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Goal

Last year, learning gains among our English Language Learners (ELL) and Exceptional Student Education (ESE) students represented our greatest area for improvement. This year, my goal is to foster a love of reading by encouraging students to explore books that align with their individual interests, whether fiction or nonfiction.

To support this goal, I plan to increase student engagement with library resources by promoting browsing, discovery, and access to new titles while creating a warm, welcoming environment in the Library Media Center. Face-out book displays, known as dynamic shelving, will be a key strategy, as colorful, graphic book covers are often the first element that captures a reader’s attention and encourages selection. These displays make it easier for students to discover new authors, series, and topics, helping them find selections they may not have otherwise considered and ultimately increasing interest in reading for pleasure.

Bookmarks will be distributed with each checked-out book to encourage proper book care and support positive reading habits. Providing bookmarks to students, particularly those in our ELL and ESE populations who may not have access to these resources at home, helps create a more inclusive library experience. This small incentive promotes a sense of belonging, encourages independent reading, and provides students with the same opportunities and tools as their peers. 

 

Category

Class Furniture - Carpets, choral risers, transitional seating/desks, etc. 

 

What will be done with my students

The budgeted items will be used to create additional dynamic shelving within the Library Media Center. Over the past two years, I have incorporated plastic baskets and clear storage containers to create a more responsive, student-centered library environment. These organizational tools help students quickly locate favorite series and browse books by interest-based topics, such as recipes, fishing, military careers, or sports.

I will provide a variety of "free" bookmarks to students at the time of checkout. Offering students a choice of bookmarks promotes engagement, encourages regular reading habits

The materials will be purchased in fall 2026. By January 2027, all bins will be labeled and populated based on circulation trends, student interests, popular titles, and seasonal themes. Fiction series will be grouped together in clear containers to improve accessibility and visibility.  

 

Benefits to my Students

ELL and ESE students benefit from exposure to a wide variety of texts to support literacy growth and improve FAST performance. Many students view reading as a "required" task for an English class rather than an enjoyable activity. By highlighting underutilized collections in high-traffic areas, these display containers will increase student interest in reading for personal enjoyment, knowledge, and growth.

Circulation data will be collected from fall 2026 through spring 2027 to measure the impact of front-facing displays and curated collections. The goal is to increase student engagement and reading interest by making books easier to discover and more visually appealing.

By incorporating student feedback and addressing diverse learning preferences, I will create a more engaging, student-centered collection layout that encourages exploration, discovery, and independent reading. 

 

Budget Narrative

A variety of clear storage containers will be used to accommodate books of different sizes and formats. Many nonfiction titles are published in a landscape format and require wider containers, while fiction books vary significantly in size. Larger containers are especially beneficial for series collections, such as Harry Potter, which include both standard and oversized volumes. Providing containers of varying dimensions ensures that books can be displayed attractively, organized effectively, and accessed easily by students.

In the past, bookmarks were available on the circulation desk or in a basket for students to select. The addition of a bookmark display stand, similar to those commonly found in bookstores, will create a more engaging and authentic browsing experience. This enhancement will encourage students to explore available bookmarks while providing a real-world connection to the reading and book selection process. 

 

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