Teachers like me are trying desperately to maintain a sense of “normal” as we head back to school, but shared parts of the classroom, like libraries, are in question. Can they be used? If yes, how can we do it safely? Here are my unofficial thoughts on this issue.
Please note that I am not a medical expert and am basing my conclusions on the research listed below. Please do your own research and contact your school district for information on requirements and guidelines in your area.
My research has indicated that the Coronavirus does not live on surfaces, even porous ones like paper, for more than five days at the most. (Read about my findings from the CDC, Canadian Public Health, and WebMD.)
This leads me to feel comfortable opening my shared classroom library with some strict guidelines for use.
How We Will Use Our Classroom Library
My students will be required to wash or sanitize their hands following our district’s guidelines before touching any of the books in our classroom library.
They’ll peruse the collection and choose the book they would like to read, keeping it at school at all times. I usually allow my students to carry books between home and school, but to minimize the risk of virus transmission that will no longer be allowed.
When they’re finished, students will return their book to the bin labeled with that day of the week. Books returned on a Tuesday will be placed in the Tuesday bin, while books returned on a Friday will be placed in the Friday bin.
These books will not be touched until the same day in the following week.
This means that the books are “quarantined” for seven days, enough time for any Coronavirus exposure to not survive.
On the morning of each day, I will remove the previous week’s books and reshelve them into our bins for students to access again.
Grab Your Own Bin Labels
If you’d like to try this system, with the support of your school district, and would like to use my bin labels, you can grab them free right here:
I’d love to hear how you’re keeping your classroom as “normal” as possible during this challenging time! Reach out by email at questions {at} mrsbeattiesclassroom.com or leave a comment below!
You might also be interested in the ideas I’ve shared in this blog post:
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