Collection Size: 340+ volumes
The term "Hi-Lo" is short for "high interest - low readability" and is used to describe a specific book format where the reading level is low but the interest level is appropriate to the targeted age group (ex. a book with themes of interest to young adults but written at a fifth grade level). Hi-Lo books are a critical tool for educators to build reader identities in students who may otherwise not see themselves as readers. This includes but is not limited to English Language Learners, students in special education, and students who find materials written at their grade level intimidating.
These stories are written to fully engage readers while giving them a sense of accomplishment, and they can go a long way towards building reading confidence and creating a classroom culture of reading.
The collection at the TDRL includes books for students ranging from 3rd to 12th grade and also includes some adult titles that older teens would find appealing. View our Hi-Lo Books Libguide to start exploring TDRL’s Hi-Lo Book Collection.
This book collection was made possible through a generous gift from Marydean Martin, Honorary Member of the UNLV University Libraries Advisory Board. While a student at Nevada Southern (now UNLV), Marydean worked as an assistant librarian for Las Vegas High School. She earned sufficient library science credits from the University of Utah Extension Division to qualify her to work as an assistant librarian in the Nevada Southern library. She later transferred to the University of Nevada in Reno, where she worked as a reference librarian. After college, she served on the Friends of the Library Board at UNLV, which would later become the Libraries Advisory Board. The Marydean Martin Library at Nevada State College is named in her honor, and she is a founder and member of the Friends of the Library at Nevada State College.