W-FL BOCES Destiny Consortium
Libraries are for Everyone
The SLS library automation service, and thereby the Destiny consortium model, has been, and will continue to be, guided by the department’s desire and responsibility to adhere to ADA and data security regulations/policies at the federal, state, and district levels; we work to guide the region’s libraries in changing and evolving best library automation practices within those contexts. Offering equitable, systematic solutions to W-FL districts and their librarians, teachers, students and families is an ongoing goal of the department.
Future Ready Libraries & Follett
“As stated in the Future Ready Libraries frameworks, librarians should “lead in the selection, integration, organization, and sharing of digital resources and tools to support transformational teaching and learning and develop the digital curation skills of others.”
Collections provides an ideal platform for curating resources and teaching others about locating resources that are perfect for certain topics or assignments.
Website: https://www.follettcommunity.com/p/bl/et/blogid=1&blogaid=476
W-FL BOCES Follett Destiny Consortium Survey Responses
Survey respondents
- 5 elementary
- 7 secondary
- 2 K-12
What you like in Follett Destiny....
- Cataloging (85.7%)
- Integration with Titlewave (78.6%)
- Catalog searching (57.1%)
- Reports (42.9%)
Challenges in Follett Destiny....
- Reports (64.3%)
- Collections (28.6%)
- Personalized accounts (21.4%)
- Catalog searching (14.3%)
Desired areas for future training:
- Reports (customizing)
- Inventory
- E-mailing overdues
- Collections
Personalized accounts: Staff and Teachers
- 50% of participants have introduced and/or are using personalized accounts (via Google SSO) with teachers and staff
Personalized accounts: Students
- 35.7% of participants have introduced and/or are using personalized accounts (via Google SSO) with students
Destiny Follett interface
- 57.1% of participants use Destiny Discover as their primary interface
Patron data process:
- 57.1% of participants responded positively (yay!, an adjustment but working now, it's ok) to the nightly patron data/SIS process
Cataloging process:
- 64.3% of participants responded positively (yay!, sounds interesting) to proposed centralized cataloging
End user group:
- 85.7% of participants responded "yes" or "maybe" to willingness to participate in a Follett Destiny end user group
"The good, the bad & the ugly": Survey comments
- Overall, I really like Follett. As with anything new there have been some adjustments and I feel I need to learn some areas better. I am happy with our move to Follett. Thank you!
- None. But thank you to the WFL BOCES SLS Staff for always helping out when needed
- Easier to use. Doesn't time out like Mandarin does. Ability to SAVE book lists
- Communication has always been great, however in this area it was poor! It seems to be getting better however it was extremely frustrating to be trying to implement a new system and not get help
- A great product. Importing records has been super easy. I like that patron accounts are connected to SIS
- We need to deal with the fact Kate wants collections but they are not functional as bibliographies.
- Not that I can think of at the moment
- It's compact, displays well on the ipad catalogs, prioritizes covers, colorful, simplistic
- While many of my questions get answered by Ryan, there is still no set guidelines for a "help desk" situation
- I like the ease of adding books into the system and purchasing books. I like how easily I can provide my students/parents/administration with library data
- I only use it for basic functions now but would like to use it to it's fullest potential
- I am frustrated by the unrealistic expectation that students having access to a individual login solves everything
- Glad the elementary switched to Follett! I like it so much better than Mandarin!
We appreciate your flexibility and honest feedback!
Library automation offered in a consortium model is a first for this region. Ultimately, this approach fosters the implementation of systemic, equitable, regional library automation processes that allow librarians and library staff to spend less time in the catalog and more time with students, staff and families. And who doesn't want that?
Just as you continue to grow and learn more about this new product and its continued development, so, too, does SLS. Please stay tuned for dates of an onsite Follett Destiny training (April 2018) and a Follett Destiny End User group meeting (May 2018).
In the meantime, if you have any additional questions, concerns, etc., please feel free to reach out to Kate, Ryan or Sue.
Thanks!
Wayne-Finger Lakes School Library System
Email: katherine.hammill@wflboces.org
Website: https://www.wflboces.org/teaching-and-learning/school-library-systems
Location: 131 Drumlin Court, Newark, NY, United States
Phone: 315.332.2100
Twitter: @wflsls