Meet Shelby the Shelf Marker!

Welcome

“Hi! I’m Shelby the Shelf Marker. Welcome to the library media center!”

Neat!

“There are a lot of books in our library. Doesn’t it look neat?”

Wow!

“But think what would happen if the books were THROWN into a pile?”

Ugh!

“Or, what if the books were STUFFED into the bookcase?”

Help!

“How would you find anything?”

“That’s where I comes in. It’s my job to help keep the books in order. (I’m VERY important, but I try not to act like it!)

You may be asking, “Why do the librarians keep the library so NEAT? Why don ’t they just put the books anywhere?”

Librarians have to keep the books in a special order so you can find the books you want when you want them.

Start digging!

It would take a long time to find a book if you have to dig through a mess.

Found it!

But if the books are in order, you can find the book you want FAST!

You go, girl!

That’s why librarians work so hard to get books in order, and keep them that way. They want you to find that special book!

I’m going to miss recess!

“Who likes to dig through a mess? Who has time?”

“That’s why I’m so important!”

“I mark a book’s place on the shelf while you look at it. But let me start from the beginning.”

“It takes time to find a good book to read.”

Me first!

“When you find a book that looks interesting, put me on the shelf next to it.”

Don’t let me fall!

“Don’t pull out the book until I’m safely on the shelf.”

“Help! I’m falling! OUCH!”

“Once you know I’m in place, then you can pull out the book.”

This spot is saved!

“While you look at a book, I’m saving your place on the shelf.”

Home, sweet home!

“If you decide you don’t want the book, I remind you where it belongs. I’m sitting in the book’s special spot. I’m protecting its home until the book is returned.”

Book first, me last!

“Once you decide you don’t want the book, put it back home BEFORE you take me off the shelf. This time, I’M LAST!”

“NEVER put a book back on the shelf without me marking its home. Only librarians can do that. Are you a librarian?”

Don’t leave me behind!

“If you decide to check out the book, take me with you. I don’t need to stay on the shelf if you are going to check it out. Take me with you to the computer and check out.”

Keep me busy!

“Return me to my special spot in the library so I can help another friend.”

“Remember! Books like to go home, just like you do.”

“Is there room on the shelf for this book? Sure, but this is not its home. I’m not saving its place, so don’t put your book here.”

Save Your Valuable Brain

“Let me do my job! Let me remind you where the book belongs so you don’t have to remember. You need to save your brain for more important information!”

Let’s pretend…

“What if your teacher puts you on a bus this afternoon and tells the driver to drop you off at a stranger’s house? Do you want to go home to a stranger’s house?”

NO!

“If you’re dropped off at a stranger’s house and not at home, your family will worry and think you’re lost.”

“If a book is not returned to its home, we think it’s lost.”

Boo-hoo! Where’s my book?

Ah! Home Sweet Home!

“Just like you, every book has a home. Books belong at home until someone checks it out.”

“Speak up for books! Help us keep them in order and at home until they are checked out. Please don’t let the poor little books get lost from their homes!”

Rocky Ridge Elementary SchoolHoover, Alabama

Karen King, Library Media SpecialistSpecial thanks to Microsoft for their excellent selection of PowerPoint designs. Librarians are welcome to link to this page. Your comments and suggestions are welcome. My e-mail address is: kaking@hoover.k12.al.us.

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