Library
Background Information & Activities

Most children know that a library is a place that has books, magazines, newspapers, reference books, and other materials that people can borrow. A library can hold hundreds of different materials, so your children should learn how to find what they need. Your children should understand that the library is organized by the Dewey Decimal System, and they should know how to use a card catalog to find their materials. Your children should also understand how to check out and return books and understand appropriate library behavior.

A library not only has books, but it also has magazines, newspapers, and reference books. Remind your children that a reference book is a book that lists facts, definitions, and other information that people can look up. Dictionaries, thesauruses, and encyclopedias are all kinds of reference books. Some libraries also have movies and music, and offer computers, printers, and Internet access for their users.

Library patrons can use a card catalog to find a book or other material. Your children should know how to look up materials in a card catalog in their local and school libraries. Remind your children that the card catalog is an index of every book the library has and it is organized by subject or by the author’s last name. Some libraries have physical card catalogs while others have their card catalogs online. A card catalog entry identifies the title, author, publisher, page count, and subject of the material. It also shows the call number for the material.

The library organizes its materials according to the Dewey Decimal System, which classifies things by type of material (such as book, DVD, or CD), subject, and author. Explain to your children that each book is assigned a call number through the Dewey Decimal System, and the call number helps people find the book in a library. Aisles in a library are organized by number ranges and most materials are organized sequentially by their call number. People can look for the number range their material falls in and then find it on the shelves. Many children have difficulty understanding how to read the call number, so remind your students to look at the numbers before the decimal to help them know where to begin. Librarians, or people in charge of organizing, managing, and procuring new materials for a library, can help people find what they need and help patrons explore other sources to get information about their topics.

Your children should always check out and return library materials. This helps the library keep track of its materials. Online catalogs can let other patrons know that the material is currently being used by someone else. Remind your children that many people share the materials in a library so it’s important to check out materials and return them in a timely manner. Checking in books is important because it lets the library know the material has returned safely and is available to other patrons. Books can be renewed, which means the due date is extended. However, people who have overdue books, or books that are not returned by the due date, may have to pay a fine.

Your children should understand how to behave appropriately in a library. Libraries are a place for people to study or read, so noise and talking should be kept to a minimum. Music, if allowed, should only be listened to on headphones at a low volume. Many libraries prohibit food and drink in order to preserve their materials. Remind your children that everything in a library is shared by many people so it’s important to treat the library and all of its materials with respect. Developing good library skills at an early age will empower your children to explore and take advantage of the many resources libraries have to offer. In addition, we recommend watching the Choosing a Book movie together upon visiting a library.

Library Teacher Activities – Click Here!

Library Family Activities – Click Here!

Library Teacher Activities

Trip to the Library

If possible, take a trip to a university or local library with your class. Remember to review appropriate library behavior. Have a librarian give a quick tour of the library. Some university libraries may have art and historical documents, microfiche, and other materials your school library may not have. Have a librarian talk with your students about how to look up different materials and describe their collection.

Numerical Order

Remind your students that call numbers are organized sequentially in the library. Write numbers on index cards and have your students organize them sequentially. You may want to them to use number lines or create number lines for a number card showing three numbers before and after their number. If your students are familiar with decimal places, review how to order decimals.

Subject Search

Challenge your students to find as many different materials as they can about a topic. You may want to pick a specific topic together, such as a famous historical figure, a specific country, a special event, or an animal. Have your students go to their local and school libraries to collect different types of materials. Encourage them to look beyond books and search for magazines, newspaper articles, and even movies. Have students list the title, author, and call number of their materials.

Classroom Classification

Spread a collection of several types of books on tables in your classroom (approximately 20-30 per table). Separate children into small groups and challenge them to sort the books into categories. They should separate each category into a pile and then label it with a sticky note. Have students walk around and look at other groups’ organizational systems. As a group, discuss how they made the decision to classify different books, what topics they came up with, and compare them with the classification system of your school’s library.

Library Family Activities

Library Hunt

Create a checklist of different types of materials your child can check out in his or her school or local library. For example, your checklist might include a fiction book, a nonfiction picture book, a book of poems, a biography, a book about sports, a movie, a CD, etc. Then challenge your child to check out each item from the library and read, watch, or listen to it. You may want to set a goal for your child, such as a book a week or four books per month. Encourage your child to incorporate reading into his or her daily routine.

Questions and Answers

Children are naturally curious about the world around them and constantly ask questions. The next time your child has a question, have him or her write it down in a notebook. Your child can make predictions about the answer. Then find the answer together by looking up materials in the library. This will not only build solid research skills, but also empower your child to find the answers to his or her own questions.