Reading vs Weeding

It's inventory time! I feel like yelling it's ninja time, but my boys are too old for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. (My Kindergarteners would know who the Turtles are.)  My non-fiction section looks like a ninja battle took place, but it's just where I'm weeding.

I have a love/hate relationship with the word "weeding". I know it has to be done to keep my collection updated. The books that are worn out, ripped or other wise beyond repair I'll find a home for with kids. Others I will send to the recycling box. Dispose of library books? Yes, I have one teacher who can't believe I am getting rid of some "perfect good books". Problem - they are not "perfectly good". If the books contain information that is wrong or outdated, I feel it's my duty to remove them from the school library's collection. For example, examine these two books on Pluto.

They look like great books. Only problem - they are outdated. Pluto is still a planet and not classified as a dwarf planet. Sounds like a minor problem to most people, but I don't want my student to read something incorrect in my library. Call me picky! I have a couple updated books ordered.

So how am I spending my afternoons this week: inventory and weeding. Fun times!

Keep Reading! I will as soon as inventory is finished. (I have another Rick Riordan book to finish. My teenager has me hooked.)

Inventory Fun. NOT!

I just love inventory. NOT! Inventory is just not as fun as reading to my students. Yes, it is a great time to clean the shelves and do a little weeding, but..... I would rather be teaching my students. I was scanning my Easy/Picture books today and realize I have a few classic books that no one reads anymore. I'm going to send them to the teachers. If my teachers don't want them, I'll give them away this summer. I can't stand to throw them out. Julie @ A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet  had some excellent suggestions on recycling old books. If you haven't checked out her latest post, do so immediately! It was wonderful. I'm going to have to get crafty with a few of my old chapter books.

 I just received my last book order for this school year and I'm really sad. SAD because my students won't be able to check them out this school year. My students only have 6 days left and of course they're not checking out books at the moment. I keep reminding them that they can read them this summer. (I'm open on Wednesdays during June and July.) What they don't realize is that I get to read them before they do!  The hardest part will be choosing which ones to read first. I'm real excited about my Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt  and There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a ... by Lucille Colandro  books. I've been finding some cute units on TPT with Ms. Colandro's books. Now I have an excuse to go shopping! As for Ms. Watt's stories, who doesn't love Scaredy Squirrel. My older students even like me to read them OUT LOUD!

 

Happy Reading!