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Dear LM_NETTERS: Here is my original post: > If you were involved in selecting your circulation system and had a > choice between Alexandria and Destiny (Follet), I would like to know > what system you chose and why. We are currently facing a choice > between the two programs and would appreciate any opinions on this > topic from our illustrious colleagues. Joyce Pavelko Learning Center Specialist Ivy Hall School-Grades 1-5 1072 Ivy Hall Lane Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 847-459-0022 x1301 email: jpavelko@district96.k12.il.us Here are the responses with selective editing: My first hit is not related to the pros/cons of the automation systems. Instead, I had received this email about OCLC and had a discussion with another librarian that I thought was relevant to the topic: Note from OCLC last week: OCLC has developed updates to install to fix the problem in Connexion client caused by Microsoft Windows update KB918118. With KB918118 installed on your workstation, you cannot open and display records from online or local files in the Connexion client. To fix this problem, go to the OCLC software download. . . My comments to my colleague: This is the kind of stuff I don't like about Microsoft. I may be biased, but there seems to be more of it on the Windows side of the fence. What do you think? My colleague's response: Windows is notorious for this type of thing......I don't like a computer that tries to take over the control from me Response: We're evaluating a total of six different programs, including those two. We've had demos on both, and my preference is Alexandria, mainly due to the HUGE difference in cost. Yes, Destiny has some neat bells and whistles, and a couple of really great add-ons (I was particularly impressed with the state standards one), but when it costs more than twice as much to switch from Athena (also owned by Follett), and pay more per year for the service/updates, well, Destiny moved to the bottom of the list for me. Just so you know what we're looking at, we've seen Alexandria, Atrium, Destiny, and L4U. We still have Koha and Surpass to go yet. They are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday of next week Response: We are in the process of choosing a new system as we have Athena, and there will be no more updates since they have been bought by Follett. We are leaning toward Alexandria because we just don't like what might happen at Follett. We were choosing between Destiny and Infocentre, with Infocentre being the superior product (to us), and we were afraid that they might just get rid of one or the other in the next few years, and since we didn't know which one, that we wouldn't go with either. We also liked everything about Alexandria, especially the fact that they sent a rep to give us a demo, and he answered a lot of our questions before he got here. We were very impressed. WE are a small, independent school, and we do not want to go through this process again until we absolutely have to. Response: I was looking at both of these programs while preparing to open this new library 6 years ago, and decided on Alexandria. I was extremely impressed with their tech support (available 24/7); the other option (I don't really use this but I could if I wanted to); the ease of cataloging new records (at that time, Follett was only in MARC format, whereas Alex had the fields set up to see at a glance, by tabbing through, what information it includes); a very easy to set up web catalog interface (I was coming from Spectrum, which required an entirely different web server); and the new MARC search, (with the new A license) that librarians can directly import records into their own databases is awesome (it replaces Smart MARC). If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to answer them! Response: We looked at both two years ago when we were upgrading our software. We didn't like the check-out screens on Alexandria - they were very busy and confusing, in our opinion. We love the Destiny system and we still do. It meets our needs perfectly. We are a k-12 school with three separate divisions and three separate libraries - k-5, 6-8, 8-12. We would be happy to answer other questions. Response: [A school district in our area] eliminated Alexandria last Thursday and are down to Destiny and Unicorn (Dynex) in their decision. They said the main reason is because the Alexandria software was "proprietary" and the others were not. Response: I choose Alexandria over a Follett product in 1999. I don't know if my reasons will be of interest to you now, but here we go. I am a Macintosh user and Follett was downright rude to me when I asked about updating to a new Circ system from the old version to a new one at the turn of the century. I contacted Alexandria and they were just wonderful to work with and have remained so. I find COMPanion (Alexandria's company) to be very responsive to users problems and suggestions. I highly recommend Alexandria to you. It is now available in Mac and Windows versions and works equally well in either formats. I've used both in the last year. Response: Have you looked at Athena by Book Systems? We are leaving Winnebago/Spectrum and probably going to that Response: I chose Alex...they had better customer service and provide a tech support line where I always talk to a real person (I'm a one-woman show so that made the difference to me). I like the potential for growth of the software and the fact this is a company that takes suggestions from its current customers as it improves the software. I didn't want to be the little school that got poor service from a large vendor and the tone was quite clear to me early in the negotiation process that Companion Corporation was more focused on me, the customer, being able to use their product with success and confidence. I am glad I made the choice I did; I've since moved to another school and am fortunate that Alex was the software I inherited there too. Response: I have not used Alexandria in four years, but when I had it I loved it. The only thing I did not like was that to go from 5 OPACs to more was extremely expensive. I don't know if that has changed. I really like that CircPlus could be on every computer in the school. And of course, so can Destiny since it is web-based. Personally I am not as 'sold' on Destiny as my district was. I have it because they decided we would all be on it. In order to find out when a book will be returned - or it's location - the students have to find the book, click on detail then click on find it. Too much. I think once they find the title all the information should be there. Response: I included this HIT about customizing Destiny Homepages because it is a nice feature of Destiny and I thought that was in its favor. I'm posting a note to let everyone know that I've received a LOT of great ideas for Destiny Homepages and Categories. In fact, there are SO many, I'm not sure if I can post all of them...so I'll try to post the ones that I think others will be interested in seeing (or asking more questions about as they develop their own.) Many of the pages included the use of art, photos, marquees, etc. to add to the interest of the websites. What I'll be sharing in my workshop is HOW to add those elements to your Destiny page. First, here is my library's Destiny page: http://destiny.aisd.net/common/welcome.jsp; jsessionid=F453AF406118839FD06509F39B293465?site=120 I'll write the directions for others to use after I've compiled it for my workshop for my librarians. If others are interested, I'll post that info and the location to access it on the list (around the first week of March). Here are some others that were very similar and interesting to note: http://destiny.canutillo-isd.org/common/welcome.jsp?site=104 http://destiny.swsd.k12.wa.us/common/welcome.jsp?site=103 http://sec04.ccisd.net/common/welcome.jsp?site=105 Some of the unique uses of the Categories include the use of the Visual Search---which doesn't have to be for the YOUNGEST students only. Here are some examples of Visual Searches / Categories used for middle school and high schools: http://library.pusd.org/cataloging/servlet/ presentvisualsearchdisplayform.do?l2m=Visual%20Search http://destiny.ghaps.org/cataloging/servlet/ presentvisualsearchdisplayform.do?l2m=Visual%20Search After I've put together my workshop materials, I'll post the final PPT and any directions to my wiki, if others are interested in using the info to update or add information to their Destiny webpages. I'll also add ideas for creating Categories which can then be used to add to your Visual Search (the second workshop). Thanks to everyone who posted their Destiny sites. There are a lot of great ideas out there....and there are also some great links added to those Destiny pages....however, I just don't have the space to addthem all!! :> ~Shonda Shonda Brisco, MLIS Library Media Specialist sbrisco@gmail.com Response: We are in the middle of upgrading to Destiny. Before making the choice, we researched both Destiny and Alexandria. My colleague and I (we're a two-school district) chose Destiny because: 1. We've been Follett customers for 14 years and have found them to be reliable and responsive to concerns and requests for upgrades. 2. Destiny has all the qualities we want and are accustomed to using. 3. Destiny has a visual OPAC which is excellent for 1st and 2nd graders. 4. The Alexandria rep gave me different information each time I spoke with him, including different prices. 5. The Alexandria rep did not keep an appointment to demo his product and hasn't called us since. 6. Every Destiny user I spoke to loves it. 7. 4 of 5 Alexandria users I spoke to wish they had Follett. Response: Naperville #203 has been using Alexandria since 1995. We have been through the following products: Macintosh PC Windows We have been very pleased with our decision. We considered Alex, Follett, and at the time Winnebago. We had all 21 LRC Directors and all 21 LRC Assistants who heard the presentations. To a person they all chose Alexandria by COMPanion. It is very user friendly. As staff comes and goes, it is very easy to show new people. Our students check out their own materials using their student ids. Inventory is very easy to do. If you charge fines, fines is very easy to do. Once preferences are set, which usually takes about an hour, the system is almost worry free. Preferences are set or checked with each upgrade. I don't think anyone compares with their tech service. You almost always get a person on the first try. If not, you leave a message and they get back to you in a timely manner. They have been very good at incorporating suggestions in one of the next upgrades. You can catalog in standard view or MARC view. If you catalog in standard view it will also put it in MARC view. We also use the system to check in magazines. When you pay for the product, you only pay once. Your payment includes all the modules. I strongly recommend that you also pay the annual tech support. It is very reasonable and gives you unlimited calls to tech support (if needed) and also gives you "free" access to all upgrades. Depending on the security and firewall of your district, upgrade can be automatic. I am the district liaison for Alexandria, if you have any specific questions, please feel free to call or visit. Response: Our District uploaded the new Destiny (Follett) program in January and we've just recently uploaded their latest upgrades (7.0) to our new system(s). Now we're having some issues with the product. The first being that we cannot login to the system from off campus (remote access---or more precisely, home access for librarians to add information, catalog, run reports, etc.) I know that our district librarian has contacted Follett for assistance, but wondered if this was a local issue or something else. Has anyone else gone through the 7.0 upgrade and had problems with the product? If so, what have you done to correct them? Response: No issues. We upgraded and can login and work at home. I actually just finshed running reports Sounds like someone may have changed something when they did the upgrade in your tech dept. Response: Dear LM-Netters who have downloaded the new Destiny Upgrade (version 7.0), If any of you all have downloaded the new Destiny Software would you let me know how it works (are there any "glitches") and if it requires down time of the libraries to install the upgrade? The reason why I am asking is that I recently requested that our Tech Department download the new Destiny upgrade (version7.0) and our tech person said that she would not do this upgrade until they get a report from other locations as to how well it works. Plus, that they would upgrade at the end of the school year when [and if] the upgrade requires down time that doesn't impact the media centers' operations. So, I thought I would share your input with her. End -------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book. 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