Consortium of MnPALS Libraries
User Council/Executive Committee Joint Meeting
Minnesota State University Mankato at 7700 France
7700 France Avenue, Edina
Room 316, Suite C
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Adobe Connect Meeting: https://umconnect.umn.edu/annualmtg041411/
Conference Call Phone Number: 507-389-1014

Directions and Parking Information
Directions to Suite C (or see below)

Minutes

Present:  Michele Throldahl, Stephen Elfstrand, Kevin McGrew, Rod Bruce, Thomas Bremer, Trudy Bement, Dan Honetschlager, Bill DeJohn, Sonja Eilertson, Linda Richter, Sarah Quimby, Carla Urban, Adam Marsnik, Mary Ann Greenwald, Cynthia Jorstad, Todd Digby, Kathleen Ashe, Michael Kirby. Attending Online: Kathy Malec, Jan Carey, Pete McDonnell.

Michael Kirby convened the meeting at 9:00 a.m. Motions were entertained to approve both the Agenda and the Minutes from the April 15, 2010 Meeting. Both were subsequently approved. Those in attendance introduced themselves, and a recorder was appointed.

MnPALS Futures Interest Group

Michael Kirby gave an update of the MnPALS Futures Interest Group. He discussed the topics of several of the conference call discussions the group had convened, such as eBook readers and QR codes. The minutes from FIG meetings and the discussion calls are available on the MnPALS forum. Michael also discussed a recommendation the group wanted to make to PALS: that PALS should consider being a central repository for the record sets that a number of PALS libraries all use, such as CREDO, government docs, or Films on Demand. Stephen Elfstrand stated that it would make more sense to load shared record sets once into MnPALS, rather than each library having to do it for their individual ADM libraries. Adam Marsnik asked if PALS could contract with third-party database providers such as EBSCO or Summon to provide access to their records? Stephen Elfstrand replied that he didn’t know what PALS’s role would be, since PALS is not a customer of those services. Michael added another recommendation that PALS look into buying LibGuides as a consortium. The FIG will continue to make recommendations throughout the year.

Michael finished his update by saying that the FIG will continue to hold discussions via conference call on topics of interest throughout the year, and feel free to spread the word to our staff.

Workday Discussions

Cynthia Jorstad gave an update on the Reference Workday. She thought it was very useful, and that it was good to hear different discussions of practices and philosophies of reference.

Michael Kirby gave an update on the Systems Workday. Topics covered were Google Scholar and PALSconnect Linker, some enhancements to LibData that St. Cloud State is considering, the Archon Digital Archiving Tool, and LibGuides. A long discussion followed about LibGuides, with many in attendance praising LibGuides for its usability and pricing. Kevin McGrew said that his library was considering moving the whole library’s web structure to LibGuides. Todd Digby said that MnSCU could possibly transition to LibGuides, if it’s not behind a firewall.

Dates for Upcoming PALS User Council/Executive Committee Meetings Announced

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Thursday, April 12, 2012 (Joint UC/EC and Annual Meeting)

Other significant meeting dates are October 17-18 (Upper Midwest Rgional Ex Libris User Group Meeting, Fargo, ND): October 19 (MnPALS User Group Meeting, Moorhead, MN); October 12-14 (MLA, Duluth).

Other

Michael Kirby asked if there was any other business. Jan Carey mentioned that she would be retiring on May 23, and asked if anyone had discussed the staffing situation in MnSCU libraries around the state. Cynthia Jorstad said that she would now be splitting her time between two campuses, fifty miles apart, and many librarians told stories of being told to teach classes in addition to their librarian duties. Todd Digby was asked to advocate with the leadership more about the importance of libraries, and Adam Marsnik added that it’s not just libraries that are important, it’s also having full-time professional staff.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:50.

Respectfully submitted by Sarah Quimby

Agenda 

Agenda for Annual Meeting (10:15 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.)

9:00  Introductions/Welcome

• Approval of Agenda
• Approval of Minutes from the April 15, 2010 Meeting

9:10  Updates

• MnPALS Futures Interest Group
• Workday Discussions
  • Reference and Instruction
  • Systems

9:45  Dates for Next Year’s Meetings (EC/UC and Annual Meeting)

9:55  Other

10:00 Adjourn

Note: The new Executive Committee will meet briefly at 3:45 p.m. to elect officers and confirm the 2011-2012 meeting dates.

Directions to Suite C

From the North on France
Turn right into 7700 France Avenue South (after light at 76th) visitor parking lot right by the 7700 France sign (MSU is not listed on the sign – flag flies on flag pole, however). Park in that parking lot and come in the front entrance (east side of building) to Security at the Front Desk and sign in. Follow hallway on left, turn right by television on wall and follow around to the North Elevators. Go to third floor – off elevators go to right and at the end of that hall go left to Suite C.

From the South on France
Turn left on Minnesota Drive (corner building is Fidelity; we are building right behind) and get in right lane. Take first right into large parking lot (west side of building) and then an immediate right and drive around to the east side of building; park in visitor parking and come in the front entrance (east side of building) to Security at the Front Desk and sign in. Follow hallway on left, turn right by television on wall and follow around to the North Elevators. Go to third floor – off elevators go to right and at the end of that hall go left to Suite C.