Help! There's a reading stampede in the library! The Florida state award books are flying off the shelves and my students are growing frustrated waiting for their turn to check one out. We need another copy to circulate in the library so more students and teachers can read these great books.
My school library media center serves students in kindergarten through 5th grade from low income families.
81% qualify for free lunch. My students' families live in a rural community that does not have a public library nearby. There is not a branch library or book store within driving distance for our families. Most students do not have access to new books in their homes. Our school is the hub of the community and the media center is the only source of books for many of my students. Students are especially excited to read the new books as they arrive.
The school was established in 1856 and is the oldest currently operating elementary school in the district. While students are proud of their school's history, they also deserve new, high quality books to read.
My Project
My students are so excited when new books arrive! They can't wait to check them out! There is often a waiting list and disappointed faces. New books shipments are rare due to limited funding. The average age of books in the collection is 14 years and the number of books per student decreased from 24 in 2003 to 17 currently due to lost books and outdated titles. Books nominated for the Sunshine State Young Reader Award are selected by librarians throughout the state of Florida. The titles are recently published and selected based on their quality and readability by students on each grade level. Similarly, the Florida Reading Association nominates books for the Florida Children's Book Award for grades K-2 based on their appeal to students of this age group. This set of books would provide current, engaging reading materials to meet the needs of all my students, grades kindergarten through fifth grade. Students are excited to read these books and vote for their favorite!
These books will be housed in the school library media center insuring access to students and teachers school-wide.
High quality, high interest books are more inviting to students and they are more likely to check them out and read them. New books show my students that reading is important and they are valuable. Also, these books, as part of a state-wide program, insure my students are involved in activities beyond their small town and feel part of the larger reading community.
More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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