As a middle school teacher, I've struggled with various ways to incorporate a library into my classroom.  What I have found is that I have the most success organizing books (and keeping them neatly organized) when I classify them according to genre.

It is true that kids need library skills in order to be successful in high school and college.  Even though it's not something we like to admit, it is true that many kids are more familiar with the arrangement of bookstores than they are libraries.  I've found that for the classroom setting, arranging books according to genre (like a bookstore) makes my books more attractive to students.  The ultimate goal, of course, is to get kids to look at, choose, and read books as much as possible.

The genres that I include in my classroom library are fantasy/science fiction, realistic fiction, historical fiction, poetry, and non-fiction.  (Although some of these categories can be divided into smaller ones if you wish, I have decided that these genre classifications are adequate for sixth grade.)

 (folding shelves hold boxes)

As you can see from the picture above, I have purchased folding wooden shelves.  These are available in many different places.  They're great because they are lightweight, they fold for easy storage, and they each hold twelve boxes.  In order to classify books according to genre, I find that clear storage shoe boxes work best.    

 (plastic shoe boxes)

By first sorting all of my books into genres and then placing them in clearly labeled boxes, I find that they stay neater longer.  Also, the color coded labels on the front (in this case, red for realistic fiction) match red labels I've placed on the spines of the books.  This way, books can easily be put back into their proper places once they're returned.  I also put Accelerated Reader stickers on the spines of books if the school has purchased an AR test for the book.  (If your school uses AR, sometimes the librarian can provide stickers for you to use.)  In addition, books can contain information regarding guided reading or lexile levels so that kids can find a book that is just right for them.

 (plastic shelves for oversized and small books)

Plastic shelving can work well for books that are odd-sized.  In the case of the picture above, I have included Magnetic Poetry, poetry books, and other books I want to display on the shelf. 

There are books I choose to display so that kids can see the front covers.  I rotate the displays every few weeks.  In order to display the books, I use ordinary table top plate stands, as well as rotating book display racks.  The display racks can be purchased from several sources, including eBay.  Sometimes old greeting card displays can also work, since they are often the same size as paperbacks.

  (plate stands are used here)

 (a rotating book display is used here)

Because non-fiction is of varying types in my classroom, I use one shelf for non-fiction and store books on it in a variety of ways.

 (non-fiction shelf with some storage bins)

A reference cart (and listening station) provides another area for kids to work on research or listen to books on tape.

 (reference cart)

Plastic crates can store magazines so that kids can see the covers.  If I place them upright on a shelf, I find that they end up being a mess when one is pulled out.  The crates prevent this from happening.

 (plastic crates for magazines)

Finally, although teachers generally have their own systems for book checkout, I have found that a small plastic 3-drawer system is a great place to keep blank checkout slips, filled out slips, and bookmarks.

 (3-drawer system for checkout)

The genre system has worked very well in my own classroom, and it's something other teachers in my building have adopted as well.  If you're a middle school teacher with a disaster of a classroom library (like I used to be), this organization system may be something to consider.  I hope I have provided you with an idea or two that you can take to your own classroom library.  Good luck, and happy reading!