Courtney

Dear Mr. Bumble and administrative staff,

As the library media specialist, I feel a great responsibility to make Mitford Library the best it can be. I am always looking for ways to improve the services we offer to our students and teachers.

After being asked for my opinion on the subject of a new online public access catalog, I have decided upon one that I feel will best meet the needs of the students and staff in our district. I am very pleased to have been asked to provide input on this decision. Because the other 100 librarians in the district use these systems every day, I feel that including our input will be most beneficial. Happy librarians equal happy students!

The system we are currently using, SirsiDynix Symphony, has many features that are beneficial to our library system but we feel there is one that will better meet the needs of the schools in our district.

The system I would like to advocate for is Follett Software Company. This is the company we already use in the district to make material purchases. By adding their cataloging software to our school media center, we would then be able to more efficiently catalog the materials we acquire, essentially getting them into the hands of our students more quickly. We would be able to order the books already cataloged or we can search for the product in the system and locate the MARC record and input it ourselves. There is a feature included called ask Ms. MARC. If cataloging questions arise they can be answered here. I thought this would be especially helpful to new librarians in the district or ones without access to a clerical aide to help with such tasks. Within this program there is a mobile app available. Students can then log in and see what materials are available and place holds on them through the use of their mobile device.

This system has the potential to take us a long way as we grow and change. By using the data managers provided, gaps in content can be easily discovered. This makes it easier to determine if our materials are meeting the common core standards. Because technology becomes a more integral part of our curriculum each day, Follett includes software that helps to support learning outside of the classroom.

I know cost is always a factor in these decisions. By adding to our current Follett subscription we are able to receive discounts on any additional services we wish to add.

I appreciate you taking the time to read my thoughts on a new OPAC system for our school district. I trust that you will look at all the facts presented and make the best decision for everyone involved.

Sincerely,

Courtney Young