Library Centers

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Ideas for Library Learning Centers

Welcome to the Learning Librarian blog!

At the top of any list involving library centers, I have to put Cari Young’s Library Learners blog!  No matter what combination of search terms I use when looking for center ideas, Google consistently returns this blog on the first page of results!  I have been following Cari’s blog for awhile now, and it has been a real source of inspiration for me.

Library Learners Logo

Here are her tips for getting started, and information about her book The Centered School Library: Engaging Every Learner with Library Skills Centers.

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Below you will find a categorized list of suggestions for library centers.  I have to thank the awesome #TLElem Group on Twitter for contributing many of the ideas you see here, and I have credited each contributor with his/her Twitter handle.  If you have an idea you’d like to share, please contact me so I can add it to the list!  You can tweet me @LibraryLoriJune or email me at lori.june @ sumterschools.net

If you would like your idea credited with a link to your blog or library website rather than (or in addition to) your Twitter profile, please let me know.  And if you have additional details or photos for an idea that’s listed here, I’d love to include them as well!

Note:  Take a few minutes to post the correlating AASL Standards and/or CCSS Standards at your learning centers.  Teachers and administrators WILL notice and appreciate it!

General Learning Center Advice

From Mrs. Lodge’s Library: Her collection of Library Centers, complete with photos and instructions for setting them up. (@MrsLodge)

From the Elementary Librarian blog:  How I Use Library Stations  (@Elem_Librarian)

From Carolyn’s Risking Failure blog: Library Center Debrief sharing from the presentation she gave at the Potomac VaASL Spring Regional Conference describing how and why she uses learning centers in her library (@carolynvibbert)


Computer Centers


Interactive Whiteboard


Writing and Drawing Centers

  • Corbett Harrison specializes in Writing activities, and many of his plans could work in a library center.  I like this Metaphor of the Week idea.  Also take a look at the Writing Fix website, which is the “home of interactive writing prompts.”
  • Elementary Teacher Resources has some suggestions for Literacy Centers.  Although they are for classrooms rather than libraries, many can be adapted.  For example, this Character Sketch center has students creating a drawing of a book character including traits such as what the character might think or say and where the character lives.
  • Bookmark Creation Station where students use provided materials to create bookmarks.  (@Okle_Miller)
  • Poster Creation Station where students use provided materials to create a book poster; for example, for state book award nominees.  (@JuleeMurphy)
  • Shelf Talker Creation Station  (@LibraryLoriJune)
  • Twitter Tweet Board where kids post paper “tweets” about books.  (@JuleeMurphy)
  • Book Review Creation Station where students fill out a form to recommend a book.  (@libraryjo92)
  • Art center where students examine – and create their own interpretations of – famous works of art  (@JuleeMurphy)
  • Drawing center stocked with pencils, paper, and some “How To Draw” books  (@melissajkwhite)


Hands-On Centers

  • Library Games (slogan: Making Libraries Fun!) has some ideas that can be incorporated into student centers.
  • Mrs. Simmons has a year-long plan for each grade level she serves (K-5th), and some of her lessons can be used in learning centers.  Scroll to the bottom of the page for links to each grade level.
  •   A lesson on Book Care that could become a center after being used in a whole class activity.
  • Paper Toys from the Toymaker features printable paper toys kids can assemble, including fairy tale characters, koi kites, finger puppets, mini books, and more.
  • Glue the large  green LEGO Building Plates to a wall; have Lego blocks bins below.  (@Cfwilkerson)
  • Spy Code Puzzles  (@JuleeMurphy)
  •  Origami Monster Bookmarks  (@cktechtl)
  • Shelving and Dewey Activities  (@Cfwilkerson)
  • Whisperphones  (@carolynvibbert)
  • Popsicle stick book cover puzzles  (@cktechtl)
  •  I Spy Center and then have items to recreate your own I Spy Challenge  (@JuleeMurphy)
  • “Create Your Own Eric Carle Inspired Art” with glue and tissue paper for students to use to create a picture of a flower, or sunshine, or anything!  This would work for other illustrator-inspired art, too.  (@librarygoddess)
  • Flannel board center based on a familiar story  (@librarygoddess)


Curriculum Tie-In


Reading-Related Centers

      • Have book reviews centered around a theme available for students to read.  (@librarianmissk)
      •   Book Buddy Reading  (@MrsLodge)
      • Genre Sorting:  Pull books and have students sort them based on reading a selected passage.  (@ReadKennedyRead)
      • Color Comics section from Sunday newspaper  (@LibraryLoriJune)
      • “Read a Book by ______” Center:  Fill in the blank with an author’s name, provide a stack of books by that author for students to read and picture walk through (@librarygoddess)


 Library Skills Centers

      • Book Sorting:  Make a large T on the floor with masking tape. Have students sort them by putting fiction and nonfiction books on either side.  (@Elem_Librarian)
      •   Parts of a Book:  Have students draw and label the parts of a fiction and nonfiction book.  (LibraryLoriJune)
      • Pull books from the shelf and have students organize alphabetically according to call number/letters  (@ReadKennedyRead)


Quick and Simple Centers


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 Last Updated 9/21/2018
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