MnPALS Spring Gathering

MnPALS Spring Gathering

The MnPALS consortium of libraries hosts an annual gathering for its members, known as the MnPALS Spring Gathering. 

MnPALS Spring Gathering 2026

The MnPALS Spring Gathering will be held Friday, April 10th at St. Cloud State's Atwood Center (651 1st Ave S, St Cloud, MN 56301). The morning session will be hybrid, and the afternoon sessions will be in-person or virtual. 

NotesInfoAs of 3/13, Registration Tracker: 24,  In Person (11),  Virtual (13)
Registration
Session Descriptions
Visit Logistics
Committee Members
Previous Meetings
Registration
Register to attend the MnPALS Spring Gathering by April 3, 2026.        

Session Descriptions
  1. AI and Accessibility: Tips and Tools
    1. Jennifer Hoops, Accessibility Programmer (Minnesota Legislative Reference Library)
    2. With new state and federal guidelines for digital accessibility coming into effect this year, many librarians are feeling the pressure of additional work without the benefit of additional resources or staffing to address. It is no wonder that AI has been touted as a potential assistant for accessibility workflows, which can often be tedious or technically difficult. As the library field grapples with the triumphs and pitfalls of AI, how can we ensure the quality of our output remains consistently high quality?  This presentation has two primary goals: to introduce its audience to a variety of freely available tools that can help with various digital accessibility tasks, and where they might be useful in everyday cataloging, archiving, and public services work; and secondly, to address the common issues that utilizing AI or less vetted automation tools can accidentally cause. Ideally, every audience member with leave with a list of reliable accessibility aids, as well as a new set of skills in moderating accessibility auditing/content that is generated by AI. 
  2. Archives Content Management Systems: Lessons from the Field
    1. Tom Steman, University Archivist, (St. Cloud State University); Ed Warga, Library Systems and Discovery Specialist, (St. Cloud State University)
    2. Archives content management systems (CMS) provide integrated support for archival workflows, including arrangement and description, accessioning, access and managing records. But is a content management system right for your shop? Attendees will learn what questions to ask when evaluating current workflows to the functionality of a proposed system - all to analyze whether or not a content management system, including open-source, is right for their institution. Attendees will hear from an archives that used two open source content management systems since 2009 regarding the challenges and benefits. In addition, the session will discuss how successful – or not - a recent migration into Access to Memory (AtoM) was, including how the lessons learned will inform regarding future migrations.
  3. Asking Better Questions: Applying Reference Interview Methods to Library Systems Problems
    1. Sara Gliniecki, Systems Librarian, (Hamline University)
    2. I will explore how to bridge gaps in technical/systems knowledge when asking and answering technical questions posed by other librarians. I will apply the RUSA Guidelines and examine framing systems questions as reference interviews with internal stakeholders (Research and Learning Librarians, library leadership, IT colleagues, etc.) to help empower both parties to feel confident in the information they are giving and receiving. I will include a checklist for asking better technical questions as well as an interactive activity where we practice asking and answering! 
  4. Book Chat
    1. Johnna Horton, Executive Director (PALS)
    2. Come talk about what you're reading, listening to, or watching! No actual presentation, just group discussion. 
  5. Book market upsets and what we're doing now
    1. Katie Hagen, Resource Management Librarian, (St. Catherine University); Sara Carman, Librarian, (Rochester Community and Technical College); Sonia Krinke, Librarian, (Century College); Marcus Seraphine, Head Librarian, (Dunwoody College of Technology); & Debra Wohlert Juarez, Library Specialist, (University of St. Thomas)
    2. 2025 was quite a year in the book market! The closing of Baker & Taylor, Rialto’s discontinued print offerings, Ebsco withdrawing their ebooks from Rialto - all of these changes are impacting the acquisitions work we do for our libraries.   Join us for a panel discussion as we share how different libraries are responding to these changes. We’ll discuss print purchasing, Rialto, Gobi, DDA plans, and more. Bring your own  questions and experiences to this informal discussion so we can learn from each other. 
  6. Data Collection and Visualization with a Library Instruction Power BI Dashboard
    1. Shana Crandall, Librarian (Century College)
    2. Demonstration of how our Library Instruction Dashboard (created by our Office of Institutional Effectiveness) allows us to track library instruction in multiple ways. This includes library instruction data by course discipline and data on pass rates for students who had library instruction in their ENGL 1020 or 1021 courses.
  7. Digital Literacy in the Age of AI - A Library Course, for All
    1. Tanya Gunkel, Librarian, (Augsburg University) & Kira Cronin-Hennessy, Librarian, (Augsburg University)
    2. In the fall of 2025, the librarians at Augsburg set upon a mission to create a course to educate campus on generative AI, which could be uploaded by faculty.  In January, 2026, Digital Literacy in the Age of AI was released into the wild.  With a foundational section on getting started with generative AI, students can move on to developing AI & research skills, and finally learn about generative media.  Learning outcomes are tied to the ACRL Framework and pillars of Digital Literacy to underscore the value to students and staff alike.
  8. Fun in the Library
    1. Sara Fillbrandt, Library Director, (Augsburg University)
    2. Different ways our Libraries make things fun for staff, as well as students and faculty. From ideas, to acquisition, to implementation.
  9. Learning Together: Two‑Year College Library Perspectives
    1. Andrea Carlson, Library Intern (CLC) & Dave Bissonette Librarian (CLC)
    2. Join colleagues from across the MnPALS consortium for a facilitated breakout discussion on the results of the Central Lakes College Library survey of two‑year college libraries. Together, we’ll explore shared trends, challenges, and successes highlighted in the responses and discuss what they mean for our day‑to‑day work. This session is an opportunity to learn from one another, exchange ideas, and identify ways we can strengthen library services across our institutions.
  10. Library Discovery Kiosks Using Microsoft WebView2
    1. Andres Cazares Reyes, Library Systems ITS (Minnesota State University, Mankato) & Tom Tran, Systems Librarian (Minnesota State University, Mankato)
    2. This presentation describes how our library developed a Primo discovery search kiosk using Microsoft WebView2. The session will cover kiosk inactivity reset automation, navigation controls, and deployment.
  11. Pesky POLs and Other Pernicious Purchasing Problems
    1. Carrie Curie, PALS, Electronic Access Lead Librarian (PALS) & Katy Johnson, Electronic Access Support Librarian (PALS)
    2. While it's not quite the capers of a famous chortling cartoon dog and friends in foiling an inept villain's plans, POL-generated chaos can cause you headaches in Alma. Come learn about some ways POLs can block you from successfully navigating the purchasing workflow, some cleanup you can proactively pursue, and other Acquisitions phenomena that block you from achieving perfect (let's go for near-perfect for your peace of mind) purchasing workflows in Alma.
  12. Tales and Trails
    1. Dr. Mary Jordan, Librarian, (SCTCC)
    2. We have started a new book group: Tales and Trails. It's a walking book group, aimed at audio books! We partnered with our public librarian liaison, and even when we don't get many participants, it's an opportunity to talk with people about the library as we walk around campus. We have an indoor route map and an outdoor map; both have been distributed to the entire community, so they can walk on their own time. The indoor route has some "secret" QR codes to scan as people walk, to keep them motivated! Sometimes, we ride our new book bike: BiblioBike. Donated and jazzed up by students from across the campus, we are an eye-catching advertisement for the library! 
  13. Vibe coding for information literacy instruction - using AI to create custom, on-the-fly websites to enhance your teaching
    1. Scott Kaihoi, Academic Services Librarian (University of St. Thomas)
    2. With the coding capabilities of AI tools like Claude, it is relatively easy to "vibe code" custom websites that help visualize concepts that may be difficult to illustrate in a slide deck or LibGuide. This session will walk through how librarians can use AI tools to create custom sites to aid with information literacy and AI instruction, with examples of on-the-fly sites the presenter used during spring semester 2026.

Visit Logistics
  1. Getting to St. Cloud State
    1. Driving Directions
    2. Parking
  2. Campus Map
  3. Atwood Center
    1. Main Level
    2. Upper Level (Sessions are on this level)
  4. Meals
    1. Dining in Atwood
    2. Garvey Commons
    3. Nearby (Off campus)


Committee Members
Emily Asch, ejasch@stkate.edu
Sara Carman, sara.carman@rctc.edu
Sara Fillbrandt, fillbran@augsburg.edu
Ruth McGuire, ramcguire@unwsp.edu
Etta Thornburg, etta.thornburg@mnsu.edu
Previous Meetings
  1. MnPALS Spring Gathering 2025
  2. MnPALS Spring Gathering 2024

 Schedule for the Day:

8:30 - 9:00 am - Informal Networking/Coffee Hour
In Person & Virtual
9:00 - 9:15 am - Board Welcome & COI Update
Hybrid
9:15 - 10:00 am RFP Update/Debrief
Hybrid
10:00 - 10:10 am BREAK
Ten minute Break
10:10 - 11:05 am State of MnPALS Libraries
Hybrid
11:05 - 11:15 am BREAK
Ten minute Break
11:15 - 11:45 am Lightning Rounds
Hybrid
  1. Data Collection and Visualization with a Library Instruction Power BI Dashboard
  2. Digital Literacy in the Age of AI - A Library Course, for All
  3. Tales and Trails
11:45 - 1:00 pm LUNCH
Break for lunch on your own
1:00 - 1:45 pm Concurrent Session Block 1
  1. Archives Content Management Systems: Lessons from the Field Virtual
  2. Book Market upsets and what we're doing now In Person
  3. Fun in the Library In Person
  4. Learning Together: Two-Year College Library Perspectives In Person
  5. Vibe coding for information literacy instruction - using AI to create custom, on-the-fly websites to enhance your teaching Virtual

1:45 - 2:00 pm BREAK
Fifteen minute Break
2:00 - 2:45 pm Concurrent Session Block 2
  1. AI and Accessibility: Tips and Tools In Person
  2. Asking Better Questions: Applying Reference Interview Methods to Library Systems Problem In Person
  3. Book Chat In Person
  4. Library Discovery Kiosks Using Microsoft WebView2 Virtual
  5. Pesky POLs and Other Pernicious Purchasing Problems  Virtual

2:45 - 3:00 pm BREAK
Fifteen minute Break
3:00 - 3:45 pm Tour of the St. Cloud Library
Explore the St. Cloud Library with Rhonda Huisman.
 

Code of Conduct

Attendees are expected to abide by The Consortium of MnPALS Libraries Code of Conduct during the event. 

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