When Built with Intention, Classroom Libraries Are Powerful Levers for Access and Achievement We know that students need to read more to grow as readers. But just telling them to read isn’t enough—they need easy, daily access to books they want to read. Research consistently demonstrates that the more students read, the more fluent, confident, and curious they become. A well-stocked library within the classroom makes it easy to integrate reading into the school day. It’s a visible, accessible invitation to explore, choose, and engage with reading. Whether it’s used for independent reading to deepen learning on core curricular content, or for whole-class read-alouds, a great classroom library strengthens every facet of literacy instruction.
Classroom libraries also help to establish and build strong reading habits. When books are just a few steps away, students:
Read more
Revisit favorites
Try new genres
See themselves as readers
Share books they love with classmates
For students who may not have a volume of books at home—or opportunities to visit the school or local libraries—this kind of in-class access can make all the difference. It’s not just a convenience. It’s a proven driver of reading volume, fluency, and motivation.
The single factor most strongly associated with reading achievement —more than socioeconomic status or any instructional
approach— is time spent reading . —Dr. Stephen Krashen, The Power of Reading
2 | scholastic.com/classroomlibraries
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