Recent research has shown a link between strong library programs and higher reading scores, according to an article in the April issue of District Administration magazine. "The school library is one of the few factors whose contribution to academic achievement has been documented empirically," said researcher Keith Curry Lance speaking at the White House Conference on School Libraries in 2002.

Think that a web-based, standards-friendly library is out of financial reach for your school or district? Think again! Despite today's tough economic climate, some schools and districts are using federal funds to support the purchase of Follett Software products to improve access to quality library resources and match their resources to state standards.

The reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act - better known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) - makes billions of dollars in new funding available to schools. The challenge is securing the funding because NCLB places strict requirements on states, districts and schools to meet academic achievement standards. The purchase of some Follett Software solutions is an ideal application of these funds.

The Challenge:
Orange County Schools in Hillsborough, North Carolina was faced with adding a new 1,200-student high school to an outdated and unpopular site-based library solution. They went looking for a centralized, district wide-solution with these goals in mind:

• Replace outdated servers used at each site
• Find a more cost effective way to upgrade and extend services to new sites
• Provide students, librarians and teachers with a stable and reliable solution

The Challenge:
Lee County School District in Fort Meyers, Florida lost over 62,000 textbooks, costing taxpayers two million dollars over a five-year period between 1997 and 2002. A state audit showed that the district could save approximately $400,000 a year with a textbook management system.

With all the talk and worry over improving test scores and shrinking federal grant dollars, we sometimes become so overwhelmed with it all that we lose sight of what's most important-helping our students succeed. To alleviate some of that stress and help you focus on the student, we've introduced a new service, State Standards, that saves you time and reduces the pressures of aligning library resources to state standards. We've done the work for you!