiding individuals through the labyrinthine corridors of information , revealing the art of navigation amid a sea of knowledge . It fosters a sense of belonging, enabling visitors to connect to the library as a community hub where minds converge, ideas sprout, and dreams take flight.

1.2 A typical library tour will include a visit to the following areas:

A typical library tour is carefully curated to provide participants with a comprehensive overview of the library’s offerings and spaces. Visitors traverse through the library’s halls and are introduced to various areas that collectively contribute to the library’s role as a hub of knowledge, learning, and community engagement. Here are some of the key areas that a typical library tour may include:

• Entrance and Welcome Area : The tour often commences at the library’s entrance or welcome area, where participants receive a warm greeting and an introduction to the tour’s itinerary. They may also learn about the library’s history, mission, and services here.
• Circulation Desk : The central hub for checking out and returning library materials. Visitors may learn about the library’s borrowing policies, how to access their accounts, and interact with library staff.
• Reading and Study Areas : Participants are guided through various reading and study zones within the library. These areas might include quiet study spaces, group study rooms, comfortable seating for reading, and computer workstations.
• Reference and Research Services : The tour often stops at the reference desk, where visitors can learn about the library’s research assistance services. Librarians might explain how to access databases, search for scholarly resources, and receive help with research inquiries.
• Children’s and Young Adult Sections : Libraries often have dedicated spaces for children and young adults, complete with age-appropriate books, educational materials, and engaging activities. The tour may highlight these sections and discuss the library’s efforts to promote literacy among younger generations.
• Technology and Digital Resources : This area showcases the library’s technological offerings, including online catalogs, e-books, e-journals, databases, and multimedia resources. Participants might learn about accessing these resources and utilizing technology within the library.
• Special Collections and Archives : If applicable, the tour could provide insight into the library’s special collections, rare books, manuscripts, and archival materials. Visitors might gain an appreciation for the historical and cultural significance of these unique holdings.
• Exhibition Spaces : Some libraries host temporary exhibitions or displays that showcase specific themes, topics, or artifacts. The tour might include visiting these exhibition spaces to highlight the library’s role in promoting cultural awareness and intellectual exploration.
• Multimedia and Creative Spaces : Libraries with multimedia labs, recording studios, or maker spaces may feature these areas on the tour. Participants may learn about opportunities for creative expression and skill development.
• Community Engagement Zones : Libraries often serve as community hubs, offering spaces for meetings, workshops, and events. The tour could highlight areas where community members gather for discussions, presentations, and collaborative projects.
• Quiet Zones and Relaxation Areas : The tour might lead participants to designated quiet zones or relaxation areas where they can unwind, meditate, or reflect in a serene environment.
• Library Café or Lounge : If the library has a café or lounge area, the tour might conclude there, offering participants a chance to relax, socialize, and discuss their impressions of the tour.

A well-structured library tour weaves together these diverse areas, creating a holistic experience that showcases the library’s multifaceted role in education, research, cultural preservation, and community engagement.

In summary, a library tour encapsulates the essence of exploration and learning. It embodies the age-old adage that knowledge is power and invites all who partake to become stewards of that power. A library tour is an opportunity to unlock the mind’s potential, embark on a journey of intellectual growth, and become part of a legacy that has spanned generations. So, whether you’re a wide-eyed student embarking on your academic journey or a curious soul seeking the untold stories of the world, a library tour is your key to unlocking the doorways of enlightenment.

1.3 Benefits of Taking a Library Tour:

A library tour offers many benefits for individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Whether you’re a student, a researcher, a community member, or simply someone curious about the world of knowledge, embarking on a library tour can be an enlightening and enriching experience. Here are some of the key benefits of taking a library tour:

• Orientation and Familiarity : A tour is an excellent orientation for newcomers to a library. You’ll become familiar with the library’s layout, critical areas, and services, making it easier to navigate and utilize its resources in the future.
• Discovering Resources : A library tour introduces you to the diverse resources available, from traditional books and periodicals to digital databases, e-books, multimedia, and special collections. You’ll learn how to access and utilize these resources effectively.
• Effective Research Skills : Librarians often share research strategies and techniques during tours, helping you develop valuable research skills. You’ll gain insights into searching for information, evaluating sources, and conducting comprehensive research.
• Personalized Assistance : Many library tours are led by knowledgeable librarians who can answer your questions and provide personalized guidance. This interaction can help you understand how to maximize the library’s services for your specific needs.
• Understanding Services : Library tours highlight the various services, such as interlibrary loans, reference assistance, technology support, and more. Knowing about these services can save you time and effort when seeking help in the future.
• Cultural and Historical Context : Libraries have a rich history and cultural significance. A library tour may provide insights into the library’s architectural features, role in the community, and contributions to preserving cultural heritage.
• Inspiration and Creativity : Libraries are hubs of creativity and inspiration. Exploring different sections, such as maker spaces or creative zones, can spark your creativity and encourage you to explore new interests and skills.
• Community Engagement : Library tours may showcase spaces for community gatherings, workshops, and events. Participating in these activities can help you connect with like-minded individuals and become an active part of your community.
• Enhancing Learning : Whether you’re a student or a lifelong learner, a library tour exposes you to various subjects and disciplines. It can inspire you to delve deeper into areas of interest and broaden your intellectual horizons.
• Empowerment Through Information : By learning how to navigate a library’s resources and services, you gain the power to find accurate and reliable information. This empowers you to make informed academic, professional, and personal decisions.
• Promoting Literacy and Education : Library tours often emphasize the importance of literacy and education. For younger participants, these tours can instill a love for reading and learning, setting the stage for a lifelong journey of intellectual growth.
• Cultivating Critical Thinking : As you explore different resources and learn to evaluate information, you develop critical thinking skills for analyzing, interpreting, and synthesizing knowledge.

A library tour goes beyond the physical space; it’s an investment in your personal and intellectual development. It equips you with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to harness the library’s vast offerings and engage meaningfully with the world of ideas.

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Library Activities for Kids: Library Visit Tips to Get the Most Out of Library Trips!

The best free resource is taking advantage of library activities for kids ! Here are 15 Library visit tips to help you get the most out of library visits!

I admit that in the early years of parenthood I was a little afraid to go to the library. It felt like a place with a lot of germs. I also live in a pretty established city and lots of the books were pretty worn out and limited. 

One day I decided to try a different library in my area, and my eyes were opened wide to what I’d been missing ! There are so many resources and programs for people of all ages. 

The more we attended the library, the more I appreciated and loved our library visits! We’ve found so many library activities for kids and ways to really use this FREE resource. We now visit weekly!

I even learned to love our older library and how to utilize better the resources it did have! I’m a believer no matter where you live, you can make library trips something wonderful! 

I happen to have kids who love to read. They also love audiobooks and listen daily. These are skills regular library visits, regular reading with kids, and training kids to listen to and love audiobooks (here’s a post all about how to get kids hooked on audiobooks). 

If you’d love to help encourage more reading, and also utilize free programs and activities, you’ll want to make your local library 

Library Activities for Kids

Check the events calendar..

This is the biggest FREE resource out there! Libraries hold free storytime for younger kids. But did you know many offer interactive get-your-wiggles out and baby classes too? I spent a lot of money on Gymboree classes and found library classes offer similar resources. Do you have older kids and teens? There are programs for them too! We’re talking robotics, coding, crafts, book clubs, and so much more! Many even have events and social activities. If you need somewhere to go, don’t sleep on the library events calendar! 

But Really, Go to Library Story Time

I think this is the actual best of the best library activities for kids. So much so, it deserves attention outside of just the library events section! These programs are designed for development and fun. Kids come out with a great love of books, and librarians so often pair it with a themed activity or resources for kids. You’ll feel like you got a free day of preschool/kindergarten. If you do one library visit this year, make sure you plan it around a library storytime!

Aim for age-appropriate activities.

My kids are three years apart, and I know my oldest would feel bored at many of the toddler events his younger brother would adore. I’d try to find events for kids of all ages, or make a concentrated effort to let each enjoy events designed around their age group and Interests. 

Go in the morning before it’s too crowded.

My first visit was overwhelming because my toddler was trying to compete for books with so many older kids. We’ve found if we’re there for books, the shelves are better-stocked and more inviting in the morning. Go early and you’ll have a better experience! 

Sign up for the summer reading program.

Did you know most cities and local businesses put a lot of money into summer reading programs? They offer a lot of fun perks (like restaurant coupons and free books). It’s a great way to help kids stay motivated and set reading goals! Also, many libraries do parties and events for summer reading participants.  For our Arizona friends, don’t miss out on the Maricopa Summer Reading Program ! Check out their amazing theme and resources here .

Research a few book lists before you go. Sometimes going can feel overwhelming. Look up book lists by topic and bestsellers to look for before you go.  We have a few favorite book lists if you need some ideas!

20 Books Every New Mom Should Have in Their Library

Best Christmas Picture Books: 15 New Christmas Books We’ve Added to Our Library

Our Favorite Halloween Books For Kids

The Best Star Wars Books for Kids

Our Favorite Books for National Book Lover’s Day

Place a few holds before you go.

This is optional, but I’ve found we can get the new release titles and most popular books with some book holds. It makes the trip feel like a trip to the bookstore without having to spend a penny. 

Go check out the hold pick-up section.

I quickly realized families who work the library services to their advantage usually place holds. You can go browse it and get a few ideas for fun books you’d like to reserve for your next visit. 

Ask a librarian for recommendations.

Librarians usually have a master’s degree in library science and know their stuff! They can help recommend books and resources for any interest and age. Use them, they live to help you find a great book! 

Enjoy the games.

I admit I used to give the computers a side-eye when I came in. Aren’t we here for less screen time? But I quickly realized what an amazing resource it is for kids. It’s fun, it’s educational, and it’s amazing for families who don’t have them at home. It’s a fun experience and a way for kids to learn. 

Think outside of just books.

Most library-savvy families know they can get a ton of entertainment and fun resources at the library. We’re talking DVDs with new releases. Hello, audiobooks. And there are board games most libraries allow to be checked out too. You’ll be surprised at all the added benefits you can find! 

Check out Wonderbooks and Vox books. 

These are our favorite items to look for and check out from the library right now! Essentially, they’re a book that reads itself with a professional sound recording. They allow kids to turn their own pages with a queue while a professional actor reads it. They’re a fun way to mix up read-aloud time!

Reserve a room to go read in 

I love reserving a room to use as an office. But my kids also love having our own room we can read and talk in. It’s a fun (free) upgrade to go enjoy books that you won’t even have to check out to read!

Pair it with lunch or a treat after 

When we enjoy a free activity, a little splurge on a treat or even going out to lunch feels so doable! I love to make a fun thing feel even more fun with a treat or other fun thing. We often pair the library with lunch. When the weather is nice, we pair it with a park visit as well. It helps kids really learn to love library visits even more!

Go regularly so kids learn how to use and utilize the library. 

Knowing how to use the library and utilize resources is a skill! The more you go, the more kids learn these skills and opportunities for free fun.

Like these library activities for kids? Be sure to check out these posts too:

Audiobooks for Kids: How to Get Kids Addicted to Audiobooks

Summer Schedule for Kids with Free Printable

Free Things to Do With Kids This Summer

Audible Books for Kids: 20 Excellent Audiobooks for Kids

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Library Management

Lesson Plans

Reading Motivation

Library Skills

Reading & Literacy

Engaging Upper Elementary Students

• stayingcoolinthelibrary
• January 13, 2020
• One Comment
• Cataloging , Dewey Decimal System , Lesson Plans , Library Management , Library Skills , Research , Tips & Tricks

Tackling lesson plans for upper elementary students has been an ongoing challenge in my role as a librarian. The task of keeping them engaged has gotten increasingly difficult. The struggle becomes even more real after the holiday break as the 5th graders return feeling more like middle school students than elementary students. So, I’ve put together a list of ideas and activities for engaging upper elementary students to spice things up and keep the excitement alive for learning in the library.

Let’s dive into some ideas that can help you transform your upper elementary students from “too cool for school” to “bring on the books!” This post is collaborative in a sense. You see, over in the Staying Cool in the Library private Facebook group were discussing this very topic. If you are not already a member, come join us!

Through this discussion, I quickly realized that this issue was not just mind. I pulled together things that have worked for me and ideas from other librarians in the group to give you this list of ideas for engaging upper elementary students. Ready to dive in and make learning a thrilling adventure?

Book Talks for Engaging Upper Elementary Students

Leading engaging book talks for upper elementary students is a game-changer in fostering a love for reading. Think of it as a commercial for a book that captures your students’ attention. While ideally, you’d prep book talks in advance with carefully chosen phrases and sentences to captivate your kiddos, in reality, this often happens spontaneously. In those moments, rely on your passion for the book to pique your students’ curiosity.

A spontaneous book talk can be as effective as a meticulously planned one. The key is to introduce the book through your words, display the cover to tap students’ visual sense, and craft a hook that ignites curiosity. And. . . don’t underestimate the power of your facial expressions, voice inflection, and varying rate and volume of your speech. Tap into your inner thespian and bring that book to life with your words and body language.

All of these can play a part in helping students connect with what you are saying and getting them excited about the book. With a sweet spot of under 2 minutes, these talks align perfectly with the attention spans of older students.

Book Trailers for Engaging Upper Elementary Students

Exploring the world of book trailers adds an exciting multimedia dimension to engaging upper elementary students in the wonders of literature. Think of a book trailer as a cinematic cousin to a book talk. It’s just like a movie trailer except it is about a book. It’s a visual teaser that sparks curiosity and entices students to dive into the world of the story.

But don’t worry, you don’t have to grab your video camera and editing software. Fortunately, there’s a variety of sources online for finding these literary trailers. One standout is Scholastic Book Trailers . With trailers divided by age level, you can find the perfect book for your upper elementary students.

Additionally, KidLit Book Trailers , along with the YouTube channels of HarperCollins and HarperCollins Kids , offer a variety of book previews. Many other book publishers boast their own YouTube channels, too. Of course, the golden rule remains: preview all videos before sharing them with students, especially when navigating the vast landscape of YouTube.

Want to take the idea of book trailers to the next level? Once your students are familiar with them challenge them to work in groups to create a book trailer for a book they would recommend. This would be a great collaborative activity to do with their language arts and technology teacher.

Scavenger Hunts

I love engaging my upper elementary students in a thrilling scavenger hunt right within the library. This activity gets students navigating the library while feeling like they are playing a game.

For a simple yet effective activity, I hand an index card to a student. Each card has a specific topic or genre. I give them the task of matching their topic on their index card to the correct bookshelf where they would find books on their topic. Witnessing their excitement as they navigate the bookshelves, hunting down the perfect book that aligns with the given category, is truly rewarding. It’s a dynamic way to reinforce their library navigation skills and allows them to move around the space.

Sometimes, I take it up a notch with a relay race to boost the excitement in our library sessions. My students race against time as they decode clues or complete tasks related to the library’s various sections. I use those simple index cards from above and write out different topics, book titles, or descriptions of genres as the playing cards. This lively competition sharpens their ability to locate books but adds an element of friendly competition to keep them on their toes.

I particularly enjoy incorporating these scavenger hunt activities into centers. I add this option to my centers once we have reviewed how to navigate the library. This way, my students can practice these skills independently while at this particular center. Scavenger hunts keep the learning experience fresh and provide a structured way for my students to explore the library’s offerings.

Want to try some free scavenger hunts for your students? Just sign up on the form below to get access to the free resource library plus over 30 other free printables!

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Task Cards for Engagement

Task cards are so versatile and have seamlessly integrated into my teaching routine, making them a staple in my resource collection. Catering to grades 2-5, I use task cards not only for reinforcing library skills but also as a dynamic tool across various subjects. We dive into reviewing homophones, grammar, and other ELA topics with these engaging cards.

What adds to the charm is the flexibility in which activities can be tailored to suit each class and their dynamics. Task cards find their way into center activities, becoming a focal point for exploration. I’ve led lively Scoot games, transforming the learning experience into a playful challenge. When students are required to stay in their seats, I distribute sets to tables, fostering collaborative group work.

Task cards also shine in whole-group scenarios, taking center stage on the SmartBoard for an interactive learning spectacle. This adaptability ensures that, regardless of the class or its unique needs, task cards become a catalyst for engagement.

Check out some of the task card sets you can find by visiting my TPT store, Staying Cool in the Library:

• Genre Task Cards
• Reference Materials Task Cards
• Dewey Decimal Task Cards
• Fiction or Nonfiction Task Cards Bundle
• Author’s Purpose Task Cards

Introducing a dynamic and engaging game called Word Chain. It’s a personal favorite in my teaching toolkit for engaging upper elementary students. I have my students choose a category like sports, colors, or names. Then we choose a starting word and write it on the board. After that students take turns creating words that start with the last letter of the preceding word. For example, the category is fruit, and the first word is banana. The next word could be apricot, then tangerine, and so on.

But I like to take this game to another level and get students working on a specific skill as we play. An example would be reinforcing map skills. I give each of my students or tables an atlas or map. I start by having one student write the name of a place on the board. The challenge begins as students take turns locating places on their maps that start with the last letter of the previous place. It’s an engaging way to sharpen map skills while fostering a sense of exploration. You can make it more challenging by setting parameters like countries, cities, or bodies of water.

This game can even be used with other reference book skills, such as navigating a dictionary or thesaurus. Your students will explore the alphabet, expand their vocabulary, and refine their skills in an interactive manner.

Need to introduce or review using reference tools, such as an atlas, dictionary, or thesaurus? Make sure to explore my Reference Materials Printables and Worksheets or Library Skills Bundle for effective resources to add to your instruction!

Book Flyers

If you are anything like me, you are inundated with book flyers to send home with students. While I get stacks all the time, I don’t personally organize book orders. Instead, I make them available to teachers. I always tend to have lots of extra flyers after the book fair too. Instead of recycling them, I will keep them on hand for activities like this.

Book flyers make a wonderful starting place for sorting activities that resonate particularly well with engaging upper elementary students. I have my students sort books based on genres, navigate the Dewey Decimal System, or explore the author’s purpose. Picture students actively engaged as they search for books, categorize them, and uncover the hidden gems within your library’s collection.

I’ve also seamlessly integrated publisher catalog pages into these sorting activities. These activities transform routine library sessions into quests for knowledge. It’s a brilliant way to enhance their understanding of literary elements.

Making Research Engaging for Upper Elementary Students

Navigating the landscape of research can seem like an intimidating journey, especially for upper elementary students who may find the process a tad daunting and, dare I say, even a bit boring. The prospect of sifting through information and organizing thoughts can be overwhelming, causing some to dread the very idea of research. But it doesn’t have to be this way!

It’s up to us to bring the thrill of research alive. To share the excitement that comes from uncovering new information. And. . . to make collecting and organizing the information so easy that it becomes fun.

I’ve created resources that transform this experience into an engaging and dynamic adventure. I use graphic organizers from my Research Skills Graphic Organizers resource with my upper elementary students to guide them on the path to effective research. These graphic organizers are tailored to suit any research topic, making the process not only manageable but also exciting. This comes in handy to help my students with whatever topic of interest they are researching. As they use them while they research, the research process becomes less scary and more achievable!

If students are doing a digital research project, or if you are on a 1:1 campus, these graphic organizers and research tools are also available in a digital format . Students can get the same guidance and tools using these Digital Research Skills Graphic Organizers for Google Slides .

Whenever it comes time for a review or in need of an activity that is low-intensity but still beneficial, I pull out one of my Bingo games! These bingo games are simple but engaging for upper elementary students.

When it comes time to review the Dewey Decimal System, I pull out my Dewey Decimal System Bingo . Each calling card, called out by the teacher, has a book title. The students listen carefully to cover the matching call number on their Bingo card.

Another Bingo game that my students enjoy playing is the Figurative Language Bingo . The players’ cards have pictures representing different figurative language phrases. As I read a phrase aloud, students race to identify the corresponding picture of hyperboles, personifications, idioms, metaphors, and similes.

Incorporating these interactive games into my teaching routine has not only engaged my upper elementary students but has also made learning feel like play. Whether it’s exploring the Dewey Decimal System or diving into the world of figurative language, the games have turned each lesson into an adventure.

Breakout Rooms for Engaging Upper Elementary Students

I’ve introduced an immersive breakout room activity (aka escape room) aimed at making the exploration of the library catalog an exciting adventure for my upper elementary students. Students actively work together to solve challenges from my Library Breakout – Library Catalog Review . Each of the challenges has my students practicing how to navigate the library catalog in an interactive, game-like manner. The excitement of my students is contagious. I love seeing them gaining confidence in navigating the library catalog while having a blast!

I use another breakout room, Reading Genres Escape Room , to help my students review book genres. My students love the different activities that come with the different challenges, from the crossword puzzle to the multiple choice to matching the genre to the book cover. This breakout room takes about 30 – 45 minutes, but can easily be broken into several library visits.

Additional Ideas for Engaging Upper Elementary Students

As school librarians, we can never have enough activities in our toolbox! Here are a few creative ideas to keep the excitement flowing:

1. Reader’s Theater: My upper elementary students get a kick taking on different roles in our reader’s theaters. It’s exciting to see them come out of their shell and realize that reading can be fun! They practice their reading skills but also encourage them to become active members in storytelling and performance.

2. Library Musical Chairs: A playful twist on the classic game we all know and love, Library Musical Chairs injects energy into our library sessions. As students circle through the chairs, each chair strategically has a book. The challenge is not only to find a seat but also to explore the book they land on when the music stops. It’s one way to promote spontaneous book exploration and add an element of movement to our library routine.

3. Origami Bookmarks: For a hands-on and artistic touch, we delve into the world of origami bookmarks. This activity boosts creativity and serves a practical purpose. Students get to craft their own bookmarks to use in their books. It combines literature appreciation with a dash of arts and crafts, making reading sessions even more enjoyable.

Save these Ideas for Engaging Upper Elementary Students

Are you curious about more details on these activities? Head over to my Pinterest board, Free Library and Teaching Ideas , where I’ve shared insights into these engaging activities! Before you go, make sure to save this post to your favorite library activities Pinterest board so you can come back the next time you need fresh ideas for engaging upper elementary students.

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Take a look at some products from the Staying Cool in the Library store that will help to keep your upper elementary students engaged.

One Response

Love your ideas for engaging upper elementary students, i tried a version of your book talks and it was hugely successful, so thank you! Instead of reading a chapter book during library periods (and thus taking months to finish the book), I decided to introduce one or two chapter book series to the students. I basically picked an exciting moment in the book to read, read the summary, or read part of Chapter 1…the books I showed/introduced were all signed out in teh same day and many asked to place holds on them! Thank you for the idea!

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Tours and School Visits

The Main Library offers guided tours, educational experiences, and self-guided tours. Tours should be scheduled at least 1 week in advance. Educational experiences should be scheduled at least 2 weeks in advance. We encourage you to reserve early because group visits are very popular. A Library staff member will contact you to confirm the date and time for your visit.

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Community outreach visits.

Would you like a Nashville Public Library staff member to visit your school library, classroom, or community group? Children's Services, Teen Services, Special Collections, Studio NPL, and Bringing Books to Life can bring programs to your group.

Please describe your group's needs and we can discuss whether an outreach visit is a good fit.

Main Library Building Tour (All ages)

See the architectural elements of the Main Library’s neoclassical design. Learn about our permanent artwork and current art gallery exhibits. Your tour guide will describe the services offered in each area of the Main Library. At the tour group’s request, we can emphasize particular service areas. The tour lasts approximately 1 hour.

Civil Rights Room Tour (All ages)

Explore Nashville's role in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s with a discussion about the Civil Rights Room, historical photographs, and timelines. This tour lasts approximately 1 hour. We can adjust the duration of tours upon request.

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Explore Nashville's role in the Votes for Women Movement and Tennessee's role in passing the 19th Amendment. This tour lasts approximately 1 hour. We can adjust the duration of tours upon request.

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If you would like a tour of a branch library, please contact the branch location directly.

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Library tours of the Children’s department are available on Thursday mornings or any other day in the afternoon. Please use the request link below to make a reservation. Or you can call the Children’s Desk at  (615) 862-5785 . If you wish to see a puppet show, please see the details and separate request form below. 

Wishing Chair Puppet Shows (All Ages)

Wishing Chair provides special performances for groups of 10 or more on Thursdays at the Main Library during the run of the show. If you have a school group, senior center, assisted living facility, or other organization that would like to see a puppet show at the Main Library, fill out our group puppet show request form and we'll be in touch. Performances should be scheduled at least 3 weeks in advance. 

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Explore the Teen Space and Studio NPL. Teens can play games, hang out, study, or participate in after-school activities offered every week. Studio NPL offers special programming led by local mentors from various industries and disciplines. These class or group visits can be customized to include a building tour, a teen area and Studio tour, a 3D printing demo or other hands-on activity, or research/class assignment help. Maximum group size is 40. The maximum time for Library staff-led activities is 2 hours.

Civil Rights Room (All ages)

Explore Nashville's pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s with a discussion about the Civil Rights Room, historical photographs, and timelines. We welcome groups of all ages, from elementary school children through university students and graduate-level researchers. Your visit can include a full building tour, a tour of the Civil Rights Room, a group activity, an explanation of primary sources, and instruction or research assistance.

Votes for Women Room Tour (All ages)  

Explore ideas about democracy, political movements, and women’s role in society with a tour of the Votes for Women Room. Tours are created to examine the role of women in movements and use the American Woman Suffrage Movement as a primer for more contemporary topics and historical relevance. This tour lasts approximately 1 hour. We can adjust the duration of tours upon request and custom build a tour based on your interests.

Equal Access and Library Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (All ages)

Learn about our equipment, software, books, DVDs, and program accommodations for the deaf and hard of hearing. Maximum group size is 10 for in-depth resource sessions.

Library 101 presented by the Adult Literacy Program (All ages)

For adult education students and their families. Discover free resources for adults, families, children, and teens available with your Nashville Public Library card. This tour can be tailored for speakers from non-English backgrounds.

Metro Archives (Age 12+)

The Metropolitan Archives is the official repository of Nashville and Davidson County government documents. This unique collection contains rare documents dating back to the founding of the city through its incorporation as one of the first combined city/county governments in 1962. Visitors will learn about conservation techniques, see examples of Archives' holdings, and walk through the closed stacks. Maximum group size is 20 people.

Wilson Collection Tour (Age 12+)

The Wilson Limited Editions Collection contains 800+ rare and unusual books dating from 1929, donated to Nashville Public Library by local author and book collector Dr. Sadye Tune Wilson. The collection also features fine art portfolios containing illustrations from these beautifully bound books. Photography is welcome. Maximum group size is 20 people.

Self-Guided Tours

Main library self-guided tour.

The self-guided tour brochure offers an overview of the services and collections at the Main Library.

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The Story of Nashville  Self-Guided Tour

The Story of Nashville  is a set of copper repoussé panels located in the Main Library's Grand Reading Room.  The Story of Nashville  brochure gives an explanation of each panel.

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My Favorite Back to School Library Activity – Library Orientation Scavenger Hunt

Looking for a fun and easy Back to School library activity? This one is my favorite!

This Library Orientation Scavenger Hunt allows students to independently explore the library while locating important items that they will need over and over throughout the school year.

HERE’S WHY I LOVE THIS BACK TO SCHOOL LIBRARY ACTIVITY:

• It gets students up and moving.
• Students can work independently or together.
• It’s useful! Students can find things they will need all year.

FAST FACTS:

Objective : This back to school library activity allows students to explore the library and learn where important sections and items are located in the library.

Grade level : 4-7

Duration: I allowed 30 minutes, which was just right. Some finished a little early, but everyone finished.

Teams or individual? I always allow my students to choose to work alone, with a partner, or with team of three.

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR THE LIBRARY ORIENTATION SCAVENGER HUNT:

• printable scavenger hunt card (it’s editable)
• printable QR codes
• QR reader on ipad or student cell phone
• internet is NOT required for these QR codes–students can also use their phone camera app to get the “secret word.”

HOW TO SET UP THE LIBRARY ORIENTATION SCAVENGER HUNT

STEP 1– Decide what your 24 locations/items will be.

I included my card as an example, but you will need to change them to suit your library. Edit the card to reflect these locations. Some sample objects/locations for students to find might include: clock, tissues, OPAC station, fire exit, closest restrooms, circulation desk, book return, librarian (you could hold a QR code for them to scan), library assistant, different Dewey and genre sections, etc.

STEP 2– Create your QR codes.

You will need 24 individual QR codes, one for each scavenger hunt location.

STEP 3–Write the location on each QR code.

For example, if the students need to find the printer, write “printer” underneath the QR code. I did not do this with my first group, and some students asked, “Is this the printer code?” or if two codes were close together, “Which of these is the mystery section code?” One code fell on the floor, and it took me a minute to figure out where it went.

Needless to say, after the first group, I wrote the locations on the codes. When I did the scavenger hunt with the next class, no one was confused about which code went with which square.

STEP 4–Place the QR codes around the library or other space you are using.

Personally, I want the library orientation to be as smooth and easy for me as possible. I want every student to be successful, so I place my labels in plain sight. Put the labels on top of each location, especially for younger students or if you are limited on time.

If you want to make it a little more challenging (and have the time to do so), you could place the labels in more difficult-to-see spots.

STEP 5–Walk through the Library Orientation Scavenger Hunt.

It’s going to be tempting to skip this step, but please don’t! You want to make sure the scavenger hunt works all the way through. If you are short on time, ask a teacher’s child or library volunteer to do the scavenger hunt before school.  Be sure to scan the QR codes to make sure they work.

DIRECTIONS FOR STUDENTS

• Students can start anywhere on the grid.
• Find the item or section in the library and look for the QR code, which is located in plain sight.
• When you scan the QR, a secret word will appear on your screen.
• Write the secret word on the square for that location. (I picked a square and did the first one with the students.)

After you have found all the words, see if you can solve the secret message. The blanks at the bottom reflect the exact number of letters in each word.

WHAT WILL YOU DO WHILE YOUR STUDENTS COMPLETE THE LIBRARY ORIENTATION SCAVENGER HUNT?

I highly recommend the librarian and/or teacher walk around and help any student having trouble. My students did very well with this activity and did not need much help from me.

VARIATION FOR SPECIAL NEEDS OR ELL STUDENTS

For my ELL class, I just had the students find the things on the list and check them off. They did not do the QR codes or the secret message at all. They did great!

When scanned, each QR code links to one secret word. The word is a small part of a longer phrase, a quotation from Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire .

This quotation is a great springboard to discuss how the library represents many different cultures, languages, and ideas, and it’s okay if we do not all agree. If you get a book that you don’t like or makes you uncomfortable, simply return the book to the library and get something else.

WANT TO GIVE MY FAVORITE BACK TO SCHOOL LIBRARY ACTIVITY A TRY?

This one is the OG! The Library Orientation Scavenger Hunt activity mentioned and pictured in the post is this one. Recommended for Grades 4-7.

Find the Library Orientation Scavenger Hunt in the MrsReaderPants shop

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Home › Community › AASL National Conference › 4 Thoughts from the Elementary School Library Tour

4 Thoughts from the Elementary School Library Tour

By Kelly Hincks on 11/15/2019 • ( 1 )

We started our visit at Norton Commons Elementary where librarian Kristina Bloch (@nces_library) and principal Allyson Vitato (@NCES_Knights) shared information about setting up a library in a new building and how the program continues to evolve. Then we traveled to Dunn Elementary School.  Here librarian Erin Wallace (@LibraryDunn) shared how she collaborates with teachers and discussed how technology is integrated into projects.

I always learn a lot when visiting other libraries! Each library has its own identity, but common themes can be found in spaces that are focused on what is best for kids. As I sat back and compared the two libraries I was struck by the similarities. Below are four thoughts from the visit.

Collaboration and Coteaching

Both of these librarians use some form of a flexible schedule. They both have a fixed checkout time each week for classes. All other concepts and standards are incorporated into lessons that are co-taught with classroom teachers. They work with teachers to collaborate using Google Drive to collect materials.  They shared how they consistently reach out to their colleagues with new ideas and lesson opportunities. The collaboration often starts with them, but as the lesson develops it becomes a team effort. The lessons and activities they shared were connected to the classroom curriculum so that everything was done to support the grade-level standards. As Wallace stated, “What I do matters more. The collaboration makes the content more meaningful.”

Technology Integration

Both of these libraries were in schools that use project-based learning and STEAM lessons. They work to support this focus. During both tours, students were there to share their work. The students shared the process they used to create their projects. The technology the students used was to help them create their work and not something extra. Both schools used resources related to Google Apps for Education, coding, green screen technology, and a variety of other digital tools.

Reading and Information Literacy

Both of these libraries have made reading a priority. They shared how they incorporate time for book checkout and how they promote reading throughout their school community.  Bloch shared how she loves to incorporate technology, but still wants to have the time to talk about books with kids and get them excited about reading.

Both schools are using the design thinking process as part of their STEAM focus. When students research it becomes a part of this process as well. In both libraries, you could see evidence of how students developed questions, collected information, reviewed what they had learned, and shared their work with others.

Advocacy Is Key

Both of these librarians seemed to have strong relationships with their administrators who support their goals. At Norton Commons, the principal shared that the library should be a priority and directly supports what is happening in classrooms.

Both of these librarians are sharing what they are working on regularly with their school community. They are continually reflecting on the strengths and challenges in their school libraries. Then they make changes that in the best interest of their students. I am glad I was able to meet them both!

Author: Kelly Hincks

I am the librarian at Detroit Country Day Lower School in Bloomfield Hills, MI. I have worked as a school librarian for the past eleven years. I was a classroom teacher for four years prior to that. I have worked in charter, public, and private schools. My favorite thing about being a school librarian is the opportunities I have to work both with students and teachers. I love the co-teaching opportunities and connections I have been able to make! I have served on AASL committees as a member and chair. I currently serve as secretary of my state association, Michigan Association of School Librarians (MASL).

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Categories: AASL National Conference , Blog Topics , Community , Community/Teacher Collaboration , Professional Development , Technology

Tags: #AASL19 , AASL National Conference , co-teaching , collaboration , elementary , libraries , reflection , Technology Integration

I have done School Library Media visitation tours while I was a graduate student in college. I often enjoyed seeing the diversity of each school’s library media center and exchanging ideas with school staff at each.

As a School Library Media Specialist in a large urban school district, there is often little time for collaboration since I teach at multiple schools, some of which have crammed schedules of 30-45 minute library periods maximum.

With some classes and schools, there is often a drop off of students for teacher prep during teaching specials with very little response or feedback from classroom teachers or teaching assistants. They are pretty busy.

At each school, I may “collaborate” with about 2-3 teachers maximum because I’m changing schools on a daily basis. Mostly, they want access to books with subjects like space or animals (PK-3) or biographies (4-8).

My question is: “What are the best ways to serve multiple schools while providing adequate library services and academic content to each?”

Most school librarians in my school district work at 3-5 schools per week. We are usually split by PK-8 traditional schools and early start Middle Schools and High Schools with Montessori Elementary Schools as well.

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Field Trips

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• Curriculum Resources
• The White House Historical Association Reveals Official 2021 White House Ornament

Volunteer and Visitor Services Office E: [email protected] P: (512) 721-0184

We welcome school groups up to 60 people at a time. If your group has 15 or more, a reservation is required. Here are some details to review before your visit.

Field Trip Groups

• Due to staffing issues, we cannot guarantee the availability of guided tours or classroom experiences. We will contact you regarding availability no more than four (4) weeks prior to your visit. Self-guided tours are still available.
• Groups smaller than 15 or larger than 60: Please contact us before submitting the tour form.
• Grade Range: Pre-K-12. Please see  Group Visits  for more information.
• Chaperones: One adult, 18 or older, is required per eight students.
• Type of tours: Guided or self-guided:
• For a guided tour, we require a minimum of four weeks advance notice.
• For a self-guided tour, we require a minimum of three weeks advance notice.
• We are unable to accommodate tour reservations outside of those advance notice times.
• Tours generally last 90 minutes, but vary depending on grade and type of tour.
• Immersive Classroom Experiences will add more time to your trip.  To ensure your visit is adequate for your needs, please reference the time requirements for the specific classroom activity you are interested in.
• Please consider transition times (check-in & payment, movement from Library Tour to Classroom Activity, restroom breaks, etc.) when scheduling the time you are visiting the LBJ Library.

1.5 hour guided tour of the LBJ Library 

+ 15 minute restroom & movement break 

+ “Election Collection” immersive classroom experience (45 minutes) 

= 2.5 hours needed

• To reserve a tour, please read the information above and then fill out our school tour request form.
• Students, faculty, and staff: Free
• Additional chaperones: $7 per person

Make a Field Trip Reservation:

• To reserve a tour, please fill out our  school tour request form .

Tour Options

Little citizens tour.

This tour lasts 60 minutes.

The President is a citizen just like you & me. On this docent-led tour, our little citizens will examine the role they have in the community and nation while exploring what citizenship means at all levels. Using the presidency of Lyndon Johnson, students will explore the LBJ Library, discuss the role of the President, and better understand the role they have as a citizen.  

Developmentally designed for young learners, this tour covers many of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Kindergarten through 3rd grade.

Presidential Tour

This tour will last 60-90 minutes.

Learn about the life and times of our 36th President, Lyndon Baines Johnson, and the era of his administration - the turbulent 1960s. Your experience can be customized based on areas of interest.

The Presidential Tour is a docent-led or self-guided tour. 

This tour is designed for grades 4 and up.

Immersive Classroom Experiences

White house china.

This activity lasts 30-45 minutes

In this docent-led activity in our LBJ classroom, students will discuss the history of the famed White House China and see replicas from several Presidents.  Participants will then be tasked with creating their own presidential design and menu for a State dinner.  

This is available for Kindergarten through 3rd grade groups and can be combined with the Little Citizens Tour.

Election Collection

The activity lasts 45-60 minutes

Presidential elections are an important piece of history and civic participation. During this activity, participants will analyze election memorabilia from the 1964 election between Lyndon B. Johnson and Barry Goldwater.

This is appropriate for students of all ages (elementary through high school).

A Civil Rights Investigation: Mississippi Burning

This activity lasts 60 minutes

During this guided discussion, participants will investigate the disappearance of three Civil Rights workers in Mississippi during the Freedom Summer of 1964 using telephone conversations, oral histories and documents from the LBJ Library archives.

This is appropriate for high school and above.

Introduction to Holdings

Participants will learn about the history of presidential libraries and will be introduced to the LBJ Library’s rich archival holdings and museum collection. An education specialist will also give a brief overview of how to conduct research at the library, as well as go over the resources available to conduct research online. 

This is appropriate for upper high school through adult groups.

The Spy’s Dilemma

This activity lasts 60-75 minutes.

"The Spy’s Dilemma" allows you to become a Cold War spy for the Soviet Union while accessing the documents from the LBJ Library. Participants collaborate in this hands-on experiential activity to help their government gain information from the United States in the 1960s. Participants will analyze, interpret, and evaluate documents to save their lives and avoid being sent to a Soviet gulag.

This is appropriate for upper elementary through high school students.

The Archives Experience

This activity lasts 90 minutes.

Participants will learn about the history of presidential libraries and will be introduced to the LBJ Library’s rich archival holdings and museum collection. An education specialist will give a brief overview of how to conduct research at the library, as well as go over the resources available to conduct research online. Participants will be given the opportunity to simulate the research experience by exploring through reproduction archival boxes or digital archive files.

This is appropriate for upper high school students and above.

Bus Scholarships

Let us cover your field trip transportation costs! Made possible through the generous support of our Amplify Austin donors, bus scholarships are available for economically disadvantaged Pre-K-12 grade schools through the school year. Transportation costs up to $250 may be reimbursed.

Tips and Guidelines for your Visit

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Elementary Librarian

Library lesson plans and ideas for the school librarian. Lessons incorporate Common Core and AASL standards.

2-3 Free Library Printables, Online Games, and More

Looking for FREE library printables for 2nd and 3rd grade? You'll find many of the resources we use in our lesson plans  and even more in the links below. Bookmark or pin this page on Pinterest so you can find it again when you need it!

Library Rules

Primary Interactive PowerPoint - Can be used with Smartboard

Library Rules Presentations

Library Rules Jeopardy (you can edit this and make your own)

Book Care True/False Activity

Book Care Bookmarks

Parts of a Book

Parts of a Book - Following Directions

Parts of a Book Create and Label

Finding Books, Checkout Procedures, and Shelving

Checkout Procedures Review - PDF Version

Checkout Procedures - Word Version

OPAC Scavenger Hunt - PDF Version

OPAC Scavenger Hunt - Word Version

Shelver Game from Mrs. Lodge's Library

ABC Order Printable Card Games

Sight Word ABC Order Printable Cards

Sight Word ABC Order Online Game

Alphabetize Word List Online Game

Halloween ABC Order Online Game

Alphabetizing through the 3rd Letter Online Game

ABC Order Smartboard Activities

Dictionary Activities

Dictionary Team Challenge  Printable Activity

Know Your Guide Words Printable Activity

Dictionary Guide Words Printable Activity

Dictionary Pronunciation - PDF Version Printable Activity

Dictionary Pronunciation - Word Version Printable Activity

Dictionary Definition Cut and Paste Printable Activity

Parts of the Dictionary Cut and Paste Printable Activity

Rags to Riches Online Game

Using Guide Words Online Activity

Choose the Correct Guide Words Online Activity

Guide Words Online Quia

More Dictionary Online Activities

Dictionary Video - YouTube

Dictionary Online Game

Pick the Perfect Word

Merriam-Webster Online Games

Word Central Online Games

Online Encyclopedia Activities

Group Research Assignment  Printable Activity

Encyclopedia Treasure Hunt Printable Activity

Fiction and Nonfiction Activities

Real vs. Make Believe Online Game

Fiction or Nonfiction Online Game

Fiction vs. Nonfiction Jeopardy

Fiction or Nonfiction Quia

Fiction or Nonfiction Listening Game

Other Fiction or Nonfiction Online Activities

Other Helpful Free Resources

Smartboard Random Name Generator

Online Random Name Generator

AR Guide for Parents in PDF format

AR Guide for Parents in Word format

Article about the Five Finger Rule of book selection

Blank Book Cover 

Create a Pop-Up

Dr. Seuss Online Games

Folk Tales Website

Worth more than I paid!

All the work is done for me, my students are engaged, my principal was impressed.

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University library tours.

The University Library welcomes on and off-campus groups to schedule library tours. Tours can be tailored to meet the needs of each tour group and enable students and community members to see the state-of-the art facility which houses a physical collection containing 1.4 million volumes. We receive many tour requests throughout the year and we make every effort to accommodate them. However, tours are not available during the months of May and December due to final exams. Please note that visiting areas such as the Creative Maker Studio must be requested and coordinated in advance. Visitors are welcome, and all visitor groups are encouraged to fill out a tour request form ahead of their visit.

Touring the University Library

Library tours include some of the following areas:

More information

• Audio Tour with transcriptions : A custom tour experience, available anytime! CSUN visitors and prospective students can take a self-guided audio tour of the Library during their campus visit. Current CSUN students can use the audio tour and transcripts to learn more about Library services.
• Library Services for Faculty : The University Library offers many services in support of teaching, research, and student learning, including affordable learning solutions, research help, and information literacy instruction.
• Overview of Library Services
• Overview of Library Collections

Student Groups

All student groups interested in visiting or coordinating with the CSUN University Library should contact Outreach Librarian Brianna Limas.

Contact: Brianna Limas [email protected] 818-677‐7696 or use our Tour Booking Form

CSUN Students

Tours for CSUN students focus on familiarizing students with the University Library and our many resources and services. Tours generally run 45-55 minutes in length and can be tailored as needed. Please book two weeks in advance for groups of 20 students or less; four weeks in advance for groups larger than 20.

CSUN students and student groups can also reach out to their subject specialist(s) for information about library instruction and research practice.

Find a librarian

Or contact the Research, Instruction, and Outreach Services (RIOS) Office

818-677‐2277

Non-CSUN & K-12 Students

Tours for non‐CSUN students (including K‐12 Schools) last approximately 45-55 minutes and can be tailored as necessary. In order to ensure the best possible experience, tour groups should not exceed 20 students. Please schedule at least three weeks in advance. If your group is larger than 20 students, please contact the library at least four weeks in advance to make appropriate arrangements. For groups in the eighth grade or younger, one adult per 10 students is highly recommended.

About the High School Partnership Program

Resources for High School Students

Community Groups

The Friends of the Library provides docent-guided Library History and Culture Tours for community groups and visitors. During these tours, you will hear about the history of the library and its various areas, such as the Learning Commons, the automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) and the Teacher Curriculum Center (TCC).

Contact: Vickie Campbell [email protected] 818-677‐2638 Or use our Tour Booking Form