Library Sticks

The library card at our school in on a paint stick. When I got my job several years ago I gave lots of thought to the library card. I knew that even laminated paper doesn't last, so I had the idea of a paint stick, that could also be a shelf marker. It is fairy labor intensive on the front end, but well worth it. The students have their same stick for the two years that they are at our school and I only have to remake maybe 3 or 4 lost or broken ones a year.

The sticks stay in the classrooms in a paint can, of course. And I paint the ends, just for fun, since they are paint sticks.

If you plan to pass on this idea I have two disclaimers:

1. You do have to preach teach a really good lesson on what the library stick is NOT: it is not a fairy wand, not a sword, not a drumstick, not a Harry Potter wand, not a light saber - they always wonder how I know what that is:), not a baseball bat, etc,  At this point they start joining in with all kinds of ideas of what it is not!

2. Sand the sticks first. It is not worth anyone getting a splinter:)

These are my sweet parents who are great help. I promise they did this willingly! We get started on the library sticks in the summer. We (I promise I helped!) are painting each classroom group a different color.

After this step I add the student's name, the teacher's name, their barcode, their reading level with color dots (stickers) for the appropriate reading level. I put glue over their barcode and sticker dots. You could add passwords.

 

A library stick in action! (You can see a paint can in this picture.)