OPAC Interview

 This week I talked with Samantha C. about my school library's OPAC Destiny Follett. While I have been using this catalog system for over 8 years I had never taken any classes about how to use it nor have I taught anyone else to use it.  I mostly learn through experimentation. While I was describing the positives and negatives and exploring the software with Samantha I noticed a couple of features I didn't realize existed. This caused me to look further into finding more info about what destiny can offer.  I have discovered that a lot of the things I found negatives could be remedied.

The interview notes are below.

What are the strengths of the catalog?

• Search across school feature.

• The ability to search across multiple locations for a title, rather than being limited to just the materials in-house. The catalog also showed how many copies were at each location.

• Adding new titles is very simple.

• For a flexible fee, Follet offers to handle all processing. They offer genre services as well, which allows you to search their databases for information.

• Follet can genrefy your collection.

• Labels can be printed in different locations on books (so as not cover information on book cover).

• Easy to import titles manually as well, if donations to the library are accepted.

• Follet has wonderful customer service.

• They know the system inside and out, and can answer questions.

• Send books prelabeled, pre-barcoded, all LMS has to do is import a zip file with all the MARC records.

• Destiny Discover Page

• Visual

• Very easy to follow

• Lightbox feature – purchase a title, and all students can access at one time, interactive. Read-aloud feature, there are activities, interactive videos, quizzes. Non-fiction copyright and dates are hard to keep track of, so the online feature is nice because it keeps things updated.

• New arrivals are located on the first page

• There is an entire section of the catalog devoted to analytics and statistics.

• Able to view and export numerous reports that reflect the stats of the collection and library activity.

• Link to TitleWAVE platform for entire inventory statistics and benchmark percentages.

What are the weaknesses of the catalog?

• The search bar does not account for spelling mistakes.

• No autocorrect feature or spelling recommendation

• Misspelled queries will yield zero results

• There is no location for shared resources.

• There is a page to accumulate resource lists and links, but only library administrators are able to see the page.

• There isn’t a way to adjust viewing privileges without exposing the backend features.

• The platform needs a place where curated lists of websites and databases are available for students/teachers/public library contributors.

• Search feature is great if you know exactly what you are looking for, otherwise not suitable for “mindless browsing”.

• Records can be difficult to edit if you are not the user who created the record.

• Generic usernames work against advocacy efforts.

Is the catalog user-friendly?

• Yes, but if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for, it is difficult to find something by simply browsing.

• There are a lot of features, which means the program requires a lot of exploration. T

• There are a number of old records, which are difficult to remove.

• If a book is currently in a resource list, the title may remain there regardless of whether or not it is physically in the collection.

•  Audiobooks are not great quality.

Are there any capabilities you wish your catalog had? What are they?

• Not directly related to the catalog, but mentioned wanting to do an inter-library loan

• Some libraries may not want to participate because students from other schools may destroy materials, but it would still be the responsibility of the loner school to replace materials.

• Wanted to implement because public library may contain materials, but would require additional transportation from students.  

Does the catalog show you statistics? Inventory? Data?

• There is entire page on reports which show circulation information as well as other data.

• Offers a library snapshot, which serves as a summary “at a glance”.

• Report builder is clunky but the premade reports are handy.

• Contains link to TitleWAVE, to show inventory statistics.

Do you have to pay for the service?

• Yes – unsure of price.

• Will essentially charge for everything you’re willing to pay for, but may give you free features if asked.

Does the service update often? Are you currently having to learn new features?

• Just the Lightbox feature seems to update regularly, and asks if you would like to purchase the update.

• The catalog itself doesn’t really update often. Has been using Destiny for 8 years and has only seen essentially one Destiny platform update.

• ust last year they were given the option to use Follet (old platform) or Discover, now this year Discover is the only option

• Potentially phasing out the old version. Doesn’t know how this will affect reporting.

Additional Points:

• 4th graders do a native tribe, legends, and folklore unit. Students pick a story that that tribe has passed down and look at the influences. Having trouble creating a resource list accessible on Destiny Discover. The Discover page is the only one students/teachers can see.

•  If a book is lost for over 5 years, it is taken out of the system, but keeps the MARC record for other copies at other schools.

• Follet may be working towards wireless scanners using Bluetooth. But you have to make sure notes are registering, in case of error.