Circulation Counter Makeover

When you are working with an old building.... and I mean super old building, you are constantly "just makin' it work!" I am always trying to pull every amount of creativity to make my space fun and "new" for the kids each year. One hurdle is trying to cover up this....ugly whatever this is on the counter.

I usually do a fun quote to go with whatever theme I have picked for the year but let's be honest... kids like to kick and pick and jump and the posters I put so much thought and time into usually end up ripped or torn and I'm not sure how much I love that! I was able to save this Harry Potter poster and maybe take it to our new building if and when we get our new build... cross your fingers for Fall 2018!

I purchased so many books this year for our library and many of the children's picture books come with the protective covers on them. While I love them, I have a hard time leaving them on. They are beautiful and serve a lovely purpose, but as soon as the students take them off or rip them, there goes the AR sticker, bar code and shelving info. and then what... more work for me and I'm not sure how much I love that either! 

I have been collecting them all year and wanting to do something fun with them like hang them from the ceiling as decorative banners, but when your library is used a a multi-purpose room (voting, meetings, lunches, and especially picture day, etc.) you are sort of limited on what you can and cannot do when it comes to hanging things from the ceiling.

I had the perfect idea come to me yesterday and I am loving the outcome. A way I can recycle these fun covers, provide entertainment AND due to the material these covers are made out of the kids can pick and kick and I'm pretty sure it will withhold with all the love it is bound to see next year. 

And the final bonus, we have all of these books! So when a student sees a cover and wants the book, he or she can check it out.  Wahoo!