The report describes four User Council meetings from fall 2012 to fall 2013. Topics discussed at meetings include planning workdays and the 2013 User Group Meeting, web-scale discovery, and ILS options.
2013-10 User Group Meeting Library Use and Academic Success
Description
This report was the focus of a breakout session at the fall 2013 User Group Meeting. It discusses the results of a study conducted at the University of Minnesota that found students who use library resources have a higher GPA their first semester and higher retention from fall to spring.
2013-10 User Group Meeting Library Resources Normandale
Description
The presentation covers library resources and services that are available for Normandale Partnership Students. It discusses the opening of Normandale's Partnership Center and how the library is helping students transition into partnership studies.
2013-10 User Group Meeting Futures Interest Group Report
Description
The report lists the Libraries Futures Interest Group's meetings and conference calls from fall 2012 to fall 2013. Topics of discussion included e-readers and e-books, linked data, social media, mobile apps, and planning future meetings.
The document lists improvements to existing reports and new reports created by the Reports Work Group from fall 2012 to fall 2013. New reports include an ILL Lending report, a cash transactions report, and a report containing information about unfilled journal requests.
2013-10 User Group Meeting Executive Committee Report
Description
The report describes four Executive Committee meetings from fall 2012 to fall 2013. Topics discussed at the meetings ranged from the MnPALS Circulation Policy to web-scale discovery.
2011-10 User Group Meeting Executive Director Report
Description
The presentation discussed goals for 2012 to 2015. Goals included becoming financially sustainable, improve Aleph operations and customer support, be the Premier Evergreen Service Provider in the Upper Midwest, improve user discovery, create new products and services, and improve customer satisfaction.
Agenda items include sessions on PALSconnect Linker, OCLC's Bibliographic Notification Service, trimming the serials budget, communicating with the Consortium through the PALS website, St. Cloud University's use of LibData and Research Project, and the future of Minnesota libraries. Century College's acquisition of the Fire Library collection was also discussed.
The 2011 PALS Report focused on Aleph subsystems, updates to PALS products and services (EZproxy, MnPALS Plus, PALSconnect Linker, PALSconnect ERM, Evergreen), and current activities of task forces and office teams. Highlights include global changes to bibliographic records to reflect new MARC standards and testing Aleph version 21 before Consortium-wide implementation.
2011-10 User Group Meeting Futures Interest Group Report
Description
The report lists the FIG meetings that took place from fall 2010 to fall 2012. Topics discussed include federated vs. aggregated search, eXtensible Catalog, legal issues with e-books and e-readers, mobile access to library resources, and digital asset management.
2012-10 User Group Meeting Executive Director Report
Description
The presentation covered strategic goals for 2013 to 2015. Goals included strengthening PALS' financial position, using Islandora Digital Asset Management System, and investigating Open Access Publishing Systems.
Agenda items include sessions on the Reports Group's recent activities, Islandora, useful apps for productivity and database access, electronic resources in libraries, RDA, social media, and Aleph Inventory at Minnesota State University, Mankato.
2012-10 User Group Meeting E-Resources in Your Library
Description
The presentation covered electronic resources in libraries, such as e-books and e-journals. Discussion focused on challenges in managing e-resources and patrons' access to them.