Finding Affordable Books For Your Classroom Library

Having a well-stocked classroom library and novel set collection is essential for any English Language Arts (ELA) teacher. Schools do not always have the budget to provide these resources for their teachers, leaving many teachers to purchase these books. Finding books for a reasonable price, that fits in your teacher budget, can be challenging. Below is a list of great places to start your search for classroom novels.

Novel Sets

When purchasing novel sets of six or more books for literature circles, book clubs or a class novel study it can get costly. Check out the ideas below to help make purchasing sets of books more affordable.

1. Book Outlet  Canada or  USA
2. Your local bookstore sale rack – check big box and small bookstores as they often have great deals on their sales rack. If you can’t find it, ask! It might be worth it.
3. Scholastic Warehouse Sales
4. Scholastic Reading Club monthly flyers – their $1.99 specials are very good. I try to check all of the upper grades flyers for specials.  Canada or USA

1. Book Sale Finder
2. Public library discards rack
3. Garage sales – read the newspaper regularly in the summer
4. Retired teachers sales – check garage sale and online sale listings
5. Thrift Stores – check local thrift stores and ones in nearby towns/cities
6. Thrift Books Website – discount book website.
7. Paperback Swap – swap your current novels for different ones
8. First Book Marketplace

1. Redeem rewards points for gift cards to book stores
2. Collect and save your Scholastic points from monthly book sale flyer sales
3. Ask friends, family and neighbours in person and via social media to donate any gently used books to your classroom
4. If permitted ask parents of students in your class to donate books their children have finished reading.

Teaching students about ebooks and showing them how to find them for free is a great way to bring books into your classroom without spending money.

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