HIT: Unlimited Circulation - No

[Julia Anne Colvin <colvin@AAPS.K12.MI.US>]

Julia Anne Colvin <colvin@AAPS.K12.MI.US> 09/27/99 04:42PM >>>
I have always limited K-1 students to 1 book at a time, & grades 2-5 to 2
books, because the librarian before me did that, & it seemed to be common
practice.

What do you think about not limiting the number of books students can check
out at a time? I'd like to hear from those who have tried it.
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I also use the same limits. However, if a parent comes in with the student,
or requests that the student be allowed to check out more books, I override
the limits. I also allow the students to return and check out new books any
day.

I also tell my upper grade (3 and above) that if they need more books than
the limit, I will allow them to check the books out, PROVIDED they have
been responsible. I am pretty lenient, except with those students who have
had overdues for weeks at a time. We have a small school, so I know who
they are. I tell them it is their responsibility to keep up with their
books.
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I just started at this school this year, and I implemented the same limits
as before: K-1 one book, 2-5 two books unless they have special permission
for a project. The big change is that the students can come to the media
center any time it is open (7 am to WAY after school) and exchange books
with their teachers' permission. That way, the limit isn't limiting their
reading choices, just the number of books they can lose or damage at a
time.:-)
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I do limit students to 3 books at a time, but we try to have students check
out new books when they return the ones they have, so 2 or 3 is plenty for
1-3 days. I am flexible with the older students who sometimes need books
for reference not just leisure reading and let them also check out what
they need for assignments regardless of the number.  [Elementary School]
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I allow kindergarten to check out 1 book at a time, 1st grade checks out 1
until spring and when they begin to read pretty well, I let them get 2. 2nd
grade gets 2, 3rd grade may check out 3 and 4th grade may check out 4. Not
necessary, but they really appreciate being the bigger kids each year.
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I am also in a K-5 School and have long used the following circ limits:

K-- 1 book
1st--2 books
2nd--2 books
3rd--3 books
4th--4 books
5th--5 books

These limits are quite fluid and if a child is a voracious reader, or has a
classroom research project underway, the limits are often stretched. It
works well for us and the kids have a sense of pride and excitement about
adding a new, higher allowable total each year.
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I was very happy with graduated responsibilities. The kids seemed to
appreciate the idea.
I let K and 1 check out 1; 2 check out 2; 3 check out 3; 4 check out 4.
Then our kids go to the Immediate school where they are knocked back to 1.
I found that 3rd and 4th graders, when given the option of checking out
more books, check out, read, and enjoy more Easy Readers. In schools I've
observed where 3rd and 4th are limited to 1 or 2, the kids stick with
chapter books. I loved them reading those Easy Readers because they are
such good books that they won't dip down and read later.
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Consider the size of your collection.

Consider the financial ability of your students to pay for lost books.

Make an informed decision and go with it. But be aware you can always go
forward but you can never retreat because someone will always have a
brother, sister, cousin etc. who was exposed to what ever you started.
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Here are my circulation limits for K-4:

Kindergarten: 1 paperback picture book selected from table top assortment.
1st grade: 1 Easy book for 1st semester. Choice in early/late spring for 1
Easy book or 1 nonfiction primary level. Nonfiction choices are preselected
by librarian and displayed on top of Easy shelves. 2nd grade: Choice of 1
Easy book or nonfiction book. For students who are advanced readers,
teachers let me know which students can read fiction (chapter) books. I put
out a display before Christmas of "chapter" books from the Easy section as
well as Fiction that are appropriate for 2nd graders.
3rd grade: 2 books, any choice. Or 1 book and 1 magazine. 4th grade: 2
books, any choice. Or 1 book and 1 magazine
I barcode my magazines with very little cataloging beyond title and month
in place of author. Magazines are sent home in a pocket folder labeled with
school name.
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Hi Anne - Like you, I limit K-1 to one at at time, 2-3 to two, and 4-6 to
three books (or four, if they are working on a big project.) My reasons are
strictly physical ... I have no clerk, and it would be impossible to keep a
greater volume checked in and shelved than we are now dealing with. Once I
explained it to the students that way (that we circulate at least 1,000
books per week WITH these restrictions) none of them have complained. I do
allow them to return the books the next day and borrow more - and the ones
who really do want to read more than the limit during the library period
can take advantage of that option.
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I too had a system in which children were limited to a certain number of
books based on their ages. The youngest were allowed 1, older students, 3.
What a mistake. If anyone has the time to read for enjoyment, it is the
very youngest students who look at books during rest times, are read to
before bed, share books with their parents at home while sitting on laps,
etc.
I changed our numbers a few years ago, and even though I still limit them
to 3, except for assignments, things are much calmer. The students know
that they can also come outside of fixed times to exchange their books. I
have not considered making it a "no limit" situation, mainly because of the
difficulties having students with lots of books out and losing them having
to pay such large replacement bills. But you know, after reading your
message, I am considering it! I will look forward to you hit very much now!
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Hi! I tried unlimited check out with 5th graders my first year. Huge
mistake. Not only did they forget what they had, what they read, and where
they were, but parents asked me to limit them. Then there was the shelving
issue. It lasted about 5 weeks. Good luck.
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There was some discussion on this list last year about doing away with
limits and I tried it for awhile during reading incentive weeks. Some kids
literally took boxes of books. My problem was with all the time to check in
and shelve these books. Most of them did come back. Now I've upped my limit
but still keep a limit. After all kids can come any day for new books if
they make arrangements with the teacher.
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We limit it to no more than 4--5 on weekends or for special projects.
Kindergarten--1 book. We are 2 k-5 buildings. Rationale--re-shelving books
is a nightmare when kids were taking out 10 books every night. Previously
they had unlimited in one building and books literally were stacked on the
floor, carts and counters. Not very user friendly for anybody. I believe
the rationale was to seek further clerical help. But it didn't work, the
books just were piled up until somebody had a chance to reshelve or the
kids went through the piles and re-checked them out until they piled up
again.
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I tell my kids two for fun and what you need for assignments. This helps
ensure access to popular fun items while not curtailing meaningful use for
assignments. As I explain to the kids the limit on the "for fun" ones is to
help provide access to popular items like I Spy. I also discourage two of
the same kine at the same time (I Spy or drawing books or whatever). The
lack of a limit for books for assignment is because at some grade levels
they have more than one teacher and multiple resource based assignments. A
specific limit could make it difficult for them to do what is assigned. I
go one step further and say this approach is in effect as long as you stay
off the overdue list. If a student has and continues to have overdue items
we cut back on number they can circulate. My primary kids don't usually go
beyond the two for fun but they have daily access to book exchange.
Kindergarten is limited to one at a time with exceptions made with parent
request and support. First part of teh yr. Kindergarten comes as a group
regularly once a week. Later they too get daily access but remain limited
to one at a time. Hope this helps.
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Unlimited circulation would really depend on your situation. How long is
the library period? Who is going to shelve all those extra books? Are your
students good about returns? If a student has 5 books and returns 3, are
you allowing more books to circulate even though the other two are overdue?
How often do they come to the library? What about the students who are
chronic "forgettors"? Do you REALLY want them to have out extra books when
they can barely remember to return the one book they do borrow each week?
Saying all that, my stiuation is as follows: Fixed schedule, 30 minute
period, no clerical help. Grades 1&2-1 book; Grades 3-5-1 book & 1 magazine
or 2 books. I have open book exchange every day for the first 10 minutes of
school. I have some eager students who read a new book each day and come in
for return and sign-out. That way they can get new books on days other than
their "library day", but don't have the responsibility of having too many
books out at once.
Remember, when they go to the public library with their mom, she(hopefully)
knows they have out 7 or 8 books. In school, some of the books don't even
make it out of the desk into the backpack , making the parents clueless
about what has been charged out.
Hope some of this helps.
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When I first came to my present school, I followed the procedures already
in place - unlimited circulation. The most complaints came from the parents
- too many books for them to keep track of. I now have a limit of 5 items
per students, but tell students if they need more books for special
projects and/or interests that they can take more. Students may come to the
library any time that it is ok with their classroom teacher, so there isn't
a real need to have more than 5 books at a time.
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I understand the concept of unlimited check out, but I just don't have the
books to loose when someone moves, for example. I try to compensate for
that by letting students come back if they need other books throughtout the
week. The student returns the one or two they have and can get more at any
time with the teacher's permission.
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It all depends on:

1. How much help do you have to check them in and get them reshelved?
2. Can the children keep track of more than one, or will an increasing
number be lost or left at home?

I recommend this:
1 per student, and ask the teacher to select another group which can be put
on a display table or rack in the classroom, in case the children need
additional books. A lot of my teachers do this and it works out fine. They
usually select books on topics they are presenting in class (apples and
pumpkins are big right now) so children can re-read what the teacher has
read aloud, or learn more on their own. The teacher is responsible for
these books. At my school, the K - 2nd grade teachers do not allow the
library books to be taken home. We start with 3rd grade when the individual
teachers feel that their class is responsible enough. Most of them start
right after Christmas vacation, and, usually by the end of January all the
third grade classes are taking books home.
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Students can check out as many books as the grade they are in. K & 1 check
out 1, 2nd checks out 2, 3rd checks out 3, etc. I am in a K-12 school so
Seniors can check out 12 books. Students get excited when they go to the
next grade and can check out one more book.
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Well, I'm trying a limit of five books per student... and find that the
overdues aren't THAT much worse... but the shelving certainly is. I only
have one aide... and 600 students. She can barely keep up. It's one of
those "good thing/bad thing" scenarios!
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How are you going to shelve all those books?

I'm speaking from frustration, but I let K have 1, 1st have one to "read"
and one just by interest, 2nd have 2, 3rd have 3, 4th have 4, 5th have 5,
and 6th have 6. That means bunches of books to shelve. Looks like after my
fun meeting (ambush) this morning that it'll be me shelving mainly!
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Anne, I have tried not limiting the number of books. When I did, it seems
the students who took out several did not bring them back (or one or two of
the pile they took); the parents invariably said, "Why did you let Suzy
take out that many books? Now I have to pay for all of these books? That's
crazy!" Sometimes the amount lost was well over $100. My parents were
always more than welcome to come in (or send a note) and check out as many
books as they wanted. They knew they were responsible for them. As for
Suzy, she could still check out the one or two books as was the rule. Suzy
didn't get the O.D. notice... momma did. :-) lm
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I have Kindergarten students checking out one book, First Grade 2 books and
Second and Third select 3 books...if student has an assgnment from teacher
then they may take a 4th book.
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I think it's perfectly reasonable to limit the amount of books a student
can have checked out at one time. I did this in the middle school where I
previously worked. I limited them to 5 items. The students never really
balked at the limit. How many things can they read in at one time? I just
felt they wouldn't be responsible for returning their items if they had
unlimited circulation.
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I do the same as you do. However, in my previous job I let students check
out 5 apiece. Do you have a good return rate? Do you have enough help to
reshelve?
Will students check out a huge pile just because someone else does? How
about letting them come in midweek to change books instead?
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I don't have kindergarten, and when I arrived at this school there had been
no librarian for quite some time; also, the previous librarian had left no
notes or any information that I could find. Being new to schools, I just
let the children take as many as they wanted. What a disaster! It took
forever to get things back. Now I let first take one book, and for the
first few months I don't let them take it home, because I want them to get
in the rhythm of bringing it back. Second can take two books after the
first few weeks of second grade, when I am reasonably sure they can being
them back. Third can take three. After that, I ask them to take only what
they can get through in a week or so.
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I limit my circulation K-1, 1 book; 2, 2 books; 3-5 3 books. There was a
time when I allowed more, but I found that most of the kids just stashed
them in their desks and didn't read them anyway. I increase limits if kids
have a project or report for which they need additional materials. Also,
Grades 1-5 are welcome to come in on any days other than their library day
to exchange books. There have also been instances where I had students who
were devouring books at a great rate (sometimes 2 novels a day) and I
increased that student's limit.
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Because I have a limited collection and students can walk in anytime from
7:30 AM to 3:45 PM, I have no problem limiting their check outs. I, also,
limit K-1 to one book. It gives them a chance to learn responsibility
without decimating the collection!

If you want to let them check out as many as they can carry - more power to
you!!!!
------------------------------------------------------------------A lot
depends on how close the students are to the public library. If the only
library they have access to is yours, I would limit them to 5-10 books,
depending upon the size of your collection. Many K-1 students will have
their parents read to them, and the will listen to more than one book As a
public librarian, I never set a limit, even for children. It worked out ok
for most, but occasionally a child would have reminders for 32 books at
once... Of course, it was really the parents who remembered the books and
brought them back in the car.

When I became a school librarian, I set limits of 2 books for younger
students and the number of the grade for older ones--with the understanding
that my aide and I would override the limits for any child who had a
reliable record for any reason he gave (We're going on vacation to
Washington, DC and we want to know about the city...My rabbit died and I
want to learn more about rabbits...My dad wants to know about
earthworms...). The thing was, without a stated number, the children
weren't sure how many books they had to find and put in the backpack. And a
lot of parents were terrified when they got reminders for a lot of books.
They saw flashing dollar signs before the eyes. Even so, there were a
couple of households where I worried kids might get hurt.
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If you don't limit, you will have a ton of books to shelve. You had better
have plenty of help. That is the reason I limit.
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I follow your policy but am not opposed to a more open approach. Please
send me a "Hit"
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In our K - 5 school each student can check out one book at a time. The book
can be returned and another checked out as often as the child wants to do
so. This seems to get popular books back in more quickly.
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I let K-3rd graders check out three picture books. Actually I think this
helps the children become more responsible. They are very proud when they
leave with 'so many' books.
In my library it seems like they have a harder time keeping track of one book.
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There's probably no reason you can't at least try it. If it doesn't work,
then you change back. A couple of problems I can forsee might be that you
have a mountain of shelving...
Also, those students who are forgetful with one or two will still be
forgetful with eight or ten books. You might end up with more
un-recoverable books.
One reason I've come to the point of limiting the number of books my kids
check out is that
1) they are here every 4 days, and most don't need more than one in that
length of time
2) limited help in shelving
Even with the 1 or 2 book limit, I'm shelving between 600 and 700 books
each week. I have some student helpers, and one parent volunteer, but even
with that help, shelving can get to be a MAJOR factor... This will be a
wonderful way to get your collection in circulation--the books aren't here
to decorate the shelves.

Anne Colvin, Librarian
Mitchell Elementary School
Ann Arbor, Michigan
colvin@aaps.k12.mi.us

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