Kendall Elementary School in Naperville, Illinois, is home to a dynamic and efficient library managed by Rhonda Jenkins, the Library Media Center Director. Recognized as the Illinois Library Association’s 2022 Librarian of the Year, Jenkins has dedicated her career to enhancing library services, fostering a love of reading, and supporting her colleagues through innovative use of technology.

The Challenge

With rapidly changing technology and the need to keep students engaged, Jenkins required tools that would simplify her daily tasks while providing robust support for the school’s library operations. Traditional methods of library management were time-consuming and often inefficient, prompting the need for a modern solution.

The Solution

Jenkins turned to Follett Destiny® Library Manager to meet the evolving needs of Kendall Elementary School’s library. “There is so much that Destiny does to help me save time and money. In just about a blink of an eye, once-difficult tasks are done!” Jenkins remarked.

An educator for nearly 25 years, Jenkins has been in her current position for 10 years and has been a devoted user of Follett Destiny Library Manager for the same amount of time. She is grateful to her district for embracing this market-leading solution, as it offers functionalities that some of her peers in other districts lack. “They can’t do some of the things we take for granted because it’s built into Destiny,” she observes.

Key Features and Benefits

Jenkins finds several features of Destiny Library Manager essential for her and the district’s team of librarians. She highlights the following:

• Collections by Destiny®: Facilitates collaboration and resource sharing among educators.
• The ability to make lists: Both private and shared lists that can be accessed district-wide.
• Comprehensive reporting: Generates detailed reports on book checkouts, most popular books, newest additions, weeded books, and lost books.
• Checkouts and check-ins: Simplifies the borrowing process.
• Follett Destiny Discover®: The discovery interface for both students and educators.
• Notifications for late books: Helps manage overdue items.
• Cataloging: Streamlines the addition of new books.
• Offline circulation: Ensures functionality even without internet access.

“Destiny is a treasure chest of information. Statistics are so easy to find for books checked out, the most popular books, newest books added, weeded books, lost books, and more,” Jenkins notes.

Recognition and Impact

It was no surprise when Jenkins was nominated for the Illinois Library Association’s 2022 Librarian of the Year Award. Her colleague, Natalie Ross, Library Media Center Director for Spring Brook Elementary School, described Jenkins as an exemplary school librarian who inspires others to raise their performance standards.

Jenkins’ innovative use of Destiny Library Manager played a significant role in her receiving the award. “Ms. Jenkins’ efforts lift school librarians in Illinois and beyond, helping others become better librarians, ultimately resulting in more students who love to learn and read, assisted by technology,” Ross continued.

Community and Collaboration

Jenkins is dedicated to sharing her knowledge and findings to make the lives of her colleagues easier. “I like the easy button. When I can find a way to make what we do easier, I’ll create a video and share it with my colleagues,” she says. Her proactive approach has earned her a large following on social media, where she continues to promote the importance and joy of librarianship.

Her high profile and dedication to connecting students with books led to an invitation to be the featured school librarian on a Book Joy Live segment with Jeff Kinney, author of the popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.

“For me, it’s all about encouraging the love of reading. When a student asks for a book that I don’t have, I try to get it and allow him or her the chance to read it first,” Jenkins says. She is also a champion of her fellow librarians, advocating for their recognition as information gurus in schools.

Conclusion

Follett Destiny Library Manager has been instrumental in transforming the library at Kendall Elementary School. The system’s comprehensive features have streamlined operations, saved time, and enhanced the library experience for both students and staff. Jenkins’ commitment to excellence and innovation has made her a leader in the field, inspiring others to embrace the power of technology in library management.

For more information on how Follett Software can support your district, visit Follett Software.