Follett's new K12DigitalDecisions.com Website Helps Districts, Schools Navigate eReader Highway

MCHENRY, Ill., Aug. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Follett has sponsored a new website, K12DigitalDecisions.com, a timely and robust resource to help educators and districts navigate the eReader highway and answer the critical question, "Which Comes First ... Content or Device?"

Follett Library Resources and Follett Software, part of the Follett School and Library Group (FSLG) that also includes Follett Educational Services and Follett International – sponsored the website to serve as a one-stop resource for school and district librarians and administrators to find the information that will help them create the best digital strategy customized to their specific needs.

"It is clear that mobile learning provides tremendous opportunities for student engagement," said John Williams, director of digital products for Follett Library Resources. "Sorting through the wide variety of available mobile device strategies, however, is overwhelming to many of today's school leaders. To amplify the challenge, the pace of technological change is so rapid now that digital tools and resources are being developed faster than schools can evaluate their options for implementation."

When users sign up for the free digital diagnostic tool kit, the K12DigitalDecisions.com website will present a clear step-by-step process to help evaluate digital content resources, hardware needs, and understand content licensing terms. Ultimately, K12DigitalDecisions.com will enable districts and schools to connect the right digital tools to their desired learning outcomes.

The website also includes several insightful articles, including:

• Navigating the eReader Highway
• Purchase or Lease? Options for School Library eBook Acquisition
• One Tablet Per Child?
• eBooks and School Libraries
• Tips for BYOD K12 Programs
• Interactive eBook Apps: The Reinvention of Reading and Interactivity
• School Administrators Are More Open to Mobile Devices, Study Says

Whether it is sorting out the advantages and disadvantages of various mobile devices, such as commercially available dedicated eReaders, or learning how to compare and contrast various licensing agreements, K12DigitalDecisions.com addresses core digital issues with practical information to help educators make the best decisions for their school or district.

"We keep waiting for things to calm down with eBooks before we jump into them, and it's not going to happen," said Ann Fondren, library media coordinator, Spotsylvania County (Va.) Schools. "We're used to spending money on things that are going to last, and in the eBook market we have no idea what's coming down the road, but we can't afford to wait because our kids are missing out."

K12DigitalDecisions.com was unveiled at ISTE '12 in San Diego in late June, and Williams said the response only affirmed why Follett took the step to sponsor the website.

"We had people coming by the booth to tell us their schools and districts were immersed in the content/device quandary, and they were only too eager to delve into resources that could help them make the right decisions," Williams said. "We are confident K12DigitalDecisions.com is a positive step forward in that direction."

Visit www.K12DigitalDecisions.com to explore the new website.

For more information about Follett Library Resources, visit www.titlewave.com, or visit Follett Software Company at www.FollettSoftware.com

About Follett's PreK-12 Business
Follett is the largest provider of educational materials and technology solutions to PreK-12 libraries, classrooms, learning centers and school districts in the United States, and a major supplier to educational institutions worldwide. Follett distributes books, reference materials, digital resources, eBooks and audiovisual materials, as well as pre-owned textbooks. Follett also is one of the leading providers of integrated educational technology for the management of physical and digital assets, the tracking, storing and analyzing of academic data, and digital learning environment tools for the classroom focusing on student achievement.

About Follett
Follett Corporation is a $2.7 billion, privately held company that provides products, services and solutions to the educational marketplace. Follett Corporation was founded in 1873, and today is headquartered in River Grove, Illinois.

SOURCE Follett