Elkhart County Juvenile Detention Center in Indiana provides a secure setting for juveniles during detainment, focusing on their physical, emotional, religious, educational, and social needs. The center’s emphasis on academic instruction and programs is helping shine a light on literacy among the detained youths.

Sean Bevier, the Center’s Education Specialist, highlights the transformative power of reading: “Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light,” said award-winning author Vera Nazarian. This sentiment rings true at the Elkhart County Juvenile Detention Center, where many students read their first-ever book during their stay.

The Challenge

Before the Follett Software Library Suite, the center had no way to track books. Books were scattered across shelves in various rooms, making it difficult to help students find books they could read or that interested them. “When I arrived, we had no way to track books…so there was no way to help the students find books they were able to read or that interested them,” Bevier recalls.

The Solution

In September 2022, Follett Destiny® Library Manager was implemented at the center, and it quickly became an essential tool for the educational team. The catalog search tool helped students find books based on subject matter, even if they didn’t know the exact title they wanted. The Lexile® score search tool ensured that students received books that matched their reading abilities, fostering a sense of success and avoiding frustration.

“If we give them a book or two above what they can read and understand, they may come to the wrong conclusion about their intelligence,” Bevier says. “They may think, ‘Well, I can’t read this, so I must be dumb,’ and possibly give up reading or at least trying.”

The Results

Destiny Library Manager has revolutionized how the center manages its library. The system’s catalog search tool is frequently used to help students find books that interest them. “We use the search tool quite often to help them,” Bevier says.

The ability to track books has also made a significant difference. “When the books need a repair, we can take care of that before putting it back on the shelves – that not only lengthens the life of the books but saves us money,” Bevier notes.

The inventory of books at the center is now over 2,000 and growing. The staff has learned to log into Destiny and check out books for students, even on weekends when teachers are not available. “Often, students will enter the Detention Center on a weekend and really want a book,” Bevier says. “Now, they do not have to wait until sometime Monday when the teachers are here to get a book.”

The integration of Destiny has fostered a love of reading among students. Bevier shares a touching story: “A particular student was so angry at his father when he arrived, but that relationship began to be repaired through their phone conversations. The topic of reading came up, and when the student shared with his dad that he read a book, the father beamed with pride. That ignited this young man. Although it was difficult for him to read, he checked out another book, then another and another.”

One day, the student asked, “My dad said he read Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet when he was in school and really liked it. Do we have that?” The staff quickly found the book on Destiny, and the student checked it out with a smile on his face.

Conclusion

Destiny Library Manager has become a vital part of the Elkhart County Juvenile Detention Center, helping students discover the joy of reading and supporting their educational and emotional needs. “It is a joy to observe their gratitude and recognize they have been heard when they see the book they recommended has been added to the shelf,” Bevier says.

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