Thursday, March 20, 2008
9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Hennepin Technical College - Eden Prairie Campus
Rooms H-193 and H-195

Minutes

Present: Ruth Anderson, Minnesota Historical Society; Kathleen Ashe, Southwest Minnesota State University; Orrin Ausen, Bethany Lutheran College; Katherine Bessey, Rasmussen College; Karen Bronshteyn; Anoka Technical College; Cathy Colby, PALS; Donna Davis, Department of Revenue; Suzanne Degler, Minneapolis College of Art & Design; Bill DeJohn, MINITEX; Todd Digby, Office of the Chancellor; Debra Domek, PALS; Susan Dueis, PALS; Stephen Elfstrand, PALS; Keith Ewing, St. Cloud State University; Ala Garlinska, South Central College – Faribault; Barbara Golden, Minnesota State Law Library; Larry Hardesty, Winona State University; Sheila Hatchell, MnDOT Library; Sharon Hoverson, Concordia College; Heidi Johnson, College of St. Scholastica; Cynthia Jorstad, Northland CTC- Thief River Falls;  Michael Kirby, Dakota County Technical College; Joan Klanderud, South Central College – North Mankato; Kevin McGrew, College of St. Scholastica; Dennis Meissner, Minnesota Historical Society; Dan Mollner, Gustavus Adolphus College; Mike Morey, OCLC; Dale Pedersen, University Center Rochester; Linda Richter, PALS; Al Rykhus, PALS; Joan Roca, MSU Mankato; Amy Springer, Rasmussen College; Pam Sukalski, Minnesota West College – Granite Falls. 

9:30 – Welcome / Executive Committee Report – Orrin Ausen, EC Chair

Orrin Ausen welcomed the group.

Ausen gave an overview of the year’s activities. Orrin’s written report did not make it into the packets but will be distributed via e-mail and on the Forum.

Orrin discussed five action plans that are part of the strategic plan.

• Discovery Tool
• Effective Member Participation
• Centralize Technical Issues to PALS Office
• Statement of Benefit of Membership
• It-MnPALS Planning Integration

For the second year we are having electronic voting for Executive Committee members. The nominees are the following:

• Community Colleges – Larry Kellerman, Central Lakes College; Jan Carey, Hibbing Community College. 
• CALCO – Donna Davis, MN Dept. of Revenue; Kathy Malec, MN Pollution Control Agency, alternate.
• State Universities – Dave Barton, Metropolitan State University; alternate open.
• K-12 – Maureen Guentzel; alternate open
• Technical Colleges – Ann Nelson, Hennepin Technical College; Karen Bronshteyn, Anoka Technical College, alternate.
• Private Colleges – Kevin McGrew, St. Scholastica; Orrin Ausen continuing, Bethany; Sharon Halverson, Concordia College, alternate.
• Special Libraries – Robert Horton, MN Historical Society; Robbie LaFleur, Legislative Reference Library   

Highlights from the last year:

• Hiring of a new executive director, Stephen Elfstrand
• Service packs to Aleph Version 17
• Preparation to upgrade to Version 18
• Spring and Fall User Groups
• Active Task Forces
• Cataloging Workday – September 2007
• Reference Workday – Scheduled March 28, 2008
• Merging of Mailing Lists
• Creation of Forum and Wikis
• Research and development of SOLR (beta release of Discovery Tool – AL Rykhus)
• Executive Director meeting with Private Colleges
  • Discuss whether they stayed with PALS
  • Discussed their needs

Orrin also noted that the proposed fees and dues from PALS for 2007-2008 were approved.

Motions and recommendations that were passed this past year include:

• April 2007 – That the emphasis of the PALS staff should be to improve the functionality of Aleph version 17.  Later in the year, as we get a better idea of cost/benefits, we could make a better recommendation about moving to version 18 as a step to the inevitable move to version 19. Not prepare training for version 18, but figure out data conversion tables.

• September 2007 – Accept recommendations of PALS Centralization Survey report to make item nine (9), customization of XSL forms and item ten (10), upgrade XSL forms customization from version to version.

• November 2007 – No motions or recommendations

• February 2008 – Drop any consideration of going with ARC2 as a reporting tool. MnPALS staff will focus available resources to consortium-wide activities and innovative services, such as version 18 features, open source initiatives, and improvements to user interfaces. MnPALS will not move toward the implementation of Aleph version 19 unless Executive Committee directs. Accept PALS training fee changes of group training for multiple libraries; includes workshops, retraining and refresher classes. Minimum of five (5) attendees. Charges of $100 per person for (1) day, $150 for two (2) days. Web training available upon request for some sessions; charge to be determined.

9:50 – Executive Director Report – Stephen Elfstrand

Elfstrand indicated that his report was included in the packet and that the future direction of PALS was the main item that he was working on, and that he was learning a lot about the political and financial needs and how to work with those factors. Stephen noted that keeping the students' success in mind, as we move thorough varies activities, was the utmost of importance.

From the PALS Organizational Study (September 2007) was the recommendation that in order to provide new services to the users, that the PALS Team needed to focus on innovation. Elfstrand has appointed Linda Richter to be the Innovation Coordinator. They will take a team based approach as they explore new products and services. PALS has three new teams: Discovery Tools, Open URL Link Resolver, and Open Source ILS. The Technical Services and Support Services Teams are remaining in place at this time. He also has appointed a Strategic Planning Committee to begin the formal process of envisioning the future. There is also a Communications Team which is looking into the ways the consortium and PALS staff communicate. Stephen also reported that they had merged the Mailing Lists into two lists and have also created Forums and Wikis to keep the communications open between PALS and their users.

The Executive Director and various PALS staff members have been making site visits to numerous campuses. If you would like the Executive Director visit your campus, just let him know.

He also announced that South Central College was the first “new” college to go live with EZproxy. They had not previously been on a proxy server. The PALS staff is currently working with a campus that was on LibProxy and they will be going live with EZproxy shortly.

Elfstrand presented budget information for FY 2008, as well as the dwindling reserve fund. He has created four funds: PALS Operations, PALS Capital, PALS R&D, and Customer Relationship Management (Right Now) Support. Discussion followed regarding the budgets documents.

Because of the time factor Stephen referred everyone to his printed report that was included in the packet and also sent out via e-mail and posted on the Forum. He also said that he would skip the technical reports, but encouraged everyone to read over them. 

10:25 – MnSCU Update – Todd Digby, System Director for Libraries

Digby reported that he had been busy making campus visits, especially to the Technical Colleges. MnSCU has been working to prepare Space Guidelines for libraries, especially some baselines, as they work to bring some technical college libraries up to standards.

He also reported that he has been working on the textbook issue, and that there is textbook legislation (for $500,000) to help offset costs to students. These funds (if passed) would be distributed via an RFP. He also talked of the 2010-2015 bonding review proposals and the funding for LibData (hosted at St. Cloud). There is a proposal to Academic Affairs for IT to work more closely with the libraries to support student needs and the impacts they have on student learning.

Todd also shared some brief information on the D12L Lawsuit and how it impacts MnSCU Colleges. He reported that they intend to upgrade this summer and that should take care of what was perceived as copyright infringement. 

10:35 – Demos – Aleph OPAC, SOLR, Evergreen Search and Delivery

Since all were familiar with the Aleph OPAC, Al Rykhus (PALS) then demonstrated the SOLR interface, followed by a demonstration of Evergreen by Heidi Johnson (CSS). Mike Morey (OCLC) and ? demonstrated WorldCat Local AND Link Manager. Each demonstration was followed by brief questions. 

12:30 – Lunch

1:15 – Small Group Discussion / Sharing

The group was divided into four groups to discuss prepared questions on each of the demonstrations. The large group reconvened and discussed the findings of each small group. The data was collected and will be reviewed by the PALS staff. 

3:20 – User Council Report – Keith Ewing (SCS)

Keith reminded us that the 2008 User Council Report was also included in the packets, and that their last meeting was a joint meeting with the Executive Committee to discuss the future and the direction of the Consortium. 

3:25 – MINITEX Update – Bill DeJohn

Bill reported that MINITEX will also be having some open source demonstrations. They will be in late May/early June. They will be in a workshop format (all day). He also indicated that MINITEX is working with teacher preparation classes, so that teachers going out into the schools know about ELM and about the Research Calculator. He also talked about some P16 initiatives. 

3:30 – Closing Comments

Orrin thanked everyone for coming and welcomed comments and suggestions as to where the consortium should be going.

3:35 – Adjournment

Submitted by Joan Klanderud

AGENDA

9:00 Refreshments

9:30 Welcome/Executive Committee Report

9:45 Executive Director's Report

• Executive Director's Report
  
• Support Services Report
  
• Technical Services Report
• Innovations Report

10:10 MnSCU Update

10:30 Demos - Aleph OPAC, SOLR, Evergreen Search & Delivery

11:20 Break

11:30 Continue Demos - WorldCat Local and Link Manager

12:10 WorldCat Local and Link Manager Q & A

12:30 Lunch

1:15 Small Group Discussion/Sharing

2:15 User Council Report

2:25 Large Group Open Discussion

3:05 MINITEX Update

3:25 Closing comments

3:30 Adjourn