We know that library hours are often very limited and you don't have all the time in the world to keep your library displays updated. It can feel like a constant task on your to-do list to update or create from scratch an engaging display to encourage pupils to return again and again to your library space. The environment and the engaging displays are a brilliant way to foster a culture of reading for pleasure so they are worth investing time in.
The latest blog in our series, Library Lifeline, written in partnership with the School Library Association and the SLA’s Member Development Librarian, Dawn Woods, offers practical ways to maintain beautiful primary school library displays which engage the whole school and enhance your reading spaces while being time-effective.
This series is designed to support anyone working in a primary school library by answering their questions.
I want to make the library interesting but don’t have time to constantly change displays
10 quick tips to help you plan your primary school library display
Be realistic about timing and timeframes
Half a term is a good length of time for a library display to be on show. It may take a week to compile so you don’t want to be changing it only three weeks later. Equally neither do you want a winter display to be hanging around during hot summer months. Use the School Library Association Library and Reading Planner which suggests useful days, weeks, months to promote which are linked to books or the school curriculum. It is organised into months and gives useful websites to help – but select just a few which fit in with school priorities.
The National Literacy Trust’s teaching and school events calendar can also help you plan your literacy and library year, and pick significant focus themes for displays.
Make use of what you already have
The key here is to use the tools and people that you have available to you. Book publishers spend a lot of time designing beautiful book jackets to sell books. Use these book jackets to ‘sell’ your stock and do the work for you. Display face outwards and encourage borrowing of titles which may be otherwise overlooked.
Communication with other staff is essential
Discuss as a staff what will be useful and interesting to the whole school community and allow others to contribute their ideas. Good cross-department communication will also avoid overlap or conflict of anything you were thinking of planning in the library.
Involve your pupils in your library display
Valuing pupil voice cannot be underestimated. Have a conversation with your pupils about the displays they want to see in their library too, this will help you better understand what your readership enjoys and what they don’t.
This is a perfect task for Pupil Librarians and asking for their contribution will be enormously confidence-boosting. You will also gain ideas about captivating displays that you may not have had yourself, and delegating hands-on creative tasks to pupil librarians is where many of them will thrive, increasing their sense of pride and ownership in their library.
Ask parents and guardians what they'd like to see in your library
Use this opportunity to involve families in your reading spaces. Pupils may want to bring their parents to see the displays, and these parents will then engage more meaningfully with the school library and their child’s reading.
Asking parents to provide their own recommendations alongside their photograph is always an absorbing way to draw children into bookchat.
Multilingual parents can also be a real asset, providing recommendations for dual language children’s books, or even creating signage in various languages for your displays so that the library is truly inclusive and welcoming.
Student-selected book reviews
Dedicate a board or wall space to a 'Student Book Review Wall' where students can write or draw a brief review of books they've read. This can be a low-maintenance way to encourage involvement without updating physical displays too frequently.
Featured Book of the month
Set up a featured book section that highlights one book each month. This could be a staff pick, a student favourite, or related to a theme like a holiday or season. This display can remain static, with just a new book added regularly.
If you have pupil book clubs, this is a great way to display what is currently being read and will be discussed so that all have access to the social aspect of reading in school too.
Consider how you use digital displays or QR codes
If you have access to technology, create digital displays or place QR codes on posters that link to virtual book recommendations, author interviews, or fun book-related videos. This provides variety and engagement without requiring physical changes. It can also be a highlight for your pupils who are more tech-minded, or enjoy using technology to add interest to their reading rituals.
Seasonal décor
Get pupils involved in craft making. For example, autumn leaves, snowflakes in winter, or simple spring flowers on the walls or shelves can provide a quick but colourful refresh to your library displays.
Books that are being discarded in the culling process, but which are still in relatively good condition also provide fantastic raw material for display décor.
Make the display refresh a challenge
The SLA and Softlink library software run a termly Display Competition. There is no obligation to be a subscriber or enter the competition and the webpage shows images of displays to inspire.
Why not enter now and win your school library a voucher?
Three library display ideas to get you started
Here are some ideas for exciting library displays that will create interest, conversation and enjoyment around reading!
- ‘Bookflix’: Mimic the popular format of television streaming sites to create a fun and much-talked about display in your library. You can introduce your new book titles to the library by building anticipation and conversation about what is coming before the books even hit the shelf.
- Author spotlight: Choose an author to put in your spotlight and then place books by this author around your display. Add additional paraphernalia associated with those stories to create more context and interest. You can also put similar books on this display which point your pupils to other books they might like if they discover that they enjoy a particular genre.
- Interactive displays: Add small props that make the display more interactive and are connected to a particular theme. This can encourage children to engage with the spotlighted stories in a different and unique way.
All these library display ideas help to create an appealing atmosphere in the library while keeping maintenance to a minimum. What's more, your next display could be just the thing to spark a child’s passion for a particular topic or book.
