[CALIBK12] Is Follett Destiny the only game in town?

[Barbara Wymer]

I keep hearing rave reviews about Alexandria and Companion Corporation tech support.  I do not share the same feelings about Alexandria and Companion.  We have had several issues with their software and the tech people have simply told us "yes, that is a bug in the software, oh well..." .  Alexandria crashes several times a day when my tech is trying to work in the cataloging component.  Companion made a lot of promises when we bought the program but we are not impressed...Barbara 




---- Susan Dubin <sdubin at socal.rr.com> wrote: 
> Two other good programs are Alexandria and Surpass. Both have good tech 
> support and are very easy to use.
> Susan Dubin
> Off-the-Shelf Library Services
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Waddle, Victoria" <victoria_waddle at cjuhsd.k12.ca.us>
> To: "Calibk12" <calibk12 at listproc.sjsu.edu>
> Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 4:17 PM
> Subject: [CALIBK12] Is Follett Destiny the only game in town?
> 
> 
> > All:
> >
> > I was recently on a WASC Visiting Committee to a small private K-12 
> > school. It has three libraries--elementary, junior high and high school. 
> > All three were neglected and the committee report recommended that the 
> > school update the high school library. Now a small but dedicated group of 
> > parents are heading up a committee to weed, purchase materials, try 
> > databases, automate, etc. A library technician is employed by the school, 
> > but is out on leave due to a grave illness in her family.
> >
> > Since the WASC visit, I have remained in e-mail contact with the parent 
> > group. I've recommended this listserv, CSLA and its conferences, and other 
> > helpful sources. One of the primary concerns is automation. They have 
> > never been automated. The books have Cutter numbers and most are so old 
> > that they will need to be weeded. I remember a discussion earlier this 
> > year on library automation. Some individuals contended that Follett is 
> > really the only choice because it is buying up other companies. If this is 
> > true, then maybe that's what we should recommend. However, my own 
> > experience with Follett Destiny is a truly lousy one--our district 
> > switched from Sagebrush InfoCentre after only a year to Follett Destiny 
> > when Follett purchased Sagebrush. Our conversion was a mess, we have never 
> > had a single question properly answered by the support techs (although 
> > they always try to get us to buy something else!), the support itself 
> > costs almost four times what we paid to Sagebrush (a company t!
> > hat actually could answer questions), and the format of the system is not 
> > as user-friendly as Sagebrush was from running reports to simple things 
> > like generating barcodes.
> >
> > So--if you have experience or knowledge in the area, please weigh in. 
> > Since the private school has not been automated and won't need to have a 
> > conversion done, they wouldn't have some of the headaches we've suffered 
> > with Destiny. Still--would you recommend Destiny? Is there any other good 
> > school library software system that is holding its ground and expected to 
> > remain in business?
> >
> > Thanks once again for all your help! I've told this parent group what an 
> > impressive, indispensable bunch you are!
> >
> > Victoria Waddle
> > Teacher Librarian
> > Colony High School
> > Ontario
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
> > For information about the Calibk12 listserve, please
> > visit  http://www.calibk12.net.
> > 
> 
> 
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--
Barbara Wymer
LMT  Bonita Vista Middle School
650 Otay Lakes Rd.
Chula Vista, CA  91910