Entering your books is super easy. You can enter it on the website by ISBN or title. If you do enter it by ISBN, 99% of the time the title, author, reading level, and book cover automatically populate. Sometimes, you do have to enter this info, but in my experience it has been for very old or infrequently seen books.
If you have mobile device you can also download the free app! If you have an iPad, iPhone, or iPod you can download Classroom Organizer from the app store. If you have an android device, download it from google play. And, seriously- if you are going to try this service out, you totally need the app. Check it out: you can scan the barcode on the back of the book from the app and it will automatically populate the info for you!
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(sorry for the blurry screenshot- it was hard to catch it at just the right time!)
From the app, you can also check titles out for students. Just enter a class roster on the webpage, and then click on "check out" on the app. All you have to do is scan the barcode and select the student. Seriously!
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I'm seriously in love with this website so far. There are tons of options available on the website to customize your library, including maximum check out times, number of books each student can check out, and what to display about each book in your inventory. You can even export an excel document of your library data as a back up.
The only caveat with this service is that both the username and password are case sensitive. My computer automatically corrected my name to be capitalized, so now I have to always log in with a capital M. Other than that, this is seriously the best library organization I have ever come across!
I've wanted to organize my new classroom library I inherited this summer. This will be perfect! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteTeaching in an Organized Mess
Randi,
DeleteI tried to visit your blog, but the link isn't working. :(
Hopefully you see this and can try to remedy the problem. My life is a big, huge example of organized chaos myself, so your site name sort of intrigued me. Haha!
-Carrie
First Grade with Ms. Dawley
It's totally perfect. I love it- especially the "checkout" function. It makes it so easy to track where the books are at. Love your blog name- heading over to check it out now!
DeleteI started using Classroom Organizer two years ago, and I fell in love with the simplicity! It was sort of annoying when the books that I had weren't already in the system, but I guess that is true about any program that is just getting started. I didn't use it last year because I didn't have all of my materials at the start of the year (moving across the country and all). I plan to get everything together and use it again this year. It's so much easier when I know who has what!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding me about how awesome this app is!
-Carrie
First Grade with Ms. Dawley
Eek, I can see why you didn't have all your materials. A cross country move isn't easy, especially with all the stuff that we teacher's accumulate over the years!
DeleteWhat an awesome app! It sure makes cataloging all of your classroom books a lot faster and easier! Thanks for linking up with us :)
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
Fun in Room 4B
It really does! I definitely have enjoyed organizing my library. Who would have thought?
DeleteWow! This system was just what I needed when I inherited my classroom library 5 years ago. I did EVERYTHING by hand (like sorting by genre, then creating numbered code labels for each book!). It was tedious, but I was relieved when it was done. My system worked pretty well, but it got a little annoying and time-consuming when students found a double number or I had to add new books or I had to track down "who had it last" because someone forgot to write his or her name on a checkout card. Thanks for sharing this!
ReplyDeleteKristen
Aspire to Inspire
It's really the best system. I just bough 35 new (used) books today and entered them into my library in less than 5 minutes. LOVE IT!
DeleteI just blogged about this app too! I stumbled upon it at the end of the year and fell in love with the system. My students hate writing down all the information in a binder and wasting reading time, so hopefully this will help! I think students will also love being able to use the IPad to scan and check out books, and I'll love how easy it is to see what is checked out to whom. Great post!
ReplyDeleteStephanie
Grooving Through Fourth Grade
Too funny- great minds think alike! :)
DeleteWhat an AWESOME app. Thanks so much for sharing it! I honestly hadn't considered having my kids checkout the books from my library, but I guess I probably should. Glad I found this before the year starts!
ReplyDeleteLauren
The Sweetest Thing
Follow me on Bloglovin'!
It's definitely a great app- so worth checking out!
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