Fill The Shelves

CHANDLER ELEMENTARY Our Library is at Chandler Elementary School...

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 22:47:34 -0400

CHANDLER ELEMENTARY

Our Library is at Chandler Elementary School in Worcester Massachusetts. It is an inner city school that serves students in grades k-6. All of our students recieve free lunch and have many needs that the school attempts to meet. One of these needs is more books! Most of our students do not have any books at home. They do not have transportation to the city library. The only books many of our students have access to are the books they can read in school. With books from Fill the Shelves we could help develop our students love of reading. We could also continue to teach them the decoding and comprehension skills they need to succeed. From learning to read, to reading to learn, your help would improve the education and enjoyment of hundreds of students.

PATHFINDER K8 Pathfinder is a K-8 school with 38% low income...

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 14:18:00 -0400

PATHFINDER K8

Pathfinder is a K-8 school with 38% low income students, and close to 30% special education students. We are an alternative school in Seattle and draw a number of students who aren’t yet succeeding in school. While our overall student achievement compares to the average in our district, there are a number readers who clearly fall below that range and need lots of support. Most of these kids with high needs come from homes with few books, and the books available to them make a huge difference. With an average publication date of 1996 in the library collection, we are working hard to weed the tired books out and get the books students want to read into their hands!

Our 100 book wish list includes two kinds of books: 1) Titles students ask for, including graphic novels. The few graphic books we have are constantly checked out. Stephen Krashen (2004) documents that increased access to interesting books leads to more reading, and more reading leads to better reading, writing, spelling, grammar and a larger vocabulary. Self-selected books is the place to start for less engaged and less skilled readers. 2) Titles teachers need to successfully teach reading and social studies in their classrooms. Our school does not use text books (which present altogether another challenge) and teachers scramble to find the range of books that their students can read successfully. Teaching a bibliography or nonfiction unit effectively means that 2^nd/3^rd grade teachers, for instance, need books that span 5-6 grade levels. Housing the books within the library collection rather than classrooms means more access for more readers! Thank you for partnering with our school to help achieve these goals!

TUSCON HIGH SCHOOL The Tucson High Magnet School serves 3200...

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 14:08:00 -0400

TUSCON HIGH SCHOOL

The Tucson High Magnet School serves 3200 students in Urban Tucson, approximately 63% of who are on free-and-reduced lunch. We are particularly proud of our library media center program, which has survived dramatic cuts over the last five years and yet continues to expand its services. It is still the hub for academics, as well as a safe haven for students on such a large campus. We recorded over 42,000 walk-ins last year! This statistic only reflects students who use our facility on an individual basis, and does not include the classes who regularly use the library for instruction in information literacy skills and research. While we receive access to online databases through the Pima County Public Library, we have to rely on book donations and used bookstore credit to keep our print collection current because we have no book budget. Our students are avid Japanese manga book readers, and many of them check in and out five manga books before school, at lunch, and after school every day! Not only would we like to keep our manga readers happy by updating the many series we have, we would be thrilled to be able to offer current bestsellers and award-winners – those books that are not donated or readily found in used bookstores. Contrary to popular belief, high school students do read!

HAYDEN ELEMENTARY Hayden Elementary is a rural Title 1 school in...

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:25:54 -0400

HAYDEN ELEMENTARY

Hayden Elementary is a rural Title 1 school in Hayden, Alabama that serves approx. 365 students in grades 3-4. Six years ago, our schools split leaving us with a small and inadequate collection of library books. Over the past six years, we have worked hard to restore and improve out current collection by writing grants. Even with grant funding, the lack of library enhancement funds due to proration has made our efforts unsuccessful. Our students LOVE to read and it shows in our circulation. We circulate between 300-500 books daily. Because of this, the books that we do have are worn out quickly and must be replaced. Students are all the time coming to the library inquiring about new titles that they have heard about and are interested in reading. I want to be able to provide these for my students.

CROWELL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL Crowell Independent School District...

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:16:00 -0400

CROWELL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

Crowell Independent School District is a small school district located in Foard County in the lower Texas Panhandle. Our school is a K-12 campus with an enrollment of 219 students. Of these students, 66% receive free/reduced lunches. Students visit the Crowell School Library each day and enjoy the use and selection of books that the library provides. The junior high school section of our library is underdeveloped. We need books that are appropriate in subject matter and in reading level for these students. We feel that a more complete selection of junior high books will enable our students to become better readers and life-long learners.

SAYDEL SCHOOL We are a school system in Des Moines, Iowa which...

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 14:21:00 -0500

SAYDEL SCHOOL

We are a school system in Des Moines, Iowa which is in an unincorporated area of the city, and is not part of the Des Moines school system. Our students are 60% free and reduced lunch and we have a high population who are homeless. 18 % are on IEP’s and we are classified as a SINA (Schools in Need of Assistance) school. We have a number of families that do not speak English in the homes. Because of this factor, I have included some bilingual or Hispanic themed titles in the wishlist. New books always serve as high motivation for our readers and we hope this project can stimulate more reading within our system, which will increase our low reading scores.

SUSAN MOORE HIGH SCHOOL Susan Moore High School in Blountsville,...

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 16:11:00 -0500

SUSAN MOORE HIGH SCHOOL

Susan Moore High School in Blountsville, AL, is a Title 1 school, servicing a rural population of students, 65% of which receive free or reduced lunch. Our library serves approximately 620 students. We also serve our community because the closest public library is 20 miles away. It is important for us to have research materials because driving that far to the public library is very difficult for some of our students. The students have also asked about new, popular books that we are unable to purchase because of funding shortages. Also, since we only have one or a couple of copies of our books, they quickly become worn and fall apart. Our students WANT to read, and I would love to fill our library with resources that they will enjoy. I collaborate with teachers on research assignments to increase our circulation, but we do not have enough non-fiction books to effectively help the students. Any help we receive will definitely be appreciated!

178 BOOKS SENT! Thank you so much to all the people who helped...

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 15:59:00 -0500

178 BOOKS SENT!

Thank you so much to all the people who helped get a full wishlist of books on the way to this wonderful school. If you’ve just arrived, please consider helping our other schools in need of books! Let’s get more kids excited to read. Also please follow us on Twitter or Facebook - we have lots more empty shelves to fill, coming soon.

PATTERSON ELEMENTARY

Patterson Elementary is a Title 1 school in Washington, DC that serves 340 students from preschool through fifth grade. Over 80% of Patterson’s students qualify for free or reduced price lunch. The library serves as a place to connect the student body – every student visits the library at least once a week, and it the only place in the school where they can read whatever they want. This ability to check out what they want, regardless of what they are learning about or what their reading level is, is key because letting students read books that match their interests is the best way to increase interest in reading. The average book in our library collection is from 1992, and much of the collection looks old-fashioned, and lacks appeal to students browsing the shelves, looking for things to read. While we do have a librarian, the collection is funded entirely through grants and donations, so we really appreciate your support. Thanks for your help!

130 BOOKS SENT! Thank you so much to all the people who helped...

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 17:55:00 -0400

130 BOOKS SENT!

NATHAN HALE ELEMENTARY

The mission of the Nathan Hale School Library is to empower students to become critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, and skillful researchers; to develop imaginations, foster learning, and to enable students to live as responsible citizens.

Our school is over 80% free and reduced lunch. We are always looking for ways to fund our school library, which, just 5 years ago, was mostly used as a storage closet. Since then, our library has become a vibrant, creative place that students visit- and enjoy- on a weekly basis. My favorite quote is “Libraries are not made; they grow, by Augustine Birrell. It sums up our library perfectly. Our 5th grade students have taken the initiative this year to work in the library after school - it’s a source of pride for them now. And we are constantly adding to and updating our “Book Request Jar” - filled with dozens of stickie-notes. This Amazon Wish List reflects their favorite current fiction titles - many of which are recent best sellers. Please help us in our plight to keep our library current and up-to-date (without having a budget!). Thank you.

100 BOOKS SENT! Thank you so much to all the people who helped...

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 17:47:00 -0400

100 BOOKS SENT!

ALVARADO MIDDLE SCHOOL

Alvarado Middle is a grades 6-8 school located in Union City, California (a suburb of the San Francisco Bay Area). We have a culturally and ethnically diverse population of approximately 1400 students who love their library. Over the years the library has been the hub of the school where students can come check out books to escape, learn, discover, and grow as individuals. However, recent cuts to education have had a drastic impact on our Library Media Program. The hours of the library have been reduced, and the budget eliminated. Many of our well-loved books are falling apart and in desperate need of replacement, and students come in seeking new titles that we are not able to purchase. As the Library Media Teacher, I continue to seek ways to get books into students’ hands and help them become lifelong readers.

238 BOOKS SENT! Thank you so much to all the people who helped...

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 12:01:00 -0400

238 BOOKS SENT!

STEELTON HIGHSPIRE ELEMENTARY

Steelton Highspire Elementary is a Title 1 school, servicing an urban population of students where at least 75% of them are on free/ reduced lunch. The school library serves grades pre-K-6th grade- approximately 800 students. There is also no community library, so I’m basically their only source. We have a high transient population and many books are lost during the year to students who move and take the books with them. There are so many popular books that my students enjoy and don’t have enough copies to go around!

107 BOOKS SENT! Thank you so much to all the people who helped...

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 13:05:00 -0400

107 BOOKS SENT!

JORGE MAS CANOSA MIDDLE SCHOOL

Our school, Jorge Mas Canosa Middle School, is the largest middle school in Miami Dade County we have over 2000 students (yea, it’s like a high school). We opened in west Miami-Dade County in August of 2007 with only 1300 students and have grown by leaps and bounds. We are a Title One school which means that 80% of our students are on free or reduced lunch. Our campus has 3 buildings, the Media Center is in Building 1, which is not the building with all the classrooms. Therefore, we are constantly promoting the Media Center by changing book displays, going on the morning announcements, giving away prizes for participation in the Accelerated Reading Program, and collaborating with teachers to increase our circulation and instill the love of reading in middle school students (which is really difficult).

OUR FIRST SUCCESS STORY! The very first wish list filled, 221...

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 21:14:00 -0400

OUR FIRST SUCCESS STORY!

The very first wish list filled, 221 books, went to Southside Elementary. Their library had no books for fourth graders. None. Listen to what’s happening now…

“Southside Elementary School was bombarded with boxes and boxes of fabulous books today. The poor UPS guy didn’t know what to think as he hauled them in on the dolly. Our students were very excited and could not contain themselves as I opened boxes and showed them each book. The ‘oohs and aahs’ were heard all around as excitement filled the air. One student wanted to know if it was my birthday. LOL! I then explained how wonderful people across the nation had so much faith in them they wanted to make sure they had plenty of great books to read! I read the notes that came from the gifters and with eyes wide, the students would repeat the state the sender was from in awe. They couldn’t believe this many people cared enough to bless them with so many books and they can’t wait until the books are logged, labeled and ready to read! Thank you to everyone who has made this happen for my students and our school.”

Help us make more book magic happen! See our current wish lists for more books still waiting to head to a school in need.

103 BOOKS SENT! Thank you so much to all the people who helped...

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 16:49:00 -0400

103 BOOKS SENT!

Downsville Charter School is a small school in Downsville, Louisiana. We are in the northern part of the state, so we are not Cajuns nor do we have alligators in our back yards! We live in the piney hills close to Lake D’Arbonne. Our school is a K-12 with an enrollment of about 330 students. Our students participate in basketball, baseball, softball, and tennis. Our clubs include Beta Club, FBLA, FCA, FCCLA, FFA, 4-H, and Student Council. Our students love to read in their spare time. Our library operates on very limited funds due to the fact we are in a rural parish with few businesses. Our needs always outweigh our funds. Most of our books are really old. I would love to be able to update our collection.

221 BOOKS SENT!!! Thank you so much to all the people who helped...

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 14:18:00 -0400

221 BOOKS SENT!!!

Thank you so much to all the people who helped get 221 (!!!) books on the way to this wonderful school. If you’ve just arrived, please consider helping our two other schools in need of books! Let’s get more kids excited to read. Also please follow us on Twitter or Facebook - we have lots more empty shelves to fill, coming soon.

SOUTHSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Southside Elementary School is a Title 1 school in Jonesboro, Louisiana. Due to school reconfiguration two years ago, our fourth grade was moved from the local middle school back to the elementary school. Unfortunately, our library books did not make the trip with us. Southside serves about five-hundred pre-k to fourth grade students. Most students are from low-income and low socioeconomic backgrounds and reading is not a priority in their home. Our students generally read at least two reading levels below their grade level. Since Louisiana has recently adopted the Common Core Standards, our students are required to read more complex text on grade level in order to meet those standards. However, our library only has a few books and none of those are fourth grade level. Very few are even third grade level. We are in dire need of some chapter books on the thrid, fourth and fifth grade level as well as some interesting non-fiction books to peak our students’ interest.

Last year, we did not have a librarian at all due to budget cuts. Our students didn’t even get to go to the school library to check out any books. This year, due to construction on the campus, the “office” is housed in our library and although we do have a librarian, our students can’t use the library until the office moves out which should be by mid-term. We hope to have the library up and running by January, but we still have the problem of not having enough books on grade level for the fourth grade students. Due to budget cuts, we don’t have very much money to order extra books. Certainly not enough to serve all our fourth graders.

As the reading teacher for the entire fourth grade, I do require my students to participate in the Accelerated Reader program. Unfortunately, finding books for my students to read on their reading level as well as books for the students to read to meet the Common Core Standard is very difficult. For my classroom library, I have a few books, but not enough to do justice for the seventy-one fourth graders I teach each day. If we could get more books for our school library then our students would have some fabulous choices for reading material. Books take you places you may never get to go otherwise, and we want each and everyone of our students to go as far as they possibly can. Even if it is only in their imagination.