Amber Barnes The University of Alabama

Caroline Chick LS 560

Shelley Dorrill June 25, 2009
Lauren Martin

LS 560 Systems Purchasing Assignment

The library we serve is the Country Club Estates Private Academy library and media
center. Our mission is to offer the faculty, staff, and students information resources, reading
materials, and current technology in an inviting and friendly environment. Our facility serves
around 800 students and teachers, including grades Kindergarten through twelfth. The library
and media center contains around 10,000 items.
Our new library automation software should include the following specifications:

OPAC – the system must be at least bilingual and have predictive results.
Cataloging – the system must have real-time inventory and some sort of automatic back-up
system.
Circulation – the system must include customized reports and a way for teachers and students to
place hold requests.
Support – the system must offer technical support and training modules.

We have chosen three library automation products that would be good products to use in
order to upgrade our system and bring us into the future of library services and information
technology. Please see the information below:

A. Destiny – Library Manager

Information:
Destiny Library Manager
Follett Software Company
1391 Corporate Drive
McHenry, IL 60050-7041
Phone: 1.800.323.3397
Fax: 1.800.807.3623
www.follettsoftware.com
Available Products – Destiny Library Manager, Athena, InfoCentre, Spectrum, Cir Plus/Cat
Plus

System Requirements:
The most important system requirement is that the library has XML.

Programming Language:
After searching the website thoroughly, we could never find an exact answer. However,
we did find a discussion board (http://lists.sjsu.edu/pipermail/calibk12/2009-
February/006644.html) which had this to say: “If the district doesn't provide adequate tech
support with experienced, knowledgeable and capable staff who also knows XML
programming language, you will have issues.”

Available Components/Modules:
Library Manager, Textbook Manager, Media Manager, Asset Manager

Vendor Support:
This is one of the strengths of the Destiny Library Manager. There is a high level of
vendor support. More details are given under specifications.

Vendor Stability:
Follett Software Company is a division of Follett Corporation, a respected name in
education, known initially for building our nation’s school libraries beginning in 1874. Follett
Corporation now serves more than 100,000 schools and universities throughout the United
States and 165 countries worldwide. Follett Software’s legacy of innovation includes
multiple awards, and a leading role in the School Interoperability Framework initiative.
Follett software was chosen by Microsoft to help define K-12 library software standards for
this important initiative that enables the software systems that manage education to share
information with each other.

Number of Customers, with some examples:

Follett Corporation now serves more than 100,000 schools and universities throughout
the United States and 165 countries worldwide.

Park School District R-3, Estes Park, Colorado - Schools: 3 • Grade Levels: K-12 •
Students: 1,186
Park School District is a typical small school district with limited technical support resources.
As its older site-based library management system came up for replacement, the district
wanted to introduce high quality services for its students and teachers.
Solution
The district adopted Destiny Library Manager and utilized Destiny Hosted Service,
which provides access to Destiny Resource Management Solution modules through
a secure, web-based application managed by Follett Software Company. This solution
provided a number of unique benefits for the district:
• The service is hosted at Follett Software’s enterprise-class data center; end users access it
through any web browser.
• Follett Software’s IT experts perform all upgrades and server maintenance.
• All schools gain centralized, web-based access to Destiny Library Manager without the
district having to purchase servers.
• The district built upon its library application with Enriched Content Subscriptions such as
Reading Program Service, Standards, WebPath Express and TitlePeek.

Vigo County School Corporation, Terre Haute, Indiana

Schools: 29 • Students: 16,500+ • Grade Levels: K-12
SOLUTION
Challenge
In 2000, Vigo County School Corporation converted to a client-based library
management software. To run a district-wide catalog, the district had to
continually customize the software, affecting operability and support. Updates
would not work with the district’s catalog setup and the staff spent months
restoring the system’s operating ability. After much consideration, they decided to
upgrade to Destiny Library Manager.
Solution.
According to one of the people who chose Destiny, “Our budgets are tight, and we try to look
at the total cost of ownership and value that a product brings, not just the initial cost. Destiny
has a lower cost over time, due to reduced technical support and deployment.”
Improved access to resources was also a critical factor, especially in Vigo County,
which has the second highest number of children living at the poverty level in Indiana.
“Students can use the system from any place that has Internet access, such as the
public library, where they can look up books and check them out at school the next
day.” The program has made a major difference.
• Destiny runs in the optimum environment, offering unlimited use from anywhere, any time
• The system is stable and reliable
• Relieves the media specialists maintenance chores and frees up system administrator
to focus on other tasks

Cost:
While Destiny can become highly expensive if used for an entire school system, they also
have a one-site package specially designed for a school such as ours. This package is very
reasonably priced as it has an initial cost of only $3,400 and then a yearly fee of only $550.
For the initial cost, the library will receive the software for Library Manager, the Title-peek
subscription, Alliance database access and its 9 million MARC records, one-day, on-site
training, and e learning modules. The yearly fee guarantees tech support, twice yearly
updates, and the subscription for the Alliance database and Title-peek.

Specifications for System and how well Destiny stands up:

OPAC:
• Bilingual (Spanish) – 24/7 access to the multi-language OPAC is provided. One can
choose options for older students and fluent readers or graphic-based visual search
screens for emerging readers, struggling readers, and ESL students.
• Predictive Results – search terms are suggested as you type if they have been entered into
the search query before.

Cataloging:
• Automatic Backups – With Destiny, the library has full control over backups. The
database can be backed up “live” using popular backup agents for SQL Server 2005.
Destiny can also be backed up using open file managers. In addition, Destiny provides
the ability to script system stop and start if schedule file-based backups are preferred.
• Real-time Inventory – Destiny uses real-time, system-wide inventory data to locate and
share resources.
 Circulation:
• Students Placing Holds – This option is available.
• Customized Reports – One can create unique reports that the district needs to fulfill local,
state, and federal reporting requirements by using the Custom Reporting Service.

Support:
• Technical Support – Included in the following forms:
1. Smart Data Conversion – Destiny helps convert existing data so implementation is
more efficient.
2. Proven Implementation Processes – With thousands of implementations completed,
we’ve developed processes that ensure success.
3. Comprehensive Project Management – Includes the support and expertise of a
dedicated project manager to meet your deadlines and provide status reports
throughout the project.
4. Expert On-Site Installation – Installation and technical and product
training is provided to ensure that the system gets up and running successfully.
• Training – Both on-site and web-based training and technical support are available by
toll-free telephone, email, and the web. Plus you have access to software updates as
they’re released.

B. Evergreen

Information:
Evergreen
www.open-ils.org
There is only an email address given since this is an open source. There is no physical
address or phone number. A live chat feature is located on the website for technical support
and there is also a FAQ section. The email address is feedback@open-ils.org.

Equinox Software Inc. is sometimes used by libraries for technical support with the system.
Some use this company, but others choose to completely run the system by themselves.
Contact in formation for Equinox:

Equinox Software, Inc.

3050 Business Park Drive
Suite A1
Norcross, GA 30071
877. OPEN. ILS (877. 673. 6457)
support@esilibrary.com

System Requirements:
There are not really many system requirements for Evergreen. The program will run on
just about any system depending on how many people are going to be using it. According to
the website, at least 512MB of RAM is recommended. The website also recommends a
computer capable of running Linux, FreeBSB, etc., and having Windows, Linux, or Mac OS
as the operating system.

Programming language: C/C++

Available Components/Modules:
There are not any modules or components because this is an open source automation
system that was never initially meant for academic libraries. The program was initially
written for the Georgia Public Library setting. The Robertson Library of the University of
Prince Edward Island was the first academic library to begin using the system. Since then
there have been several other libraries to use Evergreen as their library system.

Vendor Support/Stability:
It has been rather difficult to get in touch with Equinox – we have been trying to contact
them for awhile now. We only just received a reply from one of the representatives on
Wednesday. Since Evergreen is so large, it is pretty much always under construction and they
are constantly trying to make it better for everyone. The current version is 2.0, which now
has extensive circulation enhancements, serials, recalls, reserves enhancements, paper and
electronic serials prediction and check-in, and more language sets.

Number of Customers, with some examples:

There is no specific recommendation for the size of a library used with this product. For
an example, the Evergreen system was developed for PINES and the Georgia Public library
system, so it obviously works with large systems. Moreover, the website mentions that
people use it as an option to run their personal libraries and small libraries as well.
Evergreen is in use with Georgia’s PINES library system, which includes more than 275
public libraries. Another example includes SITKA, a public library system in British
Columbia that includes five libraries. A public library system in Michigan is in the process of
switching over its system and Indiana public libraries have also implemented Evergreen.

Cost:
Since this is open source, use of the system is completely free; therefore, there is no price
given. After the representative got in touch with us, he wanted more information about our
school before giving a quote, such as location and whether or not we would like the company
to host our catalog.

Specifications for System and how well Evergreen stands up:

OPAC:
 Bilingual – The new version has more language sets, which includes Spanish.
 Predictive text – This option is not available.
Cataloging:
 Automatic backups - Most of the critical data for an Evergreen system – patrons,
bibliographic records, holdings, transactions, bills – is stored in the PostgreSQL database.
Therefore normal PostgreSQL can be used as backup procedures to backup this data.
  Real time inventory – This is not an option.
Circulation:
 Holds can be placed and withdrawn by both the staff and patrons.
 Customized Reports – There is a good but complex reporting system that takes time to
learn, but just about anything can be reported.
Support:
 Support – There is most likely an additional charge when it comes to customized support,
but the representative wouldn’t give us any quotes without more information about the
school. It took a representative quite a while to get back with us about our questions.
 Training – There is no mention of training anywhere on the website.

C. TLC (The Library Corporation)

Information:
The Library Corporation (TLC)
Research Park
Inwood, WV 25428-9733
Phone: 1.800.325.7759
Fax: 1.304.229.0100
http://www.tlcdelivers.com/tlc/default.asp
Website for Library Solutions for Schools brochure – pdf:
http://www.tlcdelivers.com/tlc/pdf/lsforschoolsbrochure.pdf

Available Product: Library Solutions for Schools

System Requirements:
The program is web-based, probably using Windows; the specifics were not given on the
website. Specifics for memory and limitations could not be located. However, an article was
found that mentioned that one public library upgraded to TLC with 247,000 titles.

Programming Language:
According to the website, the programming language is Oracle. Although Oracle is a
database system, this is the only mention of programming language that could be located.

Available Components/modules:
Components - user-subscribed RSS result feeds, Library RSS indexing from local websites,
predictive results, faceted results, subscription data integrated into results, item mapping
(showing patrons where to find items in the library), genre browsing, Book River
(showcasing collection with "flowing" book jacket images)
Modules - EnvisionWare
EnvisionWare's LPT: One (pdf) is a print management solution designed to save printing
costs for the library.
Gold Rush
Gold Rush (pdf) is an electronic resource management tool that will help users access journal
information over the Web and help staff manage electronic content.
PhoneTree®
PhoneTree (pdf) is a messaging system that delivers important information to patrons quickly
and conveniently. All PhoneTree features are easily customized and accessed from an
intuitive point-and-click interface.
Talkingtech
Talkingtech's i-tiva Message (pdf) notifies patrons via phone when reserved items are in and
when items are overdue. The company's i-tiva Connect (pdf) allows registered users to access
their account information via the phone
Tech Logic
Tech Logic is the leader in automated material handling and self-service systems for
libraries.
WebFeatTM
WebFeat's (pdf) "prism" technology simultaneously searches databases and Web-based
information using one intuitive interface.

Functionality of components/modules:
How do components compare with other vendors? Most compare with the other searches.

Vendor Support:
The website boasts a high level of support. In fact, that sentiment is reiterated throughout
the website. The company has been around since 1974 and is still managed by the same
family who founded it. It has three locations, including West Virginia, Colorado, and
Singapore. We did try to contact them via email and did not receive a response. We also
attempted to contact them for a quote and received an automatic reply that Bradley Cole was
going to be out of the country until June 27.
We could not locate pricing, but found an article about a public system in Indiana who
implemented the product for five schools. The cost for the project was to exceed the $80,000
savings the library had managed to save for the automated implementation.

Vendor Stability:
The company has been around since 1974. The same family that originally founded the
company still operates it today.

Recommended types and sizes of library for product and rationale:

TLC offers The Library Solution for public libraries as well as The Library Solution for
Schools. They claim to offer packages for district-wide implementations. Also, with the
latter, they have a kid-friendly interface that allows children to search the web while making
sure they are not able to access websites outside of the automated system.

Number of Customers, with some examples:

The website does not offer an exact number of customers; however, we did locate articles
concerning Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Colorado, and West Virginia. Several of these
are public libraries with a few examples of school systems choosing TLC. Omaha and Metro
 Nashville Public Schools are two school examples. Also, I found an article of a system
transferring from Follet's Winnebago Sagebrush Spectrum to TLC.

Cost:
Again, after contacting the company and signing up for an estimate, we could not locate
exact pricing. Based on the article from Indiana Public, the cost was to exceed $80,000 for
implementation in their five libraries. Thus, with a lot of guessing, we would estimate our
project to cost less than $20,000-25,000, since we would only implement it for one school.

Specifications for System and how well Destiny stands up:

OPAC:
 Bilingual - TLC does have Spanish and French interfaces.
 Predictive Results - TLC does have predictive results.
Cataloging:
 Realtime Inventory - TLC does have realtime inventory.
 Automatic Back-up - TLC does have automatic back-up.
Circulation:
 Customized Reports - TLC does have customized reports.
 Holds Request - TLC does have holds request for cross district use. Need 15 copies? Place
a hold and Web Circ determines where the copies are available and sends requests to the
appropriate school.

Support:
 Tech Support - TLC does provide 24/7 tech support.
 Training - TLC does provide training either at headquarters in West Virginia or onsite
using WebEx.

Our Recommendation:
As a group, we recommend that the library implements Follett’s Destiny Library
Manager. We chose Destiny over Evergreen because Evergreen does not meet all of the
specifications we desired. While TLC and Destiny both generally meet all the specifications, the
one site library package Destiny offers is far more cost effective than the TLC system would be.
In addition, Destiny is recognized by many in the library field to be one of the leaders in library
automation systems and is implemented in over 100,000 libraries in 165 countries. Finally, their
technical support is extensive and highly recommended.
 References

Destiny. (2009). Destiny Library Manager. Retrieved June 23, 2009, from Follett Software
Company. Web site: http://www.follettsoftware.com/page/library_manager/.

GPLS. (2008). Evergreen. Retrieved June 23, 2009, from Georgia Public Library Service. Web
site: http://www.open-ils.org/.

The Library Corporation. (2009). TLC: Solutions that deliver. Retrieved June 23, 2009, from The
Library Corporation. Web site: http://www.tlcdelivers.com/tlc/default.asp.
 Appendices

Appendix A Destiny Library Manager brochure

Appendix B TLC’s Library Solutions for Schools

brochure