Newest Post: 16 School Library Activities for New Books
From Overwhelmed to Joyful:
Make Your Library the Happiest Classroom in the Building
...without sacrificing your personal life
Grab My Free Guide: 101 Ways to Make Your School Library More Amazing
Created by a Teacher of the Year and author of Demco's guide to transformative library centers
Save Prep Time
Increase Engagement
Reduce Behavior Issues
Connect With Readers
Reclaim Your Life
I Don't Know About You, But...
You teach all day, every day, while maintaining thousands of books that need to be in the right place, repaired, and ready for check out.
What you really want is to help students find good books and get hooked on reading for life, but admin tasks keep getting in the way.
You're dealing with increasing demands while nothing is ever taken away from your plate - from textbook management to testing coordination.
Those precious one-on-one conversations with students who are struggling to connect with books feel impossible to fit into your packed schedule.
The school library should be the happiest classroom in the building, but right now it might be creating the most stress in your life.
Hey, Friend. I've Been There.
I’ll never forget the overwhelm of constant classes, behavior challenges, and endless administrative tasks that left me with no time for what matters most – connecting students with books they’ll love.
That’s why I developed a library centers approach that transformed my teaching AND gave me my life back. I was voted Teacher of the Year on my campus because my fellow teachers recognized how my library center system created an effective, joyful learning environment.
Now I’m sharing these exact strategies with elementary librarians who want to stop sacrificing their personal lives for their professional effectiveness.
Solutions That Give You Back Your Time (And Sanity!)
How Library Centers Transform Your Library (And Life!)
Set Up Your Centers
Create low-prep, high-engagement centers that students can navigate independently. When I set up my centers, I make sure they're easy to manage and aligned with what students need to learn in the library.
Teach Students the Routine
Show students how centers work once, and they'll follow the routine all year. I like to keep it pretty casual, but clear - students know exactly what to do at each center without constant direction.
Connect While They Work
While most of your class is engaged in centers, you'll have time for those one-on-one conversations with students who need help finding the perfect book. This is where the magic happens!
Enjoy Your Evening
With centers doing the heavy lifting, you'll find yourself leaving school on time with lessons prepared and a smile on your face. No more sacrificing your personal life for professional effectiveness.
Hi, Friend! I'm Cari, Your Library Teammate!
After 17 years as a school librarian, I believe you shouldn’t have to sacrifice your personal life to create an amazing library program. After years of feeling overwhelmed by constant classes, I developed a library centers approach that transformed my teaching – and earned me Teacher of the Year recognition from my fellow educators.
I wrote the book on library centers (literally – it was published by Demco!), and now I’m here to help you create the library program of your dreams without the stress and burnout.
Grab Your Free Guide:
101 Ways to Make Your School Library More Amazing
Creative lesson sparks, fun reading promotion ideas, simple ways to build stronger teacher connections, and fresh approaches to library management – all designed to help overwhelmed librarians with practical solutions.
These 101 ideas will give you immediate relief and transform your school library.
Stop Sacrificing Your Life for Your Library
You can create the vibrant, engaging library of your dreams AND have time to enjoy your life outside of school.
