Back to School 2024: Your Guide to Success

I was at a barbeque this past weekend. Among the attendees was a kindergarten teacher, who informed me that her school year starts in precisely 24 days. My mouth dropped open. How is that even possible? 

The school year sneaks up on us every summer. For many libraries, summer reading programs haven’t even ended yet when it comes time to plan to support students, teachers, and caregivers as they make their way back to the classroom. This guide aims to ease your workload and set your community of readers on the road to success for the 2024-2025 school year. 

Make friends with teachers

Your library can work alongside teachers as they prepare their classrooms and curriculum for the new year. But teacher turnover is real, and the schools in your area have many fresh faces as educators this year. 

• If you work for a public library that delivers books and other materials to educators, this is the perfect opportunity to have a conversation with teachers about all the library has to offer.
• School library staff should also stop by as many classrooms as they can during these key preparation weeks before school. 
• Ask the principal to give you some time during one of the many meetings teachers have before school starts. Let the teachers know they can request help from their library anytime. Never assume teachers know everything your school or public library has to offer. To help the conversation, look at the talking points on this page for tips on how to talk to parents and educators about searching for books in NoveList.

Turn students into avid readers 

Many students in your community took part in summer reading programs. When school arrives, it’s time to keep that momentum going. Here is the checklist for making that happen.

• First, brush up on Appeals updates in NoveList products, including NoveList K-8. This will ensure that you’ll get robust and relevant search results every time you look for a title throughout the school year.  
• Get ready with a 30-minute NoveList Plus microtraining! This session includes A+ tips and strategies for using NoveList Plus to delight every student reader. Register here.
• Prepare for every reading suggestion scenario.  
  • When you need to help young readers looking for a book for a school assignment or you’re looking for books that are challenging (but not frustrating) for a young reader, use NoveList to search by reading level.
  • When you want to give your readers inclusive recommendations feature characters from diverse backgrounds, use NoveList to search for diverse characters. 
  • When you want to search for books specifically appealing to tween readers, use NoveList to search for tween reads.
  • When you are looking for well-reviewed nonfiction graphic novels, or just want a graphic novel appropriate for a certain grade level, use NoveList to search for graphic novels.
  • If your older students love manga of all kinds, you can use this guide to help match them with titles they’ll devour and love. 
  • High schoolers will want to join this new teen audiobook club that was launched just this summer. You can help those audiobook fans find even more titles by using NoveList’s specific audiobook appeals. 
  • When you need some book recommendation backup, use NoveList’s BookChat! It’s a live chat recommendation service with experts waiting to help you solve your trickiest reader requests.

Check that your collection has something for every student

Your young readers want to be able to easily find characters and stories they can relate to or become inspired by authors with backgrounds like their own. Your collection should also spark the curiosity of readers to explore outside their own experiences and learn about the lives, challenges, and stories created by others.  

• In these final weeks before school begins, examine your collection in depth to evaluate whether you have titles that both reflect your students’ experiences and offer new perspectives. Our librarians have this guide for how to approach the process.
• Make sure you have the tools you need to build and maintain a well-rounded collection. Ask for a demo of Core Collections and see how you can manage every part of your collection from fiction to non-fiction, graphic novels to Spanish language titles.

Keep the connection all year long

After the excitement of preparation for school, it’ll be time to plan to communicate with caregivers and educators all year long. 

• LibraryAware subscribers can search keywords like school, homework, or education to find ready-to-go templates. Those same keywords will give you access to templates for bookmarks, flyers, signs… everything you need for the entire school year.
• Looking for someone to show you how to use those templates to promote educational programs and materials? Join us for a 30-minute microtraining as we show you how to find the perfect template and quickly create everything you need in LibraryAware for Back to School! Register here.
   

Make this the year that you learn something new, too 

Library staff spend a lot of time educating others. Take some time this school year to build your skills! 

• Find out what kind of learner you are by taking our fun, free quiz.
• Do you have the top traits of a skilled library worker?
• Test out your new favorite book recommendation tool, BookChat. Ask for a demo.
• Ask for a demo and free trial of the Learn with NoveList subscription, the most cost-effective option to train all staff.
   

Angela Hursh is Manager of Library Engagement, Marketing, and Professional Development for NoveList. She's currently reading The Museum of Failures by Thrity Umrigar and listening to The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young.