When my return box is really full this takes me 10 minutes. Then I copy that date and use it as I "check in" all the other books. I add the date the book was returned in the returned column. I type in a bit of the title of the book or the student's name and find the entry. The Ctrl+F (or Command+F on Mac) opens a search box for my sheet.
When the box gets full I sit down with the stack, open my spreadsheet of checked out books, and use Ctrl+F. Then they add them to the book return box. When students return items I ask them to use a small sticky note to put their name on the front of the book. Really, being able to sort this data is such a huge advantage over a paper clipboard. That makes it easy for me to group all the books checked out by my third period students and ask them about them once in awhile. Of course all entries end up in a spreadsheet, which I can sort by name and period. I added a button to our class blog for the book check out form. No one has to wait in line because they can do their check out from their desk. Students can "check out" their book from the form using their Chromebooks in class and even their phones. Then I started using a Google form as my library check out system. But often there was a line of 5-6 students waiting to write on the log, and many more just gave up waiting, took the book home and never brought it back. When they returned it they added the date returned. Students wrote down the title, author and date they borrowed the book. I want them to read daily, try on a book before they borrow it, and have as many books out at a time as they need. Recently I heard Penny Kittle say, "If you aren't loosing 15% of your classroom library every year than you probably don't have the right books in it." (She attributed it to someone else but I can't recall who.) Loosing books is an inevitable part of working with kids and books. Maintaining a large and diverse classroom library is a huge part of making my students into life long readers.
Seeing my students read, get hooked on reading, and grow as readers are among my greatest joys as an educator. I love teaching with technology, but as an English teacher I also love books.
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