1977-78: Dr. Garry Hays, Chancellor of the Minnesota State University System (MSUS), establishes the Advisory Committee on Library and Media Services
1979: The state university board, the university presidents, and the university library directors make the joint decision to proceed with a project that would focus on the automation of library systems, establishing PALS as an organization
1984: PALS library software is operational
1995: Creation of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) https://www.minnstate.edu/board/docs-summaries/1996/december-history.html
1996: MnSCU works with the University of Minnesota to seek funding from the Minnesota Legislature to obtain a new automated library system
1997: The Minnesota Legislature awards funds to the Minnesota Higher Education Services Office (HESO) to acquire and implement a statewide library system
1998: PALS assumes support responsibilities for the worldwide libraries running the PALS software, previously supported by Ameritech Library Services (aka Dynix)
2001: A contract for Aleph, a product of Ex Libris, is signed in 2001
2006: MnSCU signs an enterprise-wide contract with RightNow Technologies, a customer relationship management software
2006: The MnPALS libraries and the PALS Office complete implementation of the Aleph software in May
2008: The VuFind beta release of what would become MnPALS Plus is announced at the April Reference Work Day. MnPALS Plus, A Web 2.0 experience for library users, officially became available on August 15
2010: PALS implements the Evergreen Open Source software for the East Central Regional Library System in May
2013: Southwest Minnesota State University and Minneapolis College of Art and Design join with PALS as development partners for the Islandora Project
2015: PALS announces that it will no longer support Evergreen after June 30
2016: RFP process for new integrated library system to replace Aleph begins
2017: The MnPALS Libraries choose Alma/Primo VE, a product of Ex Libris
2017: Vanguard Libraries Implementation begins
2019: Planned go-live is January 29, but due to a statewide snowstorm, go-live is delayed for some. The final library goes live with Alma and Primo on February 1
2019: Transition of LibData, LibStats, and SubjectsPlus from St. Cloud State to PALS
2021: CLIC Consortium libraries join MnPALS
