Follett Destiny is a library automation and management system created by Follett Corporation. Some key strengths include integration with ebook platforms, title searching and purchasing through Follett Titlewave, and showing real-time availability of physical items. However, weaknesses include lack of customization options for the homepage, inability to manage subscriptions well, and students finding the interface confusing during initial use. Overall, Follett Destiny is a full-featured library management system, but has room for improved usability and customization.

1. Automation System Evaluation:
Follett Destiny
Sabrina Caballero
David Flores
Tanya Murdoch
Amber Stowers

2. Company History
Follett Corporation began in 1873 as a used book store out of Charles M. Barnes home in
Wheaton Illinois. Three years later, he moved the business out of his home to Chicago. C.W.
Follett joined Barnes company in 1901 as a stock clerk. In 1918, the name of the company was
changed to J.W. Wilcox & Follett Company. In 1923, C.W. Follett and his wife, Edythe,
purchased the company. Throughout the 1920’s and 30’s, the Follett Publishing Company and
Follett College Book Company were founded. In 1957, the company was renamed the Follett
Corporation, which is the name it still carries today. In 1997 the company joined Internet
Systems that provide library management services. The eFollett.com website was published in
1999. Destiny Media was launched in 2004. In April of 2014, Follett’s PreK-12 business became
Follett School Solutions, Inc., which formed one entity making it easier for customers. The
company today employs 10,000 people and is worth $2.7 billion. The company continues to
grow and prepare for future needs for e-commerce, digital offerings, and text rental.

3. Strengths and Unique Attributes
● On the main homepage, you can find selections to choose from (popular books,
audiobooks, e-books, and topics).
● Can work with both desktop and mobile devices.
● Can integrate with other online ebook websites without having the user having to sign in
on their websites (Overdrive)
● Linked with Follett Titlewave to make purchasing new books easier.
● When searching for books, it will give top results and show if it is in stock (green) or
checked out (red).

4. System Weaknesses
Usage
● Librarians are unable to customize aspects of the Destiny Discover homepage to
feature resources for patrons (fully available this year)
● Requires some technical expertise.
● The Follett Destiny app software updates are reportedly unable to scan older
barcodes.
Cost
● It is more expensive than other competitors.
● Features outside basic package called add-ons are costly.

5. System Weaknesses
Features
● It does not easily manage and catalog
magazines, periodicals, and other subscriptions.
● Destiny does not allow patrons to access other
libraries catalogs or manage renewals.
Maine State Library, 2017
http://www.maine.gov/msl/libs/tech/automation/compare.shtml
Student Use
● Study showed students were confused by “Power
Search” and drop down menus and needed a
complete orientation to feel confident.
● Lacks auto-correction features and requires
correct punctuation and spelling.

6. Why we recommend Follett Destiny:
Award Winning

7. Why we recommend Follett Destiny: a tour
Click here to
view tour.

8. References
Follett Corporation. Our story. Retrieved on November 17, 2017: https://www.follett.com/about-story
Follett Destiny on the App Store. Comment on Follet Destiny App. iTunes Preview,
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/follett-destiny/id521121808?mt=8
Hummel, E. “Alexandria/Destiny Debate Results.” Retrieved 16, Nov. 2017, from
LM_NET@Listservehttps://listserv.syr.edu/scripts/wa.exe?A2=lm_net;4197f7a3.1012 .
Rokusek, D. Follett Community: Blogs: Destiny 14.5 is Here! 2 Feb.
2017,https://www.follettcommunity.com/p/bl/et/blogid=1&blogaid=372 Retrieved 16, Nov. 2017.
School Library Management System Software | Follett Destiny | Follett. (2017). Follettlearning.com. Retrieved 20
November 2017, from https://www.follettlearning.com/technology/products/library-management-system#features

9. Smith, D. (2015). A Preliminary Usability Study of Follett’s Destiny Basic and Visual Search
Functions. In iConference 2015 Proceedings.
https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/73765/472_ready.pdf?sequence=2
Software Comparisons for Automation. Maine State Library. (2017) Retrieved 16, Nov. 2017.
http://www.maine.gov/msl/libs/tech/automation/compare.shtml
References