Books only come to life
if they are read, I tell myself,
as I spy old favorites
strewn across the
library tables.
The report ran hundreds
of pages long
Books that were sitting
on the shelves,
barely touched, if at all.
Five or six dozen at a time,
they are displayed for a week
Every student and teacher
encouraged to look there first,
rescue them if they need
to be brought to life again.
There are a few I rescue,
knowing they still fit
within our curriculum.
After the last class on Friday,
we box up the remainder
and send them on
to the warehouse
for someone else
to breathe life into the stories.
Weeding is hard work- sounds like you have a good process. I struggle because I think if I weed a book it probably should not get passed on, as there is likely not a real need for that book anywhere.
ReplyDeleteI don't usually pass on the books, Erika, because if our kids don't want them, I'm thinking the same for others. Luckily, we have a district system where we can send them to our warehouse to be sold off.
DeleteI'm curious about which books were rescued by students. This week our librarian put a call out for The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash because a teacher requested it but it had been weeded. I find it interesting how books feel more sedate once I purchase them. I guess it because I now know that I have more time to read them than library books. hmmmmm
ReplyDeleteLess than a dozen or so from the five dozen we put out at a time get rescued (and admittedly, I have rescued a few--Max's Words is one example, Miss Rumphius another, because of their curricular value). The ones the students pick are newer publications with bright illustrations or novels that I'm glad were picked up.
DeleteI love your last lines, "for someone else to breathe life into the stories." Any time I pulled a cart full of books for weeding, those are the ones the kids wanted to check out. Sure enough, some stayed. It's a tough job.
ReplyDeleteWe have 2000 picture books alone that have circulated less than three times in the last four-plus years. And you know I spend my book budget to the last dime each year--we need to make room!
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