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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>How Do You Organize Your Books?
daycare 11:39 AM 11-10-2014
I teach off of what books I read.
so for example this week we are doing the letter you and reading under pants thunder pants and the ugly duckling.
I have over 2000 books and I just cant seem to find a system that keeps them organized so that I can find them after we are done with them.
currently we have them categorized by theme, but that is not really working. example. dinos, community helpers, letters, colors, etc....
I thought about having one of my assistants sit and enter each one into excel so that I know what books I have and then shelf them in ABC order. But that could take a really long time.
The other issue is that I keep re-buying some books as I can't find them when needed or I don't know where they went..........
how you do you all do it.
BTW these are my books, not the books that the kids use, they have their own library and it is not in any order but book on the shelf.
so for example this week we are doing the letter you and reading under pants thunder pants and the ugly duckling.
I have over 2000 books and I just cant seem to find a system that keeps them organized so that I can find them after we are done with them.
currently we have them categorized by theme, but that is not really working. example. dinos, community helpers, letters, colors, etc....
I thought about having one of my assistants sit and enter each one into excel so that I know what books I have and then shelf them in ABC order. But that could take a really long time.
The other issue is that I keep re-buying some books as I can't find them when needed or I don't know where they went..........
how you do you all do it.
BTW these are my books, not the books that the kids use, they have their own library and it is not in any order but book on the shelf.
EntropyControlSpecialist 11:47 AM 11-10-2014
Since it is your personal library and you teach with letters, mostly, I would put them in alphabetical order. I might also add colored duct tape to the spine. Just cut it small (a 1" strip) and place it from back to front with a key somewhere.
Green tape=Dinos
Blue tape=Community Helpers
Pink tape=Letters
Green tape=Dinos
Blue tape=Community Helpers
Pink tape=Letters
daycare 11:50 AM 11-10-2014
Originally Posted by EntropyControlSpecialist:
Since it is your personal library and you teach with letters, mostly, I would put them in alphabetical order. I might also add colored duct tape to the spine. Just cut it small (a 1" strip) and place it from back to front with a key somewhere.
Green tape=Dinos
Blue tape=Community Helpers
Pink tape=Letters
I like that idea.Since it is your personal library and you teach with letters, mostly, I would put them in alphabetical order. I might also add colored duct tape to the spine. Just cut it small (a 1" strip) and place it from back to front with a key somewhere.
Green tape=Dinos
Blue tape=Community Helpers
Pink tape=Letters
yeah I am thinking of putting by title, as the title is what is important for me to know. Maybe I can get those colored dots that they sell...
that is an excellent idea...
Annalee 11:59 AM 11-10-2014
I divide my books by themes and then when I change out my room each month, I get the books from their particular container. I have 2 book shelves that I use for the kids each month. We have these containers, not sure what they are called but they look like file folder containers. they are in office supplies at walmart, but mom found some plastic ones at dollar mart. It is easy to rack up on books so dividing them makes it much easier for me to find what I am looking for. 
BumbleBee 01:57 PM 11-10-2014
When you develop a system, please share! I spent my holiday break putting in every single children's book I owned-title, author, ISBN-into an excel sheet. Then did a sort on Excel by title in alphabetical order and put them all on the bookshelf in that order. It was beautiful. A true work of art. All of the books I'd use during the week were placed into a container to be placed back on the shelf in it's space at the end of the week. Oh what a wonderful system. But then....then....
My bookshelf broke. And by broke I mean 3 shelves just collapsed, tore out the screws connecting the shelves to the side boards. Everything on the floor, a big heaping pile o books. I was so mad. I admit I shed a few tears, kicked a few books, may have even thrown a few. 2 I had to throw away because I more or less destroyed them. No, the kids weren't here.
And now, there they sit-in multiple containers just tossed in there like last weeks news. I don't have it in me to put them all back just so. Plus, I need a new bookshelf.
I will say, as I do themes I make a container for all of that 'theme' stuff to go into-including books. I'm trying to not kill my next bookshelf-whenever the bookshelf fairy appears and brings me a new one.
That was probably no help.
My bookshelf broke. And by broke I mean 3 shelves just collapsed, tore out the screws connecting the shelves to the side boards. Everything on the floor, a big heaping pile o books. I was so mad. I admit I shed a few tears, kicked a few books, may have even thrown a few. 2 I had to throw away because I more or less destroyed them. No, the kids weren't here.
And now, there they sit-in multiple containers just tossed in there like last weeks news. I don't have it in me to put them all back just so. Plus, I need a new bookshelf.
I will say, as I do themes I make a container for all of that 'theme' stuff to go into-including books. I'm trying to not kill my next bookshelf-whenever the bookshelf fairy appears and brings me a new one.
That was probably no help.
Dilley Beans 02:12 PM 11-10-2014
My mother is a school teacher and she keeps everything by unit. There is one for each month/holiday/theme so she can pull them out easily and go.
daycare 02:46 PM 11-10-2014
Originally Posted by Trummynme:
When you develop a system, please share! I spent my holiday break putting in every single children's book I owned-title, author, ISBN-into an excel sheet. Then did a sort on Excel by title in alphabetical order and put them all on the bookshelf in that order. It was beautiful. A true work of art. All of the books I'd use during the week were placed into a container to be placed back on the shelf in it's space at the end of the week. Oh what a wonderful system. But then....then....
My bookshelf broke. And by broke I mean 3 shelves just collapsed, tore out the screws connecting the shelves to the side boards. Everything on the floor, a big heaping pile o books. I was so mad. I admit I shed a few tears, kicked a few books, may have even thrown a few. 2 I had to throw away because I more or less destroyed them. No, the kids weren't here.
And now, there they sit-in multiple containers just tossed in there like last weeks news. I don't have it in me to put them all back just so. Plus, I need a new bookshelf.
I will say, as I do themes I make a container for all of that 'theme' stuff to go into-including books. I'm trying to not kill my next bookshelf-whenever the bookshelf fairy appears and brings me a new one.
That was probably no help.
omg I want to hug you after having read that...horrible thing to happen.When you develop a system, please share! I spent my holiday break putting in every single children's book I owned-title, author, ISBN-into an excel sheet. Then did a sort on Excel by title in alphabetical order and put them all on the bookshelf in that order. It was beautiful. A true work of art. All of the books I'd use during the week were placed into a container to be placed back on the shelf in it's space at the end of the week. Oh what a wonderful system. But then....then....
My bookshelf broke. And by broke I mean 3 shelves just collapsed, tore out the screws connecting the shelves to the side boards. Everything on the floor, a big heaping pile o books. I was so mad. I admit I shed a few tears, kicked a few books, may have even thrown a few. 2 I had to throw away because I more or less destroyed them. No, the kids weren't here.
And now, there they sit-in multiple containers just tossed in there like last weeks news. I don't have it in me to put them all back just so. Plus, I need a new bookshelf.
I will say, as I do themes I make a container for all of that 'theme' stuff to go into-including books. I'm trying to not kill my next bookshelf-whenever the bookshelf fairy appears and brings me a new one.
That was probably no help.
I am so conflicted. I have a wall shelf that holds 24 nice size storage containers, 14x14. But then if I put all the dino books in one box, I won't realize that I have do dinosaur wear underwear in there if I file it under dinos....then when doing letter U, i can't find it....
I have 12 themes and I though I had it down, guess not....lol
Sunshine74 06:54 PM 11-10-2014
Originally Posted by daycare:
I teach off of what books I read.
so for example this week we are doing the letter you and reading under pants thunder pants and the ugly duckling.
I have over 2000 books and I just cant seem to find a system that keeps them organized so that I can find them after we are done with them.
currently we have them categorized by theme, but that is not really working. example. dinos, community helpers, letters, colors, etc....
I thought about having one of my assistants sit and enter each one into excel so that I know what books I have and then shelf them in ABC order. But that could take a really long time.
The other issue is that I keep re-buying some books as I can't find them when needed or I don't know where they went..........
how you do you all do it.
BTW these are my books, not the books that the kids use, they have their own library and it is not in any order but book on the shelf.
First of all I teach off of what books I read.
so for example this week we are doing the letter you and reading under pants thunder pants and the ugly duckling.
I have over 2000 books and I just cant seem to find a system that keeps them organized so that I can find them after we are done with them.
currently we have them categorized by theme, but that is not really working. example. dinos, community helpers, letters, colors, etc....
I thought about having one of my assistants sit and enter each one into excel so that I know what books I have and then shelf them in ABC order. But that could take a really long time.
The other issue is that I keep re-buying some books as I can't find them when needed or I don't know where they went..........
how you do you all do it.
BTW these are my books, not the books that the kids use, they have their own library and it is not in any order but book on the shelf.
(green with envy). I would love to have that many booksOriginally Posted by EntropyControlSpecialist:
Since it is your personal library and you teach with letters, mostly, I would put them in alphabetical order. I might also add colored duct tape to the spine. Just cut it small (a 1" strip) and place it from back to front with a key somewhere.
Green tape=Dinos
Blue tape=Community Helpers
Pink tape=Letters
This is what we do, but we use plain white dots (like you would use for a yard sale) and color them the appropriate color for the category. We put them on the spine of the book with a little packing tape. And we have a list of the categories and colors posted next to the books so we can grab what we need. Since it is your personal library and you teach with letters, mostly, I would put them in alphabetical order. I might also add colored duct tape to the spine. Just cut it small (a 1" strip) and place it from back to front with a key somewhere.
Green tape=Dinos
Blue tape=Community Helpers
Pink tape=Letters
So maybe you can do a combination of alphabetizing them, and categorizing them using a similar system to what we have. Put them in alphabetical order, but have them with the different colors so that you can cross reference them.