NEWS RELEASES > MARCH 4, 2025

Protecting and Preventing Loss of Classroom Book Sets

Tips and Services to Help

Printed books are important for learning and can be a large investment, but the wear and tear by students using them each school year causes frequent book damage and loss. Start extending the lifespan of classroom novel sets with:

Book Labels
Durable “property of” book labels with the school’s name, classroom or grade levels inside each book makes it easier to recover books. Add labels for organization and to know which books are assigned to what department or grade level.
Book Cover Protection for Durability
Extend the life of a book by either reinforcing the paperbacks or investing in a more durable binding. Laminate paperbacks with thick, durable plastic to strengthen the book covers. Mylar for hardcovers with dust jackets taped on the inside can also be an option for additional protection.

FollettBound^® is also an option. While there are higher upfront costs compared to a paperback book, it offers a longer-lasting book cover and a lifetime guarantee. These aren’t just for school libraries – they can also be used for classroom book sets or student book club sets. FollettBound is as tough as a textbook, but available for popular novels and book series!
Storage and Bins
Keeping class sets organized in bins with labels and stored on rolling carts helps to keep inventory together and easy to transfer from class-to-class sharing for resources or book sets.
Barcodes with a Checkout School Book Management System
Online book checkout software isn’t just for school libraries! A district classroom library management system helps track and assign books to students to reduce loss or recuperate costs from damaged books. Using barcodes can provide electronic records for schools, allowing books to be checked out of classrooms and providing data on how your funding dollars are being put to good use. Plus, there are additional valuable tools to help with tracking student progress. For individual classroom libraries tracked by teachers, there’s a free lite version.
We recommend considering investing in a schoolwide classroom book set distribution plan with labeling, cover protection, organization, storage, and a checkout system. Save your school from book loss and streamline future classroom novel set ordering! Our team of classroom book specialists can help with the planning and budgeting to get you started.

Even More Tips for Preventing Book Loss

Regular Inventory Checks
Periodically check your inventory (e.g., After each unit, monthly, or by semester) to identify missing books early on. This helps you to address losses before too many accumulate.
Educating Students on Book Care
Regularly remind students of the importance of handling books carefully. Discuss why returning books is essential and how it helps the entire class.
Using Book Return Bins or Drop-Off Stations
Set up a specific location, like a return bin, where students can drop off books they’ve finished using. Check this spot daily to ensure books are accounted for.

Recent News

ByWater Solutions Collaborates with Follett Content to Bring EDI Integration to Koha

October 29, 2026

ByWater Solutions, America's forefront provider of Open Source library technology support, announced today that they have collaborated with Follett Content to provide EDIfact integration with Koha.
Read more

Follett Content Introduces Free Book List Notifications for Public Libraries

October 23, 2026

With the free Follett List Notification Program, public librarians select the list types they want to follow, and we deliver matching curated lists directly to their Titlewave® inbox, along with an email alert when they're ready.
Read more

Follett Content Celebrates Colorado Teacher of the Year Merci Ames with 700-Book Donation

October 1, 2026

Merci Ames, a science teacher and longtime basketball coach at Strasburg High School, has been named the 2027 Colorado Teacher of the Year. To celebrate her impact, Follett Content donated 700 books to Strasburg High School, helping students build personal...
Read more

Follett Content and United Way of Greater McHenry County Raise More Than $30,000 to Support Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

September 29, 2026

The public book sale welcomed 1,468 shoppers, who purchased 48,922 books during the one-day event. Combined with the employee presale, more than 50,500 books found new homes while helping support early childhood literacy throughout McHenry County.
Read more

Follett Content Invites Community to Annual Public Book Sale Benefiting McHenry County Children Through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

September 14, 2026

One-day sale offers thousands of books at bargain prices while supporting literacy opportunities for local children.
Read more

Follett Content Supports Book Up Summer Program Delivering Nearly 80,000 Books to Washington Students

July 14, 2026

McHenry, Ill. – July 14, 2026 – Follett Content, a leading provider of PreK-12 literacy resources, supported Page Ahead’s 2026 Book Up Summer program, helping distribute 79,959 books to 10,220 students across 50 schools throughout Washington state.Book Up Summer is...
Read more