The (Dis)Organized Library Classroom :/

Well, I wish this post could be about all the ways I keep the library classroom super color coordinated and themed and cute and neat. That my posters and cords and organizers and crayons and pencils were all put away in their ultra-chic upcycled Pinterest/blog inspired binders or containers.

Sigh. It's not.

The inspiration for this post? Finding this in a drawer this afternoon. The END of March. Granted, could be used at any time. But I didn't even remember them. And why were they in that drawer?

Super awesome. Maybe it's the tender feelings (it's testing season ... you know that's code for STRESSED OUT) lately but it was the straw. Had so many questions today that were just so frustrating (IM to teacher ... "Student X's Nook that he requested will be charged and ready to check out tomorrow morning" ... student appears in library 20 minutes later. IM to teacher "Great non-fic magazines to give away to grades Y-Z" ... student from grade A appears in library 5 minutes later. "Oh, I was just teaching and we totally forgot to come for your lesson." What, my time in prep was not important? If it was just once I would try to understand ... but it's a pattern with a couple people. "Why don't you have a book on mud puppies?" Um, cause we have loads of other books and do they even WRITE a book plus two grades doing research on the same topic at the same time? No, you're not going to get the best selection. "Oh, don't get rid of those VHS. We love those. We can use them in topic X lesson." "Um, we've had DVD or streaming content with equivalent topics and you haven't checked out this video in four and a half years.") I turned to junk food on the way home. #lesseffective

You're not even getting pictures of the "best" piles. And stacks. And stuffed totebags. And containers. They would make this post more compelling but they would I have my limits. You'd think "She's a mess" and never come back.

So here is my plea. This information organization professional (but I CAN keep books in order ... they have a system! Classification! Or author's last name! I know where they are supposed to go) can't organize to save her life. I don't stay late after school because the after-school care group comes in and I still can't get anything done. Try during times between classes and then people come in and need things and I'd rather help them (most of the time ;)) than figure out what to do with stuff anyway. I want our space to be neater. We're on display 24/7 being so close to the front door/office and having no walls. Everyone sees everything. So what can I do?

Set a torch to the place would be my first thought. But I doubt it would go over well. :/