Everyone is welcome to the Research, Instruction, & Outreach Community of Interest!  No matter your position, if there is a session you think is interesting or could apply to your work, please jump in. 

We know folks are busy.  This group is not high commitment.  Come to one meeting, or all four, it is totally up to you.  

If you are looking for a free professional development opportunity that is informal, where you can learn from and build community with your Minnesota colleagues, this is a group for you.

MnPALS Reference, Instruction, and Outreach COI logo

Organizers:

1. Brooke Ballantine, b-ballantine@bethel.edu 
2. Lyndi Fabbrini, l-finifrock@bethel.edu 
3. Tanya Gunkel, gunkel@augsburg.edu 
   

MnPALS Discussion Board

1. RIO Community of Interest (login required)
   

Future Meeting Agendas 

Zoom Meeting Link

Meeting ID: 981 0045 4374
Passcode: roicoi

Past Meetings

1. 2026
   
1. March 25, 2026: Springing into Spring with Springshare
   
1. LibChat
   
1. Is anyone using the Chatbot?  How is that going?
   
2. Global Chat – any tools or tips you’ve found useful?
   
2. LibGuides
   
1. Popularity of LibGuides on your campus?
   
2. Do you have any specialty guides that have been successful on your campus?
   
3. How do you let your community know about your guides?
   
2. February 12, 2026: Research Support Show & Tell
   
1. What does research support look like at your campus?
   
1. Do you have a reference or research support desk?
   
2. What is the most popular way you provide research support for students & faculty/instructors?  In person, chat, email, or online meetings?  (You are welcome to nerd out on your library’s stats, but you do not need stats to be part of the meeting!)
   
2. Does AI play a role in your research/reference services?  Are there any AI tools you use during research consultation
   
2. 2025
   
1. November 12, 2025: Outreach & Engagement
   
1. Do you have regular programming, or are things a bit more ad-hoc?
   
2. Do you have staff members who specifically have outreach in their job description?
   
3. Most common space or spaces for outreach events?
   
4. What are some outreach & engagement successes you’ve had over the past year?  This could include students, faculty/instructors, staff, etc.
   
2. October 14, 2025: Supporting New Students on Campus - How Do You Engage with:
   
1. Incoming new students
   
1. Involved with a new student seminar?
   
2. Graduate students
   
3. Transfer students
   
4. Online Only students
   
5. Do you have any highlights from the fall 2025 semester?
   
6. Jennie Simning - MnPALS RFP process for selecting a new integrated library system:
   
1. User Experience Survey
   
2. LibGuide with QR code and accompanying materials
   
3. 2023
   
1. April 27: Future of RIPL
   
2. March 30:  Meeting Canceled
3. February 23
   
4. January 26: Meeting Canceled
   
4. 2022
   
1. December 1: Instructional Object Show & Tell (and Feedback) 
   
2. October 27: Best Bets: Go-to Research Tools (Show & Tell)
3. September 22: Assessing the New “Normal” of Reference & Instruction Services Post-COVID-19.
   
4. April 28: OER, OA, and Library Instruction
   
5. March 31: The ACRL Framework for Information Literacy: Assessing its Usefulness and Impact 6 Years Later
6. February 24: Accessibility and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in library reference & instruction services
7. January 27: Open Forum
   
5. 2021
   
1. December 16: Libraries and Collaboration (carried over from previous meeting)
   
2. November 18: Libraries and Collaboration
   
3. October 28: Barbara Fister Atlantic article: The Librarian War Against QAnon
   
4. September 30: Welcome Back/Check-in
   
5. May 13: Anti-racist and Equity-minded Reference and Instruction Services
6. April 29: Misinformation/Disinformation 
   
7. March 25: Assessment (One-Shots and Reference Transactions)