Sara Field is the only librarian in a Wisconsin elementary school serving more than 600 students. With a full library program to keep moving and little time for manual work, she depends on Follett Destiny Library Manager to handle the operational details—so she can spend more of her day helping students find books, feel welcome, and build a lasting love of reading.

“Destiny is essential for the management of our library collection and meeting the daily needs of the students and staff in our school. The many features of Destiny make it possible for our libraries to serve the needs of our school community.” – Sara Field, School District of Elmbrook

When one librarian has to keep everything moving

Field has relied on Destiny Library Manager for more than 10 years, drawing on the experience of a platform she says is up to the challenge for her and her colleagues at the School District of Elmbrook, located 15 minutes west of Milwaukee. The technology gives her confidence that the small details are being tracked, leaving more room for the parts of the job that cannot be automated: knowing students, responding to their needs, and connecting them with the right resources.

That efficiency shows up throughout the daily workflow. Field can create reports that email overdue notices to families, import records into the catalog when book orders arrive, and build Resource Lists for units of study that staff can revisit later. District-level collection and circulation statistics also help the team see the bigger picture without having to assemble it manually.

Efficiency creates room for the work that matters

For Field, operational efficiency is not the end goal. It is what makes the most meaningful work possible. Searching by title, subject, keyword, author, or series helps her quickly locate a book in her own building or across other schools. When another school has a desired title, she can request it through Destiny, extending access across the district. The team is also cataloging book room collections to increase their use and accessibility.

“Getting the right books into the hands of students and teachers efficiently directly impacts student outcomes. And my experiences over the years have shown me the impact that books and a welcoming library environment can have on children.” – Sara Field, School District of Elmbrook

A library search that follows students home

The experience extends beyond library staff through Follett Destiny Discover, the user-friendly searching interface connected to Destiny Library Manager. Students can search for books, place holds, and check what they have checked out and when items are due. Parents can see the same information, creating more opportunities for reading conversations at home and helping grow what Field calls “our culture of literacy.”

Students and parents can also browse recently added and popular titles, search by favorite author, subject, or series, and see availability and call numbers. If a desired book is checked out, they can place a hold rather than lose the thread of their interest.

Kay Koepsel-Benning, the district’s Director of Library Services and a Destiny Library Manager user for nearly 30 years, sees that access as especially powerful for students.

“Students love the power to be able to place holds for the books they want. They also enjoy the ability to review the books they’ve read and share their reviews on Destiny.” – Kay Koepsel-Benning, Director of Library Services, School District of Elmbrook

More time for relationships, discovery, and joy

For a librarian who sees every elementary student every week, dependable systems make a difference far beyond circulation and inventory. Destiny helps Field and her colleagues keep the library program efficient and up to date while students and families get a simpler way to discover, request, and talk about books.

The result is a library where technology takes care of more of the tracking, searching, and reporting, and where Field can focus on the human work at the heart of the program: building relationships, welcoming children, and helping every student find a book that speaks to them.