When you start library centers for the first time, a popular one to begin with is a “reading independently” or “book buddies reading” center. Offering students a chance to read after book checkout time is likely part of your library routine anyway, so students are already familiar with some of the expectations.
While several librarian creators on TPT offer free library centers, this free Independent Reading Center that I created has a few extra features:
- It’s completely editable. Every word of text and most of the clipart can be changed, or removed completely to fit your needs.
- For example, I color-coded my library centers based on the 3 types of centers I offered: Research Skills, Reading & Language, and Makerspace. All of the Reading & Language centers were red, so I designed my Independent Reading Center to have a red background.
- If you don’t like the clipart choices, you can delete them and add your own.
- There are options for reading magazines, ebooks, and audiobooks, as well as whisper-reading to a “book buddy” at one single center, instead of splitting them into different centers.
- It includes a very thorough, comprehensive lesson plan with objectives (or competencies), assessment options, standards addressed, and a detailed procedure.
The Independent Reading Center in action:
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What Your Students are Learning and Doing:
This is one of only a few truly quiet centers in the library. Students are reading something independently…anything that interests them. It doesn’t matter if it’s a graphic novel, magazine, ebook, audiobook, or a traditional print book. It’s all reading, and it all “counts.”
In our library, students might be reading:
- their library books that they just checked out,
- a book from their classroom that they brought with them to the library,
- a magazine from
- an ebook on their device or on one of the library’s general use tablets, or
- an audiobook on their own device, or on one of the library tablets.
Our library’s expectation was that students would be actively reading, quietly. Besides the occasional, whispered, “Oh wow! Check this out!” to a friend, there should be very little (if any?) talking. This center’s focus is reading and enjoying the books and stories that students choose for themselves.
One of the ways you can enhance reading enjoyment at this center is by adding a special privilege that students get when they are at the Independent Reading Center. For example, you can add a basket of “beanbag buddies,” or small stuffed animals, that students can read with or “whisper read” to.
Different seating choices like beanbag chairs, a reading tent, or just getting to sit in the “story corner” also makes this center feel unique and special.
Magazines
Another special privilege of this center might be reading your library’s magazines, especially if they don’t get checked out.
I never saw the point of circulating magazines when they fall apart so quickly, but many of my students loved reading them for the short articles, large graphics, and interesting topics that were not in our library’s regular collection. Magazines were often more accessible to students who struggled to read “on grade level” as well.
Having the current issue and 1 past issue of each magazine for students to read at this center, or during book exchange if a student couldn’t check out new library books for some reason.
Audibooks & Ebooks
If your library has Playaway®️ Kids audiobooks or Wonderbooks, these are terrific for students to listen to a story without the distractions that are inherent to using their own device or even one of our “library use only” tablets. So Playaways and Wonderbooks force students to only listen and read, not open another browser tab.
Even digital audiobooks and ebooks on a platform like Sora or MackinVIA can work though. Some students will have no trouble focusing, especially if they prefer reading ebooks over print. Many will need (several) reminders, however, that the only tab open should be your library’s ebook platform.
For audiobook listening on any device, headphones should be required at the Independent Library Center. If students are allowed to have their own in school, you can invite them to bring them to library classes, but it’s also a good idea to keep wired headphones at this center too.
What You (the Teacher-Librarian) are Doing:
During centers time, you’re already walking around the room to monitor student behavior and make sure they are on task. This is probably no different than a library class without library centers.
At the Independent Reading Center, you are specifically making sure students are actually reading, and not just chatting with their friends or playing with the “buddies,” if you have them.
Also, if students are listening to audiobooks or reading ebooks on their own 1:1 device, you will likely need to keep a close eye on what tabs they have open so that they are actually reading, not scrolling distractedly.
How Students are Assessed:
There is no formal assessment other than observation of students’ behavior and reading. And honestly, shouldn’t that be enough sometimes?
If you use a centers tracking tool like the printable center tracking booklets or digital centers menu, students can “earn” a stamp or sticker whenever they visit this center. If the Independent Reading Center page or section filled up, then it’s time for students to visit a different center to mix it up.
What You Need:
This center is almost no-prep, and the little prep you could do is completely optional.
- The free Independent Reading Center, including editable center sign with directions to remind students of what to do and lesson plan
- Sturdy headphones for audiobooks, if you have them. My favorite ones are:
- BuddyPhones Travel/Discover or Explore+ headphones are nearly indestructible, but the cord is detachable…not always a bad thing when the cord or connector is more likely to break and can be easily replaced. The cord is also a splitter for 2 students to listen at once.
- Our library used Califone 3060AV headphones for over 8 years before they started breaking. Just make sure you zip-tie the obnoxiously long cords!
- A class set is best, or at least 5 sets to start with.
- Optional – Beanbag buddies, or small book characters, in a basket or plastic bin
- If you are worried about germs, running them through the dryer on low helps.
- I recommend washing them in a standard washer once a year, or using sanitizing spray.
- Optional – Magazine subscriptions for the library
- Optional – Library Centers Printable Tracking Booklets / Menus and Learning Badge Stickers, a printable booklet for each student that you can add stamps or stickers to,
OR Library Centers Digital Menu / Tracker with Learning Badges, a digital way to track students’ progress through a center assignment and/or keep students accountable for their center choices using Google Classroom or Google Drive.
Basket or plastic bin of “book buddies”
The Independent Reading library center also part of the Free Library Centers Bundle and the Getting Started with Library Centers online course on Librarians Teach.