# Please help me build my classroom library **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 14, 2010, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026 "2010-04-14T03:31:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/1 "2010-04-14T03:31:43Z")
Note: I did receive permission from the SDMB (twickster in particular) to start this thread. As some of you may know, I teach at an urban charter school in Phoenix, Arizona. We don’t have a proper library, and as such the only “library” we have is contained on the shelves in our classrooms. I’m also one of only four teachers to have such bookshelves in a classroom, so our kids’ choices are pretty slim. I would greatly appreciate it if anyone could help me out by donating some used books to my classroom library. I will take just about anything. However, if I were buying books myself (which I have, many times), I would focus on: -Young Adult novels -Novels by Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and other authors of the horror/thriller genre -Novels by Jodi Picoult -Anything of the Steampunk genre -High interest non-fiction (military stuff is great; chemistry textbooks aren’t!) -Books about art (especially urban art) -Graphic novels At the suggestion of twickster, I am building an Amazon wishlist. It is going slowly, but I should have it up tomorrow. If you can help me out, please respond to this thread. I’ll PM you our school’s address when you do. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/2 "2010-04-14T11:55:34Z")
What’s the age range of the kids? And do most of them read at grade level? ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/3 "2010-04-14T12:39:40Z")
I may be able to round up a few things. Please send me the address. ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/4 "2010-04-14T15:30:15Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > What’s the age range of the kids? And do most of them read at grade level? Oh, sorry. I teach high school, so 14-19 year old students. We have a HUGE range of ability here. Some kids are at grade level, but most are about 3 grade levels behind. Young adult books really are the best level for them, but some need “high-interest/low-vocabulary” books to really be able to understand them. We also have a HUGE Hispanic/Mexican population, so books that deal with those cultures and histories are great. ---
**Author:** ![Mom-of-Andrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8c91f0/32.png) [@Mom-of-Andrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mom-of-Andrew)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/5 "2010-04-14T19:05:26Z")
Will you post a link to your Amazon wishlist when it is up? Please send me the school address. I’m assuming you can use any generic teacher ‘goodies’ such as pencils, reward stickers, post it notes, and the like. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/6 "2010-04-15T16:16:28Z")
I’ll go through the littlest **Bluth** ’s shelves next weekend; he’s a freshman and has outgrown his YA. I’ll ask for the address once I’ve rounded stuff up. This is a great thread; I hope you get a bunch of useful stuff 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/7 "2010-04-15T19:06:20Z")
Please PM me your school’s address. Also, will you be posting a link to your wishlist in the thread? If not, could you PM me that as well? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/8 "2010-04-15T19:11:46Z")
If it’s not on your wishlist already, I would recommend [The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, by Sherman Alexie.](http://www.amazon.com/Absolutely-True-Diary-Part-Time-Indian/dp/0316013692/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271358138&sr=8-3) I am considering sending you a used copy of [The Bachman Books](http://www.amazon.com/Bachman-Books-Richard-Roadwork-Running/dp/0452277752/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271358333&sr=1-1), by Stephen King. It contains the story Rage, about a school shooting. Okay by you? ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/9 "2010-04-15T22:26:07Z")
**Dung Beetle** , that is fine by me. Anything that is not pornographic works for my classes. I don’t believe in much censorship, so almost anything goes in my room! ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/10 "2010-04-16T01:39:59Z")
Well, if military is of interest, then Jack Kelly’s [Gunpowder](http://www.amazon.com/Gunpowder-Alchemy-Bombards-Pyrotechnics-Explosive/dp/0465037186) might be a good pick. Fascinating stuff, and a hell of a read. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/11 "2010-04-16T03:30:36Z")
Would you be interested in graphic novels? Just plain comics? ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/12 "2010-04-16T04:05:18Z")
I would take both graphic novels and just plain comic books. I just worry about comic books lasting through more than a couple of readings; after all, these are teenagers who are going to be handling them! ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/13 "2010-04-19T22:36:02Z")
All right, I finally got my [Amazon Wish List](http://amzn.com/w/3IIW5SY9YFSWQ) put together. Thanks to everyone who has already responded or PM’d me! ---
**Author:** ![simply\_cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@simply\_cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simply_cats)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/14 "2010-04-20T14:44:54Z")
Please pm me your school address. I’m being riffed this year ☹ And I have a huge personal library that I just cannot take with me. I think I can manage to send you a decent-sized box or two. On another note, if anyone has any second career ideas for an English teacher, feel free to offer them up. My current hope is to do something with animals of the furry variety as opposed to the high school variety. Good luck, and enjoy the books 🙂 I’m including a series of Bluford High- they are high interest/ low reading level, and boys tend to enjoy them. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/15 "2010-04-20T14:50:39Z")
PM me with the address. Time to clean out the bookshelves! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/16 "2010-04-20T15:40:12Z")
I’m weeding through my book collection right now and I know I have a few that fit your criteria. PM me with the address, please! ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/17 "2010-04-20T18:13:46Z")
I’d just like to say thank you to all of you who have responded to my thread so far. I appreciate everything that all of you are doing for me and my classroom, and this really helps me in a tough economy! ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/18 "2010-04-20T18:21:33Z")
I’m using your wish list to find some good stuff for myself at the library. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Blisters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Blisters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blisters)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/19 "2010-04-20T18:35:46Z")
I am in the process of cleaning out the basement. I’ll PM you if I find some good stuff down there. Question: if this thread is successful, won’t you have too many books? (insert your own “too many books” joke here) ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026/20 "2010-04-20T20:10:22Z")
Hah! I’ll find room for whatever gets sent to me. I currently have two 3x6 bookcases and a 3x4 case that are only halfway filled, and I can steal more of those out of other rooms as needed. My biggest issue next is getting library tracking software and a barcode scanner. I might be able to get my principal to spring for that using grant money, but it will take some sweet-talking! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-build-my-classroom-library/536026.md?page=2)