diff --git a/jquery.selectlist.dev.js b/jquery.selectlist.dev.js
index d3731c8..0bc80ac 100755
--- a/jquery.selectlist.dev.js
+++ b/jquery.selectlist.dev.js
@@ -15,40 +15,40 @@
 
 $.selectList = function (select, options) {
     /* Variables starting with $ are jQuery objects */
-    var 
+    var
         /* Single select element (drop-down list) */
         $selectSingle,
-        
+
         /* List of selected options */
         $list,
-        
+
         /* List items */
         $item, $newItem,
-        
+
         /* Option element */
         $option,
-        
+
         /*
          * Keyboard event to use (keydown for MSIE and Safari, keypress for
          * other browsers)
          */
         keyEvent,
-        
+
         /* Has the plugin been initialized? */
         ready,
-        
+
         /*
          * The index of the first option element (equal to 1 if there is a hint,
          * otherwise 0)
          */
         first = 0,
-        
+
         /* Flags for keeping track of events */
         change, click, keypress, enter;
 
     /**
      * Make list item visible.
-     * 
+     *
      * @param $item
      *            A jQuery object representing the list item
      * @param callback
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
 
     /**
      * Make list item hidden.
-     * 
+     *
      * @param $item
      *            A jQuery object representing the list item
      * @param callback
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
 
     /**
      * Compare two list items by text data or with an user-defined function.
-     * 
+     *
      * @param item1
      *            A DOM object representing the first list item to compare
      * @param item2
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
 
     /**
      * Add a new item to the list of selected items.
-     * 
+     *
      * @param value
      *            Value of the new item or a DOM object representing a HTML
      *            option element
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
              */
             if ($option[0].index < first)
                 return;
-            
+
             /* Extract value and text */
             value = $option.val();
             text = $option.text();
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
              * Find the option with the given value (and possibly text) in the
              * select element.
              */
-            $option = $selectSingle.find("option[value=\"" + 
+            $option = $selectSingle.find("option[value=\"" +
                     value.replace("'", "\\\"") + "\"]");
 
             if ($option.length)
@@ -159,10 +159,10 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
             else
                 $option = null;
         }
-        
+
         if (text === undefined)
             text = $option ? $option.text() : value;
-        
+
         /* If duplicates are not allowed, disable the option */
         if ($option && !options.duplicates)
             $option.attr('disabled', 'disabled')
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
                  * our own flag as a workaround.
                  */
                 .data('disabled', 1);
-            
+
         /*
          * Create the new list item based on the template, and make it hidden.
          * The $('<b/>').text(text).html() part is a trick to convert special
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
             if (options.clickRemove)
                 remove($(this));
         });
-        
+
         /*
          * If there is a hint (first == 1), set it back as the selected option
          * in the select element.
@@ -207,9 +207,9 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
         /* Callback function that will be called after the item is added */
         var callback = function () {
             if (callHandler !== false)
-                options.onAdd(select, value, text);           
+                options.onAdd(select, value, text);
         };
-        
+
         if (options.sort && ($item = $list.children().eq(0)).length) {
             /*
              * If the list is supposed to be automatically sorted, look for the
@@ -218,27 +218,27 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
              */
             while ($item.length && cmp($newItem[0], $item[0]))
                 $item = $item.next();
-            
+
             show($item.length ? $newItem.insertBefore($item)
                 : $newItem.appendTo($list), callback);
         }
         else
             /* Otherwise, append the new element at the end of the list. */
             show($newItem.appendTo($list), callback);
-        
+
         $(select).empty();
-        
+
         $list.children().each(function () {
             $(select).append($("<option/>").attr({ value: $(this).data('value'),
                     selected: "selected" }));
         });
-        
+
         checkValidation();
     }
-    
+
     /**
      * Remove an item from the list of selected items.
-     * 
+     *
      * @param $item
      *            A jQuery object representing the item to be removed
      * @param callHandler
@@ -250,25 +250,25 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
         hide($item, function () {
             var value = $(this).data('value'),
                 text = $(this).data('text');
-            
+
             if ($(this).data('option'))
                 $(this).data('option').removeAttr('disabled')
                     .removeData('disabled');
-            
+
             $(this).remove();
-            
+
             $(select).find("option[value=\"" + value + "\"]").remove();
-            
+
             checkValidation();
-            
+
             if (callHandler !== false)
                 options.onRemove(select, value, text);
         });
     }
-    
+
     /**
      * Check if the jQuery Validation plugin is in use and re-validate the
-     * select element if it is marked as being invalid. 
+     * select element if it is marked as being invalid.
      */
     function checkValidation() {
           if (select.form && typeof ($(select.form).validate) == "function" &&
@@ -276,22 +276,22 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
                           .validate().settings.errorClass))
               $(select.form).validate().element(select);
     }
-    
+
     /* Publicly available methods */
-    
+
     /**
-     * Get currently selected options, similar to using the code jQuery 
+     * Get currently selected options, similar to using the code jQuery
      * <code>.val()</code> method on a regular multiple selection element.
-     * 
+     *
      * @returns An array of values corresponding to the selected options
      */
     this.val = function () {
         return $(select).val();
     };
-    
+
     /**
      * Add a new item to the selection.
-     * 
+     *
      * @param value
      *            The value of the new item
      * @param text
@@ -300,11 +300,11 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
     this.add = function (value, text) {
         add(value, text);
     };
-    
+
     /**
      * Remove the item (or multiple items) with the given value from the
      * selection.
-     * 
+     *
      * @param value
      *            The value of the item(s) being removed
      */
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
 
     /**
      * Set plugin options.
-     * 
+     *
      * @param newOptions
      *            An object representing the new options
      */
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
     };
 
     /* Initialization starts here */
-    
+
     this.setOptions(options = $.extend({
         addAnimate: true,
         classPrefix: 'selectlist',
@@ -356,6 +356,36 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
         onRemove: function () {}
     }, options));
 
+
+    /*
+     * Inline-function to prevent code duplication.
+     */
+    var createTitle = function(title) {
+        $selectSingle.prepend($("<option/>", {"class": "selectlist-title"})
+                .text(title));
+        first = 1;
+        /*
+         * We could set the "selected" attribute for the option element above,
+         * but IE7 and IE8 seem to ignore it, so we need to set the hint with
+         * the selectedIndex property.
+         */
+        $selectSingle[0].selectedIndex = 0;
+    };
+
+    /*
+     * Function for setting the title of an already initialized selectList.
+     * Creates the title-object if it doesn't already exist.
+     */
+    this.setTitle = function(title) {
+        var $title = $(".selectlist-title", $selectSingle);
+        if($title.length) {
+            $title.html(title);
+        } else {
+            createTitle(title);
+        }
+    };
+
+
     /*
      * Create the single select element by cloning the original multiple select.
      */
@@ -379,7 +409,7 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
      * element to turn it into a drop-down list.
      */
     $selectSingle.removeAttr('multiple');
-    /* 
+    /*
      * Firefox 4 throws an error on removeAttr('size'), so we need to use the
      * removeAttribute() DOM method instead.
      */
@@ -387,25 +417,17 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
 
     /* If there is a "title" attribute, we add it as the hint option. */
     if ($selectSingle.attr("title")) {
-        $selectSingle.prepend($("<option/>")
-                .text($selectSingle.attr("title")));
-        first = 1;
-        /* 
-         * We could set the "selected" attribute for the option element above,
-         * but IE7 and IE8 seem to ignore it, so we need to set the hint with
-         * the selectedIndex property.
-         */ 
-        $selectSingle[0].selectedIndex = 0;
+        createTitle($selectSingle.attr("title"));
     }
 
     /*
      * In MSIE and WebKit, we need to use the keydown event instead of keypress.
      */
     keyEvent = $.browser.msie || $.browser.safari ? 'keydown' : 'keypress';
-    
+
     $selectSingle.bind(keyEvent, function (event) {
         keypress = true;
-        
+
         /* Check if Enter has been pressed */
         if ((event.keyCode || event.which) == 13) {
             enter = true;
@@ -423,11 +445,11 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
         $option = $selectSingle.find("option:selected");
         if (!$option.data("disabled") && (!keypress || enter))
             add($option);
-        
+
         if (keypress)
             /* Reset flags */
             keypress = change = click = false;
-        
+
         enter = false;
     })
     /*
@@ -437,12 +459,12 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
     .mousedown(function () {
         click = true;
     });
-    
+
     /*
      * Add a new item when an option is clicked, even if no onchange event
      * occurred -- this is useful when duplicate items are allowed and the user
      * wants to select the same item again.
-     * 
+     *
      * This is only supported in browsers that report click events for option
      * elements (works in FF3 and Opera, does not work in MSIE and Chrome).
      */
@@ -455,32 +477,32 @@ $.selectList = function (select, options) {
          * occurred within the select element's boundaries.
          */
         if ($.browser.mozilla && event.pageX >= $selectSingle.offset().left &&
-                event.pageX <= $selectSingle.offset().left + 
+                event.pageX <= $selectSingle.offset().left +
                     $selectSingle.outerWidth() &&
                 event.pageY >= $selectSingle.offset().top &&
-                event.pageY <= $selectSingle.offset().top + 
+                event.pageY <= $selectSingle.offset().top +
                     $selectSingle.outerHeight())
             return false;
-        
+
         click = true;
-        
+
         if (!($(this).attr('disabled') || $(this).data('disabled') || keypress
-                || change)) 
+                || change))
             add($(this));
-        
+
         if (!keypress)
             change = click = false;
-        
+
         return false;
     });
-    
+
     /* Ready for action */
     ready = true;
 };
 
 /**
  * Invoke selectList on a jQuery object containing the select element(s)
- * 
+ *
  * @param options
  *            Options object
  * @return The jQuery object or a reference to selectList instance (if the
@@ -506,6 +528,6 @@ $.fn.selectList = function (options) {
         return this.filter('select').data('selectList');
 
     return this;
-};  
+};
 
-})(jQuery);
+})(jQuery);
\ No newline at end of file