Reading Promotion

In order to promote reading I sent teachers an email that explained that I was setting up a display of books recommended by them, the teachers. If I were to do this particular display again i would include the support staff and administrators. All of the adults in a school have an impact on the lives of the students and should be represented in the type of displays that i created at the middle school and high school. Before I go on I should mention that I have been working as an interim library media specialist in the greater Milwaukee area. My time is split between the district's middle school and high school. Below is an example of how I start the dispaly of teacher recommendations. Just a simple picture of the book cover on one side with the title, author, call number and who recommended the book on the other side. This display was arranged on an empty wall above the tables where the library's printers are located. A good place to catch the eye of students and staff alike as they pick up their printing.

At the start of the school year I created different book displays and moved the portable shelving dispaly unit to various points in the library. So far, displays on this unit have consisted of fall sports, new books, spooky tales and holiday tales.

How ever, the latest display consists of the teacher recommendation signs along with the book. The portable display case has been moved so that one can't help but notice it when entering the library. If you have a sharp eye you will notice that the book signs below don't have a call number. Stephen King's 11/22/63 was a recommendation that the library didn't own, but was still displayed with the others above the printers. When the books that were recommended y staff were purchased for the library the recommendation signs were moved to the new book display. A plus of moving the display case closer to the door is that since it wasn't against a column, as pictured above, more books could be displayed on it.

Recently, a bulletin board was installed above the printers, so the teacher recommendation signs needed to be moved. The most logical place seemed to be the area of the library where the books are kept. Here are a few of the non-fiction books that were recommended by staff. I work with a great staff who are also helpful in promoting reading.

To promote reading and new books I also set books out on display in various locations around the library.

 Students tend to gravitate towards the windows.

 Book standards are great when you have them, but sometimes we run out and have to revert to standing the books up, like on the left.

 Something new this year was to set some of the new issues of magazines out on the circulation desk to try to interest students in picking them up.

The Summonings by Kelly Armstrong was a book club selection. The one page advert for to the left of the books was also shared with teachers in the English department and others who were willing to promote the book club. The great thing about book clubs is it is never to late to join.