Finding Books for Your School Library Collection

Finding titles that appeal to and engage students can be difficult, but we’re here to make it easier! Titlewave^® is a tool that can help you with:

1. Advanced Search and Filters
   Search by publication date, classifications, format, languages, grade bands, and more, to help you more accurately source the kinds of books you’re looking for.
   
   •  Searching by Topics or Themes: Titles that have been curated by our expert team of certified librarians and teachers are displayed under “Lists & Collections.” 
   Note: You must have a Follett Titlewave account and be logged in for list search results.
   
   •  Sidebar Filters: Refine your searches further by new and upcoming releases, binding, audience levels, genres, reading levels, and languages. You can also make use of our customizable “Best of” feature with set filtering standards, and a filter that includes free resources.
    
2. Searching by Follett Tags 
   Refine your searches by popular categories with Follett Tags. These help you find the best educationally relevant materials in a variety of genres, subjects, and themes. Dig even deeper to discover materials that support specific skills, text structures, and writing styles!
    
3. Professional Reviews
   Titlewave aggregates reputable third-party reviews for free from sources like School Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus Reviews, offering insights on the book’s appeal and suitability for different age groups. You can set your search results to require a minimum number of professional reviews.
    
4. Free Teaching Resources
   Free teaching resources like lesson plans, educator guides, videos, or quizzes from publishers are free to access and are included with select books. You can configure your search profile or filter to only show books with free resources. 
    
5. Filtering by Reading Levels or Programs
   
   •  Lexile® Measure: Lexile measures are included for many books, helping you understand the complexity of text and match books to students based on reading ability.
   
   •  Guided Reading Level (GRL): Fountas & Pinnell GRLs are provided for several titles to categorize them by letter (A-Z), helping educators to select books that correspond with students’ instructional levels.
   
   •  Accelerated Reader™ (AR) Level: AR reading levels and points for books that have associated quizzes in the Accelerated Reader program are also offered, which is useful for schools tracking reading progress.
   
   •  Program Compatibility: If your school uses specific literacy programs, such as AR or Reading Counts!® (RC), Titlewave identifies books that align.
    
6. Curated Lists
   Our certified librarians frequently update Titlewave with recommended reading lists categorized by grade level and subject area. These lists are often curated to align with curriculum standards, making it easier to find appropriate materials for your school’s needs. But, if you have very specific or mixed needs for a large book order, or are opening a new school library, we can do the heavy lifting with a custom curation to help save you time!
    
7. Comparative Tools for Collection Development
   Titlewave allows you to compare and analyze current collection data against recommended reading levels and interest levels with TitleWise^®. This helps identify gaps where books might be too advanced or too basic for students’ needs, making it a valuable tool.

Ensure that your library collection meets students’ instructional and independent reading needs! With these features at your fingertips, Titlewave will help you make more informed decisions about reading level appropriateness.