How Do You Shelve Books for Beginning Readers?

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about ways that public libraries can make beginning reader collections more accessible and easier to navigate for library staff, kids, and the grown ups in their lives. How does the way a collection is shelved and cataloged help or hinder children and grown ups looking for engaging titles that can be successfully read independently?



Click on image to enlarge.
Visual of elements to consider when shelving beginning
readers at the public library. Created by the author.

For me there are two major components: reader interest and reading level. Sometimes a reader’s interest and level are such that there are tons of titles for them to choose from; other times it seems as if those interests and levels are at odds with what is on the shelf. 

  

I’m sure we’ve all experienced customers who want to know where the first grade books, level J/350/2.5, or “the books that teach my kid to read” are located. While it’s certainly important for kids to find “just right” books so they can build fluency and confidence, it hurts my heart every time a grown up restricts a child from picking a book because it’s too hard or too easy. What a missed opportunity to expand vocabulary and background context, not to mention foster a love of reading!

On the other hand, I’ve seen kids become discouraged when they open book after book on a topic they adore, but they can tell at a glance have too many words, not enough pictures, or are just too long. How can we better support readers so they can find books that engage their particular passion and create a successful reading experience?

Now think of those two components combined with navigation of the physical space. Many beginning readers don’t have the reading skills to navigate a computer catalog or the physical library space independently. They have to rely on a grown up, another kid, or visual, non-textual, clues to find the books they want (such as signs with images of topics or characters they know). Thanks to Renee Grassi for bringing this point (and many others) to light in her recent ALSC post.

Levels also impact the discoverability of beginning reader titles. First, the journey of learning to read has a lot of baby steps. There’s a big difference between Milgrim’s Go, Otto, Go and The Infamous Ratsos by Kara LaReau, illustrated by Matt Myers . And yet both were recognized by the 2017 Geisel Award Committee. Second, there are the many reading level assessment systems used in the United States. A factor that varies depending on your community and school district(s). There might even be several systems used at the same district or school. Finally, each publisher has a different way of determining the reading level of a title, as well as their own set of labels (Level A, Level 1, Step 3, etc.). Check out Danielle Jones’ post on Navigating the Challenging World of Reading Levels for more on this topic.

With all of this in mind, I wonder, how does your library balance the need for new readers to have the freedom to select their own reading material (regardless of level) with the very real need to have some sort of system to support grown ups trying to find a book that is engaging, as well as confidence building, for their child? Let's get a conversation going in the comments below.