Organizing the Books 
Having an organized classroom library makes readers’ workshop much easier. You’ll need to have lots of books - of all levels and genres. You can organize most of the library according to level. There are tons of systems for leveling books. Most books have some level attached to them (usually on the back cover), but every publisher is different. If your school doesn’t already have a system, use a correlational chart to get them all on the same scale.  I wouldn’t recommend trying to level and organize books yourself. You’ll need help (it’s a job too complex for most kids). If it’s not a school-wide initiative, gather a few teachers and do it together.

Putting books in tubs makes them easier to manage. Color coding the tubs makes it even easier (levels A-F are blue, etc.). Kids have to be able to easily identify books that are appropriate for them. You will guide them to appropriate books during a reading conference. They also have to be able to put the books away in the correct tub. In addition to the leveled books, you’ll want genre tubs.

The type of genre depends on the age of the students, but some choices are: fiction, non-fiction, mystery, biography, science, history, fairy tales, realistic fiction, historical fiction, transportation, fantasy. You can also make tubs from favorite series or favorite authors.

Make it Comfortable
Make your library a nice place to be. Rugs, pillows, lamps, art, flowers - whatever you have to make it cozy. Spend some time teaching kids how to put books away so that the library stays organized. Show the kids that the library is a special place and they will take care of it.