A home library doesn’t need to be very elaborate or costly to impress upon a child. Fancy and expensive books needn’t necessarily be the only way to capture a child’s imagination. A family should have the suitable reading material, presented in the right manner so that approaching the library and reading becomes easier for the child.
Setting up a Library
It is not the size of a home library but its location and appearance that is more significant. Simply, a corner of a room with lots of bookshelves, some comfortable seated furniture and good artificial and natural lighting are the prime requisites.
Size of the Library
The size would vary according to the number of books which are stored or placed in the library. The special interest and fondness of each family member should be taken care of and the library should be arranged in such a way that there is enough space for books pertaining to each kind of liking expressed by the family members.
For children, books should be stocked in terms of present and further reading material and the library should be big enough to comfortably choose and browse through the books they are fond of.
Display of the Library
There is a wide range of objects which can be manipulated or used to build up a family library. These include new or used bookcases with some built-in shelves and even open magazine racks. These provide an easy-to-approach display for the books which is essential to attract a child. The reading material for children should be placed on the lowest of shelves. Children books should be grouped together and some other interesting reference books should be placed next to them, just to fire the curiosity of the child.
Making Small Family Libraries
Other common things that can be used to create a rather small family library include,
• Cinder-block Bookshelves — cinder blocks, small decorated bricks or particle-board shelves can be found at any hardware store. These blocks can be arranged on top of each other and then a shelf can be placed on them, giving it a bookshelf-like appearance.
• Crate Bookcases— these are perfect for stacking children’s books. Plastic crates are available in varying sizes in most departmental stores. The child can be asked to paint and decorate the crate. These make very durable, cheap and easy-to-maintain bookshelves.