Supporting students through Back to School season
A new school year brings new routines, new goals, and plenty of opportunities for young readers to discover their next favorite book. For libraries, it’s also an important time to make sure children and teens have access to the stories, information, and formats that can keep them reading throughout the year.
Libraries play an important role in supporting literacy—not just by providing access to books, but by helping young people find books that spark their interests. A 2026 School Library Journal article on the “librarian effect” highlights the ways librarians can support literacy through activities such as co-teaching literacy skills, book discussions, book challenges, and other programming.
Young readers are using library collections in significant numbers. In 2025, children and YA titles accounted for 174.6 million digital checkouts through the Libby and Sora network, a 9% increase over the previous year. That growth was part of a record-breaking year for digital lending overall, with libraries and schools lending more than 820 million digital titles worldwide.
What young people choose to read matters, too. The 2026 What Kids Are Reading report, based on data from more than 1 million children across the UK and Ireland, reinforces the importance of choice and agency in reading. When young readers can choose books that genuinely interest them, they are more engaged. The report also highlights the important role of librarians and other supportive adults in helping children discover their next read.
For libraries, that means building collections with options that are unique as their readers; from beloved series and graphic novels to new releases, nonfiction, audiobooks, and ebooks that reflect the wide range of interests and experiences of today’s students.
Stock Up for the School Year
The Back to School Sale is here! From August 17 through September 30, libraries can save up to 50% off select titles for kids and teens.
Whether you’re looking to fulfill holds, complete a popular series, refresh your collection with new releases, or give young readers more opportunities to find books they’ll love, the Back to School Sale is a great opportunity to stretch your collection development budget.
Shop the Back to School Sale in Marketplace.
Follow the Trends
What are kids into these days? Our librarians seem to have a good idea.
Look for Books That Open the Door to Reading
Sometimes the best addition to a collection isn’t the book with the biggest buzz—it’s the book that gets a reluctant or new reader to pick up reading in the first place.
What interests are represented in your community? Do you have an array of titles that will speak to those passions?
Don’t Forget Audiobooks
Young readers don’t all engage with books in the same way. Digital collections with robust audio options can give children and teens another way to access stories.
Make Your Budget Go Further
The Back to School Sale is also a great opportunity to take a strategic look at your collection. A few quick Marketplace tips can help you spend less time searching and more time finding the titles your patrons want:
Fulfill Holds
Start with the titles patrons are already waiting for. In Marketplace, use SHOP HOLDS from the NEWS tab to find high-demand titles with existing holds.
Go directly to Holds in Marketplace
Check Notify Me
See what your patrons are asking for with SHOP NOTIFY ME. These titles represent demonstrated interest from your community and can help guide purchasing decisions.
Go directly to Notify Me in Marketplace
Sort Your Results
Don’t forget that Marketplace search results can be sorted by criteria including holds, Notify Me tags, price, and street date. Adjusting your sort order can help you quickly surface the best opportunities for your library.
If you have questions about making the most of the Back to School Sale, contact your Account Manager.