Curious how people run their "Open Check Out" time in a school

[Julie Boggess]

I am starting at a new school library where I will have half of my day dedicated to Open Check Out where students are sent to the library to get new books.
Some people just type in the names, other have card systems, etc....
I am just looking for ideas on what works best.
Thanks for any responses that I get.
Have a great day!

[Tiffany Whitehead]

In our district, grades 4 and up are required to wear ID cards. Those ID barcodes are used for book check out. I'm in the 2-3 grade school. This year, each student got a folder that they use to keep their AR reading log and it has a barcode sticker inside. They bring their folder with them to the library to check out books. Of course, they don't always remember. In those cases, I type in their names.

[Karla Talbot]

We use three options for student check-out.
1 - Photo id's with barcodes on a ring organized by home room at the circulation desk. Students find their id, scan the id, then scan their books. We teach students to override any overdue messages. The student id is an option we negotiate with the school photo package. Make sure your office submits the correct student id number and barcode symbology to the photo company.
2- Students scan their lunch card. The lunch cards hang in the hall outside the library. Students can pull their card right before they check-out a book. I'm amazed what a great job the students do putting their lunch card back in the pocket chart.
3- The library/tech aide or the librarian type in the student's name. If the lines get super long and we aren 't working with other classes or students one of us will work the circulation desk for a few minutes.

You make whatever tools you have available work for your students. Yes, kindergarten can check-out their own selection by Thanksgiving.

[Paula Daubert]

Why do you teach them to override the overdue messages? Aren't you concerned with how many overdue books they have?

[Karla Talbot]

Ehh! We circulated 17,000+ books this year with 10 books that weren't returned or paid for by the last day of school. My mission is to encourage students to read. The 10 lost books are a small cost of doing business.

[Donna Hall]

I am in a PK - 5 school. K-5 students carry ID cards that were acquired from the photographer at the begining of the year. I give them to the classroom teacher and they can store them as they choose, but the kids bring their ID cards (usually on a lanyard) when they come in for open checkout. If they forget, I can always type in their names. It is so much better than the rings and names I used to have. I also have a book of printed sheets that I make at the beginning of the year. The sheets are in order of classroom teacher with each student's name and barcode. I try to get away from this book as soon as I can, though. It is very cumbersome.