Harlandale Independent School District (ISD) in San Antonio, Texas, recognized the need to upgrade their outdated inventory system. With an ambitious goal of ensuring that every teacher and student had the instructional materials they needed, the district turned to Follett Software for a solution.

Lisa Kulka, an experienced library specialist with an advanced degree in library science, was promoted to Coordinator for Libraries & Instructional Materials at Harlandale ISD in 2017. She was dismayed to find the district’s inventory system relied on pen-and-paper tracking, making it inaccurate and unreliable.

“Our district had used a company for our textbook inventory for maybe the last 20 years,” Kulka said. “The system wasn’t intuitive or easy to use, and didn’t even require scanning a physical inventory. When I came into my new position in 2017, I knew our inventory system just wasn’t accurate enough to be reliable. We needed an overhaul.”

Making the Switch to Follett Software

The district moved their libraries to Follett Destiny® Library Manager in 2017. Library specialists were thrilled with the system’s robust capabilities and ease of use. When it came time to implement a new system for tracking and managing the district’s resources, Follett Destiny® Resource Manager was the clear choice. From textbooks and computers to musical instruments and uniforms, Destiny Resource Manager offered a comprehensive solution to track all of Harlandale ISD’s assets.

“We want to demonstrate good stewardship of resources, and Destiny Resource Manager quickly rose to the top as the perfect solution,” Kulka said.

The previous system left staff with inaccurate inventories and lacked the ability to reveal where resources were or if they were being utilized. “When I began my new position, we had a lot of surplus instructional materials,” Kulka said. “They were taking up space, and we had more than we could ever use.”

Getting Helpful Support and Guidance

Hilario Gonzalez, an Account Executive with Follett, informed Kulka that textbook coordinators could earn credit vouchers for surplus textbooks. They used these vouchers for materials they truly needed, including Destiny Resource Manager. Harlandale ISD then went to work barcoding and scanning their assets into Resource Manager, ensuring the district’s ability to demonstrate a high level of accountability while minimizing financial losses.

“Using Resource Manager makes it easy for us to know exactly what resources we have and where they are,” Kulka said. “It enhances teaching and learning by helping us make sure that every student and teacher has the instructional materials they need, when they need it. It’s easy to run reports to make sure we have enough textbooks for an upcoming class, and to track outstanding instructional materials. With Destiny, we can also follow resources when they move from campus to campus throughout the district.”

Kulka appreciated Follett’s customer service and training resources. Training was included when the district adopted the system, and a Technical Sales Consultant with Follett connected Kulka with Resource Coordinators in other districts who had faced similar challenges. “It was very helpful,” she added.

Daniel Garcia, Assistant Principal at the district’s STEM Early College High School, echoed Kulka’s enthusiasm. “Resource Manager has been a huge leap forward in managing and tracking our campus’s textbooks and resources over the last two years,” Garcia said. “The hands-on training we received was very helpful in making the transition smooth and less stressful. Resource Manager has proven to be a very useful tool in supporting our work.”

The Benefits of the Switch

Making the move to a new asset management system was a significant decision, but Kulka says it has paid off in multiple ways. When every dollar counts, the district now knows it’s making informed purchasing decisions. Once they make a purchase, they can easily track that asset throughout its life in the district.

“It has been so worth it,” Kulka said. “I’d describe my experience with Follett as rewarding, collaborative, and positive. Almost every day, either my assistant or another staff member mentions how much we love Resource Manager. I wholeheartedly recommend it. It makes it easy to do a better job.”

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