Merced City School District (MCSD) in California set an ambitious goal: to create a cutting-edge, 21st-century library program featuring STEAM innovation spaces at all 18 sites. Paula Heupel, MCSD’s Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, recognized this challenge but was confident that working with Follett Software would be vital in achieving this vision.

Elaine Keeley, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development, shared Heupel’s optimism. “Our Follett rep, Rob Walters, is an exceptional person who listens carefully to our needs and dreams,” Keeley said. “We knew we had some hurdles ahead, and our STEAM Center would be just one piece of an entire STEAM way of thinking. But we also knew that the journey we were about to undertake was one Rob would support and shepherd us through with enthusiasm.”

At the beginning of this journey, MCSD already had Destiny Discover® and Collections by Destiny® in place. However, the platform was not being used to its full potential. District librarians were struggling with access issues and had not been adequately trained to use the full range of functionalities.

Heupel, Keeley, and the team were determined to change that.

Building Blocks of a 21st-Century Library

Heupel and Keeley contacted Walters to explain their long-term goal of creating a 21st-century library and the challenges they faced. One major issue was that librarians did not have control of their own sites.

“Follett was able to open functionality and access so that all participants could customize Discover to meet each school’s needs,” said Heupel. With that obstacle solved, Follett scheduled professional development to train Teacher Librarians, STEAM Teachers on Special Assignment, and Library Media Assistants.

The hands-on professional development was a success. “Each participant gained new skills using the Destiny Discover system and explored topical issues of digital citizenship,” Keeley said.

“The training was a pivotal building block for our library media staff across the district,” Heupel added. “Our staff left with the skills they needed to help teachers and students access resources from our collection to meet the unique needs and diverse interests of their patrons. Most importantly, the professional development helped everyone increase their knowledge and awareness of the tools they could use immediately and in the future.”

Both Heupel and Keeley were thrilled with the new accessibility and efficiency. “Learning how to use Destiny Discover and Collections was eye-opening,” said Keeley. “These amazing tools allow us to pull together resources easily, collaborate with teachers, and give students a true 21st-century learning experience. Now we’re confident our kids are mastering the skills they need to succeed in this technology-driven world.”

“Follett’s customer service is a 10 on a scale of 1-10,” Keeley emphasized. “This is in large part due to our rep, Rob Walters, who has built a strong relationship with us based on our needs and direction. He brings ideas, training resources, and even Follett upper-level management to meet with us.”

Improving Efficiency

The workshops deepened everyone’s understanding of Destiny. “Destiny enabled participants to develop reading, research, and writing activities using well-curated collections that provided a common foundation for students, ensuring equal access to hands-on, inquiry-based lessons and engineering experiences at the STEAM Center,” Keeley reported.

MCSD’s new STEAM Center, powered by Destiny Discover and Collections, has served over 11,000 students in Grades PreK-8 at 18 sites in the past year. Heupel proudly shared that students have shown improved achievement on local and state measures and gained access to resources that feed their curiosity and encourage exploration.

At the librarian level, Destiny has increased staff efficiency. “Destiny’s centralized MARC records not only ensure our records are accurate, but the system has also saved an incredible amount of staff time,” Heupel explained. “With Destiny, we only need to create a record once, instead of repeating the process 18 times at each of our sites. Our library staff can quickly process new materials, giving them more time to meet the needs of their students.”

Destiny ensures that each collection is consistent and easily shared within the district, increasing service to patrons and extending budget dollars. Destiny Discover and Collections have greatly expanded staff’s ability to curate resources aligned to instruction. “The single interface has changed the way our library staff works,” Heupel said. “Rather than spending hours curating resources, library staff are now focused on ensuring students use the link or app and helping them select the resources that best meet their needs.”

Heupel and Keeley are pleased with the transformation seen throughout the district due to exceptional service, training, and full implementation of Destiny. “I feel comfortable that MCSD is Future Ready and moving toward wise and deliberate decisions in technology use for students. Teachers now maximize the potential of these powerful, time-saving tools daily with remarkable results,” Keeley said.

As for the future? “Destiny Discover and Collections will continue to serve as our core platform for managing resources, curating content aligned to instruction, and providing access to our students, staff, and parents,” Heupel said. “As Follett resources continue to develop in sophistication and integration, we envision continued expansion and upgrades to better use inventory resources. We also anticipate possibly using the interface for a district-wide learning management system platform in the future.”

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