What is RICAT? 

RILINK is offering a shared Destiny system for Rhode Island school libraries, which we call RICAT.  Destiny is Follett’s web-based library automation software. 

Why Destiny?

With Destiny and RICAT, your library system is available anywhere a student, teacher, parent, administrator or librarian can access the web.  There is no local server or software to maintain and backup, and no need to open your district network to traffic from the outside so that students and teachers can have access to library resources from home.  Training for librarians and library staff is provided on site, as needed, by local professionals.

How would my school use RICAT?

If your school library joins our RICAT/Destiny system, all that is needed locally is good access to the Internet through PCs or MACs with web browser software.  Librarians, library staff, teachers, students and parents have access to your school’s library collection anytime, anywhere they have access to the web.  Check it out at www.ricat.net.   Each member library can have its own web page, with links to local school pages as well as Internet resources and online subscriptions.

System hardware and software maintenance, backups, and training are all provided by RILINK.  Software upgrades are all done at the central site and are available immediately to all users. 

Access to administrative functions is provided by password.  Each library can set up its own protocols, and change them at any time, as needed.  It’s all done through the web.  When adding books and other items to the catalog, librarians have access to millions of catalog records, which are downloaded directly into the system when selected.  Six million of these source records are provided by Follett, and include content annotations, as well as interest and reading levels for each item.  If an item is not already in the RICAT database, or can’t be found at Follett, library staff can also bring in records from a number of other authoritative sources, including the Library of Congress and the National Library of Canada.  This means that new books can be available to students and teachers almost immediately, with full subject access to each title.

In addition, RICAT includes thousands of curriculum-based, authoritative K-12 links to sites on the Web, all educator-evaluated and checked regularly for availability.  Pick any library and search the catalog using the “keyword” search for the keyword tsunami for an illustration of how this works.

What does it cost?

The initial software license, including all of the first year costs for Destiny is $3,740 for libraries subscribing to Destiny/RICAT through RILINK. 

After the first year, annual costs for Destiny/RICAT are approximately $1,100 per site, per year.

In addition to the costs for Destiny itself, annual dues of $1.50 per student (minimum per school is $500; maximum is $1,500) cover costs for on-site training and maintenance of the system as well as for access to our online interlibrary loan for students and teachers through the RILINK Union Catalog at www.rilink.org.  If your entire district joins RILINK and we can bill the district for Destiny costs and dues, annual dues are reduced to $1.00 per student.

 

Last updated: June 22, 2007.

contact the webmaster (rilink@ride.ri.net)