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How to Curate a Brilliant Library for Home and School

Editor’s Note: This post features insights from an experienced Lutheran school librarian who has chosen to remain anonymous. Her words are quoted directly, and her perspective reflects years of work…

Editor’s Note:

This post features insights from an experienced Lutheran school librarian who has chosen to remain anonymous. Her words are quoted directly, and her perspective reflects years of work curating a K–8 library within a Lutheran, classically oriented school setting.

Cultivating Your Library – At Home or School

A strong library is not an accessory to classical education; it is it’s foundation. The “Great Conversation” of Western civilization—the training of the mind to love what is true, beautiful, and good—depends on books that are carefully chosen. This does not mean a private library is the only way. Many families and schools draw richly from public libraries, but discernment is still essential. In classical education, is a treasury of ideas that shape virtue and wisdom.

Cultivation as an Act of Formation

In classical education, formation is as important as information. A cultivated library functions like a curriculum in miniature—each title another tutor in the “paideia” of the child. Simply collecting as many titles as possible is not enough; selection is formative.

An experienced Lutheran school librarian explained her approach: “I believe that Lutheran school libraries should provide ‘safe’ books and books that are quality reading material. By safe books, I mean books that have consistent messages with our Lutheran faith (they don’t have to be religious in nature but books that don’t have messages contrary to our Lutheran faith.)” She adds, “By quality reading material I mean books that are classic staples of literature and/or support our Lutheran faith. Twaddle is plentiful and can be easily acquired in many places.”

Her clarity echoes a core principle of classical education: children are shaped by the things they read. A curated library becomes a tool for forming intellect and character, not simply a collection of stories.

Deciding What to Include

Classical education values the principle of ordering the affections—helping students love what they ought to love. Choosing books is therefore an act of teaching. Families and schools can ask: Who is the audience? What stage of development are they in? Does this work elevate taste and strengthen moral imagination?

The Lutheran educator noted the importance of a balanced approach: “There also needs to be a balance in appealing to the interests and abilities of a wide range of readers—from struggling to competent well beyond their years. The goal being to choose those ‘lower quality’ books carefully and with the hope that they will provide a step towards a higher quality of reading.”

This echoes the classical ideal of the propaideia: beginning with what is accessible, but always leading upward to what is noble. Even lighter reading can serve as a bridge toward richer literature.

Anchoring in the Classics

The backbone of classical education is the “great books” tradition—the authors and ideas that have endured because they speak to perennial human questions. A well-curated library is anchored in these classics.

The Lutheran school librarian shared her approach to making these texts accessible: “I recently added a series of abridged/simplified stories from Shakespeare. I have a library pre-k to 8th grade. Shakespeare is difficult enough for high school students, let alone middle school and younger. I felt the ability to take these stories and make them more accessible to younger students was important. Children should be exposed to Shakespeare, but the original can be hard to grasp for younger children.”

This strategy reflects a classical practice—scaffolding great works so that students can enter the conversation early, even before they are ready for the originals. She also noted how her son read an abridged version of Dracula at age eight, tried the original but could not finish, and she advised, “I told him to come back to [it] in 5 or so years and he might enjoy [it] more.” Adaptations can awaken interest and build familiarity for the full texts later.

Truth, Beauty, and Goodness in Practice

The ideals of truth, beauty, and goodness are not abstractions in classical education; they are the criteria for selection. Books that highlight courage, justice, mercy, or imagination shape virtue as well as intellect.

The Lutheran librarian gave an example of a modern series that meets this test: “The Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians. Boiled down, it’s a story of good versus evil. It emphasizes courage, responsibility, and using one’s gifts for the sake of others even when those gifts seem like imperfections or a hassle.” She praised its wit, literary references, and its encouragement for readers to think critically about the information they consume.

Research supports this impact. Reading about people in different circumstances can increase empathy in ways similar to real-life experience (MacKenzie, The Read-Aloud Family, 2018). In the classical tradition, this moral imagination is essential—students practice seeing the world through another’s eyes, a habit necessary for wisdom.

Practical Steps for Families and Schools

Building a cultivated library does not have to be overwhelming. Classical education encourages small, deliberate steps: quality over quantity, balance over novelty, conversation over consumption. A good library for classical education can be built at home, in a school, or through careful use of a public library’s holdings.

The Lutheran school librarian offered three practical starting points:

These steps align with the classical ideal of community. Learning takes place within a tradition and a conversation. Trusted lists and mentors help families and schools discern wisely, especially when evaluating contemporary works.

Conclusion

A good library is indispensable to classical education because it supplies the substance of the “Great Conversation.” Whether at home, at school, or carefully drawn from the public library, it is a treasury of ideas and examples that shape intellect and character.

As the Lutheran school librarian explains, “We aren’t just turning out brilliant academics. We are also shaping our children’s character and building their faith.” This is the vision of a cultivated library in classical education: to nurture minds, strengthen virtue, and offer young readers a lifetime of good books.

If you’re looking for ready-to-use materials to complement your growing library, take a look at my Teachers Pay Teachers store. There you’ll find thoughtfully designed resources and printables to enrich your classical Christian teaching. Explore ClassicalChristian on TPT and find tools to help bring your lessons and library to life.

As you continue building and nurturing your library—whether in your home, school, or church community—consider how each volume becomes a gateway to deeper truth, beauty, and wonder. May your collection not only enrich minds, but cultivate hearts attuned to the rhythms of a classical Christian life. And for further inspiration, reflection, and encouragement on this journey, be sure to visit Et Cetera on the Classical Christian Classics site—where thoughtful conversations, resource ideas, and timeless wisdom await you every step of the way.