Subject: Literacy
Age Group: Early Years onwards
Topic: Library and resource management
Synopsis: At this time of the year people love giving their homes a clear out. Often that means schools are asked if they’d like some second-hand books. How do you decide if these are suitable for your school library or class reading corner? Blog post by Nicola Baird

Librarian’s view:
To buy 100 new books split evenly between fiction and non-fiction in today’s market could easily cost over £1,000. With the discount specialists like SLS receive from suppliers, the cost for the same number of books could be reduced to around £750. This saving can be used by the school for other spending. But what if you could replenish your library with a gift of second-hand books?
Libraries need makeovers and you can’t have tatty books in your collection. But you also want the shelves to feel up-to-date and boasting the sort of titles that reflect your school’s ethos. When it comes to a pre-loved collection of books this is easier if you have a library policy, something the team at SLS can help you with.
But first what are you going to say to this gift of second-hand books?
NO: Saying no without looking through the titles will be time-saving, but it might mean that your school library misses out.
YES: Saying yes without being prepared to spend time sorting through the titles is a mistake. Here’s a rough guide to how to organise this gift:
- Start by doing a rough weed to remove all books that are not in good condition. These can be recycled or even used for craft projects.
- Next remove all that are for older readers and see if the donor will take them back (possibly to a secondary school).
- Now you need to look at each title and decide if it is suitable for your school’s pupils. If supervised would the school pupil librarians enjoy making these decisions? The answer is probably yes if you stress how important it is to be honest about its readability. “Would they pick up this book in the library,” is a question that the National Literacy Trust recommends asking pupil librarians.
It really helps if your school already has a library policy or is trying to increase its stock in particular categories (eg, genres, reading age, inclusive titles). If you keep to your library policy you will then only bring second-hand books into your school library that fulfil all the criteria.
Good luck.
For more help about how to stock your library see:
Do you want help diversifying your reading collection in your school? Find out how cost-effective a Schools Library Service subscription can be >>