Library Teaching Resources

School librarians and media specialists, rejoice! The ultimate collection of school library resources is here with decor for elementary and middle school libraries and media centers, book review templates and a whole lot more!

Created by the literacy specialists on the Teach Starter team, this collection is packed with printables and activities designed to get your students hooked on reading and teach them to become informed consumers of a variety of media.

Explore the complete collection, and you'll also find tools created to help you keep things organized and teach students about the special organization systems that exist in libraries!

Are you new to running the school library or media center? Read on for some tips from our teacher team to make the most of the space!

How to Create a School Library Space Kids Love

You've probably heard the saying over the years that the library is the "heart of the school." Maybe it's even why you decided to pursue a career working in a school media center.

But now that you're in the space, are you looking for ways to ensure library time is the special that students can't wait for each week?

Here are some tips from our teacher team!

1. Set up a makerspace. Library-based makerspaces have taken off in the past decade, and social media is full of incredible ideas at schools around the country. But don't let those over-the-top spaces scare you. Start small with small creation stations where kids can create with popular building bricks or creative craft supplies like duct tape, then build from there!
2. Set up a school reading dog program. There's a growing body of evidence that reading to dogs can help young readers become more confident. So why not set up a reading dog program at your school? Partner with the owner of a therapy dog in your area (ask school staff for suggestions — they might have one of their own!), and set up a schedule for special visits from Fido.
3. Hold regular book tastings. Help students break out of their reading comfort zones with the fun of book tastings that give them a "taste" of books they might not have chosen for themselves. (Don't forget to check out our book tasting resources to save you time!)
4. Create "zines" with your students. The library has always been the place where students have learned about different forms of content — from books to online newspapers, and, of course, magazines. Keep the flavor of the latter alive with a zine project with some of your upper elementary or middle school students, challenging today's digital kids to go analog.