At Booksource, we’re dedicated to helping educators. Not only do we curate amazing book collections designed to meet the needs of all students, we also have a free online tool to organize them. 

5 Steps to Set Up Your Booksource Classroom Account

Whether you’re new to Booksource Classroom or you’ve been using it for years, you’ll want to make sure you use your account to its fullest. That’s why we’ve listed some of our favorite features that you maybe haven’t gotten around to checking out.  

Read below to make sure you’re not missing out! 

1. Import titles using your Booksource invoice 

It’s important to know that Booksource Classroom was built to work best with the books we offer and recommend. We have spent decades reading and cultivating custom lists of books that fit every classroom need imaginable, from fiction to STEM, fresh new reads to classroom-proven favorites, read alouds to independent reading. Our warehouse is stocked with book collections carefully curated by our experts and waiting to be shipped to eager young readers!   

When you import Booksource books to your Booksource Classroom account, you can be sure that you’re getting the best quality literature as well as extensive information for each title. You won’t have to manually edit fields like “Title Details,” “Genre” or “Interest Level.” Plus, all your books will be considered when you perform an analysis using our LibraryLens feature. Lastly, importing books is quick and easy when all you have to do is enter your account number and select your most recent invoice.

2. Create student groups to separate your various classes and organizations 

Keep things organized and easy for students when you sort them into groups. These groups will appear in the Student Dashboard when students go to check out books, and you can use the groups when evaluating student progress. 

3. Scan an ISBN using your webcam or smart phone 

Not only can you import books, search for them in your library and return them by barcode scanner, but you can also scan with your webcam or phone. We know all the time and effort you put into your library, and we’re always looking for ways to make the process more efficient.

4. Recommend books for students to read based on their past checkouts 

Student choice is integral to making sure kids become avid readers. One amazing way to help them find the books that pique their interests is to recommend titles that are similar to those they already know and love. Booksource Classroom takes the guesswork out of this process by showing you exactly what genres and levels a given student is reading and suggesting new titles. Find this feature by selecting “Students” from the left toolbar and clicking on a student’s name. You can even click on “Check Out” to digitally check a book out for the student. 

5. Create student progress charts 

Another feature available under “Students” in the left toolbar, click on a student’s name to view their reading volume and progress over time. The chart will gain depth the longer you use Booksource Classroom and the more your students use it to check out books. You’ll find this helpful in identifying and addressing reading concerns. For instance, you can see if a student is not reading enough, if they aren’t challenging themselves or if they challenged themselves and subsequently regressed. 

6. Quarantine your books for student safety 

Making books accessible during the pandemic takes a little extra work, but it must be done. Luckily, Booksource Classroom allows students to check out books from the safety of their devices. We’ve introduced a brand new Booksource Classroom feature that allows you to set aside your books once they’re returned and track how long they’ve been in quarantine.  

7. Add titles to your Booksource Wish List 

You may be familiar with the fact that Booksource Classroom’sLibraryLens feature shows you what gaps you can fill in your classroom library, but have you noticed that it also recommends books to fill those gaps? We’ve used our decades of experience and expertise to cultivate our book collections and inform recommendations like these. All you have to do is browse the titles we suggest and click “Add to Wish List” to quickly and easily build a list of new books in your Booksource account. 

For more tips and information on Booksource Classroom, read our other blog posts below! 

6 Essential Tips for Organizing Your Classroom Library 
How to Analyze Your Classroom Library for Diversity 
5 Things Booksource Classroom Tells Us About Student Book Choices 
The Most Popular Titles in Booksource Classroom for Every Grade 
Top 5 Reasons to Create a Booksource Classroom Account 

What is your favorite feature in Booksource Classroom? Tell us in the comments below!