We work together to share resources and services. We have a culture of proving we can do more together, with respect, dedication, and the freedom to try.
The way we work is a driving factor to what we accomplish. That is why we work within a structure that provides the highest quality, value, and support for the institutions.
We achieve these ideals by:
Working Collaboratively • Focusing Strategically • Continuously Innovating
Supported Library staff may request services below by following the instructions beside each listing or emailing staff@palni.edu.
The 2019-2020 Printable Projects and Services Booklet is available here.
PALNI has consortium wide access to the ACRL metrics portal through Counting Opinions. Through the portal libraries can use both standardized and customized reports based on data from ACRL for information gathering and comparisons between PALNI or other institutions nationwide. The PALNI Analytics team is available as a resource for using this tool and for report construction.
Statistics Reporting can be a challenge - one better tackled with many bright minds. "Office hours" webinars are hosted when needed for ACRL/IPEDS surveys. In these sessions, we go over any changes to the survey instructions and/or data-gathering procedures, demonstrate how to run reports to gather the needed statistics, and answer questions and provide one-on-one help. The increasing price of college textbooks has a negative effect on student performance and retention. Through PALNI, supported institutions are affiliate members of the Open Textbook Network, which helps higher education institutions and systems advance the use of open textbooks and practices on their campuses. The PALSave Admin Team offers on-site faculty workshops to build Open Educational Resource (OER) awareness, education, and engagement, and provides support for identifying and integrating free-to-the-student texts, such as ebooks with unlimited concurrent use acquired using PALNI funds by the Collections Management Policy Team.
To learn more and schedule a workshop, visit palsave.palni.org.
PALNI provides a shared, cloud-hosted web server to enables supported libraries to experiment with and use emerging web technologies for instruction, collection management, analytics, and more. PALNI’s Development Coordinator provides application installation and development support, and all PALNI staff are encouraged to share ideas for new software applications to extend PALNI services and capabilities. The Board Committees are structured similarly to the function-based advisory groups. However, they tackle the big picture, strategic topics including external affiliations, shared staffing, finances, and stakeholder engagement. Staff with an interest in developing their programming skills can take advantage of participating in CodeSchool. Offering courses in many different programming languages, the platform is self paced, includes collaborative components, and is gamified.
PALNI offers a range of consulting and services directly for individual libraries. Libraries can request support on an individual project, review by the experts, or ongoing support for various areas. Support your institution's knowledge creation and special collections. All PALNI libraries can currently build digital collections using PALNI’s shared CONTENTdm license. The PALNI Digital Admin Team is available to provide support for the collection creation process, from digitization planning to making content discoverable via Indiana Memory, the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA), and WorldCat. PALNI also hosts an instance of Omeka-S for creating media-rich online exhibits. In development are cost-effective open-source consortial institutional repository platforms built with Hyku and Islandora.
To get started building collections in CONTENTdm, email pdat@palni.elist.edu and/or fill out the collection request form. To start an Omeka site or for more information about the Hyku or Islandora projects, email amanda@palni.edu.
PALNI first began using DiSC assessment in the Spring of 2017. The DiSC profile is a non-judgemental tool used for discussion of people's behavioral differences. The DiSC model provides a common language that people can use to better understand themselves and adapt their behaviors with others - within a work team, a leadership position, or other relationships.
Libraries have different needs, uses, and design requirements for implementing their Discovery search boxes. The PALNI Development Coordinator has developed a process and code for implementing Discovery search boxes. This allows for customized search boxes to be created and embeddable code sent to libraries in order to simplify the creation of Discovery search boxes. We recognize that our strategic vision can not be achieved in isolation which is why we often partner with external organizations to accomplish a large goal. For example, PALNI partners with the Academic Libraries of Indiana to develop a shared print/collaborative collection. Any of the supported libraries can request graphic design services from our staff whether it be a logo, brochure, report template, or billboard - we've got it covered! The successful pursuit of grant funding contributes valuable resources for libraries developing innovative projects, programs, and services. PALNI offers grant support in the form of identifying needs, proposal review, timeline development, and addressing roadblocks.
Visit the Grant Seeking LibGuide to learn more. A student observation-based assessment project of library space navigation and wayfinding using GoPro cameras. This currently unseen perspective will establish empathy among staff (especially reference librarians who work the front line) for new library users, note problem areas and signage, and give a glimpse of what it is like to know very little about the place we work day in and day out. We offer many advisory groups for the library staff to find their place. We are structured for optimum flexibility and efficiency. Read more about our groups and committees. Guide on the Side helps you to quickly and easily create online, interactive tutorials based on the principles of authentic and active learning. Guide on the Side creates a frame around a website that includes tips, instructions, and even quizzes.
Need to find articles or borrow a book? PALNI contracts for all supported libraries to have a state-of-the art web-based library management system. Library staff use the system to manage print and digital resources. Library users find and request delivery of library resources. Digital preservation ensures that electronic records and scanned content remains accessible and usable for future generations. PALNI supports involvement in Indiana Digital Preservation (InDiPres) by offering a stipend to cover a portion of member fees. InDiPres uses the LOCKSS model (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) to support the preservation needs of its users through its membership in the MetaArchive Cooperative Preservation Network.
To learn more about InDiPres, visit http://indipres.org. To inquire about the PALNI InDiPres member fee stipend, email staff@palni.edu.
Instructional Peer Coaching will provide PALNI instruction librarians with peer feedback on their instruction. PALNI staff serves as contact between LC’s Cooperative Programs staff and NACO funnel members; They stay current with PCC Best Practice decisions and PCCList discussions; The PALNI OneButton presents a single button to patrons to intuitively request items through multiple systems. It automatically chooses the best delivery source based on availability or other parameters.
Library publishing programs help libraries more actively participate in the scholarly communications cycle and promote open access. PALNI provides its supported institutions with capacity to create and host open access publications via the PALNI Press. We administer and support instances of Open Journal Systems and Open Monograph Press, which are open source platforms developed by the Public Knowledge Project. PALNI is a consortial member of the Library Publishing Coalition, allowing the Library Publishing Task Force to participate in the greater community and expand this service area.
To request a library publishing consultation and/or start a project, email amanda@palni.edu.
The PALNI OpenURL ILL Forms (forms.palni.org) take the data from WorldCat Discovery via OpenURL and copy it into a web-based form. This means that users of Worldshare ILL sites do not need to type information about an item into a request form reducing time and errors. The funding provided by PALNI Library Innovation Grants aims to encourage libraries to take risks and evaluate innovations to optimize or create new library resources and services that expand the support of teaching and learning at PALNI supported institutions. PALNI provides a internal instance of LibGuides. These LibGuides contain manuals and guides related to PALNI tools and services, as well as guides focused on specific areas of reference, instruction, and outreach. While the guides should not be shared with patrons directly, they may all be freely copied on local LibGuide instances. The patrons of our libraries are able to request print items from the other PALNI libraries via courier typically receiving items in 5 days or less. We offer many development opportunities and are dedicated to the growth of staff knowledge and support. We support the strengths, interests, and passions of personnel for increased sustainability, wellness, and return-on-investment. RDA Toolkit is an integrated, browser-based, online product that allows users to interact with a collection of cataloging-related documents and resources including RDA: Resource Description and Access
PALNI licenses RDA Toolkit on behalf of all the supported institutions. Each institution has a login for access. Contact staff@palni.edu for access. The Research Project Calculator is an web-based, open-source tool which focuses on the student research process. The tool guides students through complex research projects with step by step instructions for each piece of a project, including deadlines and specific percentages of time to devote to each step. PALNI institutions may request an installation of the Calculator for their school. How scholarship is created, acquired, and disseminated is quickly evolving. PALNI provides a site, Scholarly Communication at Scale, which aggregates news and professional development opportunities around open access, copyright, affordable education, and more. Also, PALNI’s Scholarly Communications Director is available for outreach initiatives such as workshops and program development on your campus in these topics.
To request a consultation about scholarly communications awareness and/or outreach, email amanda@palni.edu.
Resulting from PALNI's commitment to "Deep Collaboration", the WMS Workflows group has assembled a pilot mechanism for supported institutions to assist each other with original cataloging needs. Institutions can request original cataloging assistance, and PALNI institutions with skilled catalogers will be able to review the requests and distribute the work.
>View Shared Print Website< The PALNI Label printing web application (http://labels.palni.org/) enables libraries to generate print-ready labels compatible with their local label printer. This provides the ability to customize and go beyond what the ILS typically allows.
The PALNI Skills Inventory is designed to be the master index of all library staff and their skillset ranging from original cataloging to subject specialists to media creation and beyond. The inventory assists in making training decisions, support initiatives, and even hiring needs throughout the consortia. The Study of Student & Faculty Habits projects are promoted throughout PALNI in efforts to better meet the overall needs of our patrons.
(formerly Information Needs Assessment Project INAP) Suma is an open-source tablet and web-based assessment toolkit for collecting and analyzing observational data about the usage of physical spaces and services, originally developed at North Carolina State University Libraries. The PALNI institutions have the opportunity to have the software installed on the PALNI server so they can make use of the product.
The Usability Team (AKA: Cardigan Team) conduct usability studies to improve our shared ILS, WorldCat Discovery.
ACRL Metrics Portal
ACRL/IPEDS/ATS Survey Assistance
Affordable Learning Initiative
Application Development and Use
Board Committees
CodeSchool Development
Library staff interested in participating can find more information on the Community Space: CodeSchool Participation
Consulting and Support Services
Digital Repository Solutions
DiSC Assessment
Request a DiSC Assessment
Discovery Search Box
External Affiliations and Partnerships
Graphic Design Services
Previously created items include:
Institutional Repository Pocket Cards
“What I do” cards
Informational Brochures
Posters
Bookmarks
Website elements
Thank you cards 
Grant Support
GoPro Wayfinding Project
Groups and Committees
Guide on the Side Installation
View the LibGuide: http://libguides.palni.edu/guideontheside
ILS (WorldCat Discovery) Management
InDiPres Support
Instructional Peer Coaching
NACO Funnel for Authority Cataloging Work
OneButton Development
Library Publishing Platforms
OpenURL ILL Forms
PALNI Innovation Grant for Library Staff
PALNI LibGuides
PALShare Resource Sharing
Professional Development
RDA Toolkit
Research Project Calculator
View More Information: http://calc.palni.org/rpc/
Scholarly Communications Awareness and Outreach
Shared Cataloging Initiative
>Click to Request Cataloging<
Shared Print Project
PALNI has led the effort in Indiana to analyze and collaborative manage print monograph collections in Indiana. The goals of the project are to:
Provide participating libraries an opportunity to reduce their print collections with minimal impact on library users;
Allow participating libraries to reclaim space for other purposes more directly beneficial to library users;
Identify unique print items within the collections of participating libraries for preservation and potential digitization;
Inform and influence ongoing collection development at the individual libraries; and
Develop a statewide strategy for print book collections, which may involve cooperative purchasing.
Items digitized through the Project may be found in the Internet Archive here:
CLICK HERE
Spine Label Printing App
View Spine Labels by School: http://labels.palni.org/
Staff/Skills Sharing
Study of Student & Faculty Habits (formerly INAP)
Suma Space Assessment Tool
Usability Testing