Mission Control

The School Library Association, Softlink and Peters have joined forces to offer a new service: Mission Control.

Our Mission is to provide the best tools to help you deliver thriving library provision for your pupils, at a price that is significantly lower than if you purchased all three services individually.

We provide the essential services and expertise needed to run a modern, high-impact school library. Mission Control is one simple, low-cost subscription that bundles all three critical elements:

the System: Softlink’s engaging Orbit library software
the Support: remote library advice from the SLA
the Supply: a reading for pleasure book bundle fitted with book jackets and barcodes making your books shelf ready provided by Peters

Boost your budget: Mission Control offers you over £500 in savings!

If you're interested to find out more, register your interest now:

Get your library running at peak performance—with Mission Control: Systems, Support, Supply - view the videos below to discover more!

Everything you need to know about Mission Control:

How much does it cost?

For schools with 200 pupils or less the subscription is £850 + VAT per year.
For schools with over 200+ pupils the subscription is £1000 + VAT per year

Can I use a different library system or can I use my current system?

Mission Control is a subscription that includes Softlink’s Orbit system, and we can migrate your existing library data and connect to your School Admin system for automatic pupil updates.

My school does not have a Librarian. Can I still register?

Then you are the perfect candidate for this solution, the team at the SLA will support everyone who is involved with your library: Heads, Governors, Literacy Leads and all school staff and volunteers to help them provide the best reading experience for your pupils. We can even offer pupil librarian training!

I want to sign up but we don’t have space for a library. Can you help?

Don’t worry, we can help, you can tag your books in the system with their location e.g. a classroom, corridor or even a reading shed. As an online solution, Orbit is accessible from any device with an internet connection, so you can add digital resources such as ebooks and audiobooks for your pupils to enjoy anywhere. The SLA can give you advice on developing your future library offer.

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How long do I sign up for?

You can sign up for one year, OR, better still, if you decide to sign up for three years costs will be frozen to help you plan your budget.

Can I choose my own books?

Peters team of children’s librarians and book specialists will hand pick you a reading for pleasure book bundle made up of new, exciting, diverse and inclusive fiction and non-fiction titles. Schools can select between an infant, junior or primary book bundle. All books will be fitted with book jackets and barcodes, so they will be shelf-ready for your pupils to choose and enjoy.

When will I receive my books?

When you subscribe, choose your book bundle and the Peters team will select your books and send them out to you. You will receive your books within 4 weeks of signing up to Mission Control.

How do I get in touch with the SLA?

As soon as you sign up, we will create a membership account with the SLA. You can add up to ten members of staff to your account, who can all take advantage of the support, resources and advice available. You will receive an email from the SLA to activate your membership login.

We have just signed up to the Libraries for Primaries programme, do I need both?

That’s great! We can help make the most of that investment so that your library is sustainable for years to come.

When is the starter training?

We will confirm all the details and available training dates after your initial sign up. Software implementation training and a 'How to use Mission Control' session with a focus on using your Peters account and exploring your SLA membership will be available to view online once you have signed up. Additional training will be added and recorded, so you can always access it at a time convenient to you.

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The School Library Association (SLA) is an independent charity and membership organisation that believes every pupil is entitled to school library provision and all the opportunities this enables. The SLA supports all those responsible for school libraries through advice, training and advocacy so they can help children and young people reach their full potential.

Through this partnership, we will work to ensure schools can deliver sustainable, effective and impactful library provision, supporting education outcomes. The SLA will provide guidance and support to the Senior Leadership Team and those managing the library to maximise the long-term impact on the whole the school community. This will include full access to our online training, resources, and membership support and discounts. Schools will also receive a digital copy of our journal, The School Librarian packed full of advice, best practice and inspiration.

Softlink has been helping schools for over 40 years and our library software has recently been chosen by all the maintained schools in Northern Ireland. Our Orbit system combines library books and digital resources to enhance the school library user experience, support learning and collaboration, and empower students on their reading adventure.

We will be providing a secure cloud-hosted Orbit system for every school that subscribes to Mission Control. Your Orbit system will be connected to your school Admin software for automatic Borrower updates as well as using BDS’s comprehensive book details database for the simple and fast adding of books.

Peters is the UK’s leading specialist supplier of children’s books and furniture to schools, academies, public libraries, and multi-academy trusts, and we’re passionate about inspiring children and young people to read.

Through this collaboration, we will be providing a regularly refreshed, curated selection of books that will keep your children excited and engaged by your library space. Our qualified librarians and teachers read and review more than 10,000 newly published children’s and young adult books every year, so are ideally placed to help and advise on your reading requirements. With Peters, you can ensure that your library stock is fresh, engaging, and relevant to your individual school context.