Best thing I have ever done! ~Helpful Hint~

Well, one of the best things I have ever done maybe...

Last year I got so frustrated when I tried to find a book I was looking for -and couldn't remember where it was.  So I decided to fix that problem once and for all.  

Here's what I did:

Little by little, I would take a group of books from a location in my room and type the titles in a word document. At the top of the list, I would type the location of the book- which most times also serves as the subject of the group (like: Science bucket, or my library, or red dot books, or listening station, etc)  Then I would get another group of books and do the same thing.  By the end of it, I had a list compiled of every book in my classroom, listed under where it was located.
I thought it was going to take forever, but honestly it didn't take that long.

Has it made life easier?? YES!

This is what the document looks like in reference to the subjects:

 Here are the 5 gallon bags and baskets where those books are found:

Not only can I find books, but I can use the search function in Word to search for a
specific letter or sound...or word.
Here is a picture of the "search" in a document

 For instance, last week I needed a book that had an r controlled vowel in it.  I decided my best bet was the word "more"...so I type it in the search function box and in the document it found "Bear wants More" and "Always Room for One More."  

A few days later, one of the other teachers in first grade came over and asked if I had a certain Frog and Toad book...of course, I couldn't be 100% sure...so quickly I typed in "frog" in the document's search box and although I have several of them, I didn't have that specific one, but I knew immediately.
 Easy enough, right? 
Much better than running around, poking through baskets or shelves!!

Here is a picture of what one of the pages in the document looks like for authors
which are organized in the bags on the shelf:

 
 This is where you woudl find the levelized "dot" and thematic books listed in the document:

Now, keep in mind, the spelling/capitalization isn't always perfect in  the document...I was in a hurry and I keep meaning to go back through it and fix things.  It will happen...eventually!

Of course, I also have all my books in the listening center listed, the books
in my non-fiction baskets listed...everything!
Oh, and I am sure to add all titles that I purchase or order from Scholastic as I get them!

Hope this gives someone out there some useful ideas. 
You may not like doing it, but you will be SO happy if you do!