PALNI

PALNI honors those who have made it a 25-year success

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“Hall of Fame” certificates handed out to individual inductees. (Photo by: Megan West/PALNI)

The Private Academic Library Network of Indiana Inc. (PALNI) celebrated its 25th anniversary by presenting forty-seven awards of recognition on May 24th, 2017 at Marian University’s Allison Mansion. PALNI, a non-profit organization supporting collaboration for library and information services to the libraries of its twenty-two supported institutions, was initially funded with a Lilly Endowment Inc. grant. The organization has successfully partnered to support innovation, learning, and cut costs for all PALNI institutions for more than a quarter century.

The Executive Director, Kirsten Leonard, gifted five categories of awards during the event. Each founding member attending the celebration received a “Founders Award” to recognize their creation of the PALNI organization. The “Hall of Fame” award was given to those who have helped to create the synergistic environment, strategic direction, and success PALNI has achieved. The “Outstanding Achievement Award for Leadership in Deep Collaboration” was bestowed to select library directors who have led the way in working together more deliberately and effectively. The “Lifetime Visionary Award” honors those in PALNI who have been able to understand the long-term demands on libraries and helped the organization to work together to meet those needs. Finally, the “Heart of PALNI Award” was given to staff who embody the warm, supportive culture of PALNI.

Founders Award

  • Eileen Saner, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary
  • Ron Schuetz, Franklin College
  • Devon Yoder, Goshen College
  • William (Bill) Darr, Grace College and Theological Seminary
  • Walter Morrill, Hanover College
  • Randy Neuman, Huntington University
  • Rob Gratz, Manchester University
  • Cathy Salyers, Saint Joseph’s College of Indiana
  • Robert Hodge,Taylor University
  • Mary Persyn, Valparaiso University

PALNI Hall of Fame

  • Karl Stutzman, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary
  • James Bell, Anderson University
  • Amanda Starkel, Butler University
  • Franny Gaede, Butler University
  • Janice Gustaferro, Butler University
  • Josh Petrusa, Butler University
  • Richard Lammert, Concordia Theological Seminary
  • Brooke Cox, DePauw University
  • Bruce Sanders, DePauw University
  • Caroline Gilson, DePauw University
  • Ruth Szpunar, DePauw University
  • Sherri Parker, DePauw University
  • Sudha Anand, DePauw University
  • Jessica Mahoney, Franklin College
  • Susan Leach-Murray, Franklin College
  • Eric Bradley, Goshen College
  • Joe Springer, Goshen College
  • Rhoda Palmer, Grace College and Theological Seminary
  • Heather Loehr, Hanover College
  • Randy Neuman, Huntington University
  • Darla Haines, Manchester University
  • Doris Stephenson, Manchester University
  • Edward Mandity, Marian University
  • Colleen Gocken, MCLS
  • Susan Fipps, MCLS
  • Shawn Denny, Taylor University
  • Lauren Magnuson, Trine University/PALNI
  • Barb Chen, University of Saint Francis
  • Maureen McMahan, University of Saint Francis
  • Noah Brubaker, University of Indianapolis/PALNI

Outstanding Achievement Award for Leadership in Deep Collaboration – 2017

  • Julie Miller, Butler University
  • Fritz Hartman, Goshen College
  • Anita Gray, Huntington University

Lifetime Visionary Award for Leadership in Deep Collaboration

  • Eileen Saner, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary
  • Dan Bowell, Taylor University

Heart of PALNI Award

  • Carly Dannenmueller, PALNI & Butler University
  • Megan West, PALNI

PALNI Celebrates 25 Years of Success

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The Private Academic Library Network of Indiana Inc. (PALNI) celebrated its 25th anniversary with a day-long event, strategic planning, and an awards reception May 24th, 2017 at Marian University’s Allison Mansion. The organization has successfully collaborated to support innovation, learning, and efficiency for all PALNI institutions since 1992.

25th Celebration Photo
Brooke Cox, DePauw University Librarian, smiles as she receives her induction to the PALNI Hall of Fame award at the 25th Anniversary awards session. (Photo by: Megan West/PALNI)

The PALNI Hall of Fame award was bestowed upon organizational members who’ve demonstrated exemplary service throughout the lifetime of the PALNI collaboration. Other awards given were the PALNI Leadership in Deep Collaboration, PALNI Lifetime Vision, and the Heart of PALNI Award embodying the collaborative character of PALNI. The awards were developed from the input of all library staff.

The celebration’s highlight was the historically-themed luncheon where founding members and strategic influencers Mary Persyn, Walter Morrill, Eileen Saner, and Tom Kirk shared memories from the pioneering beginnings. Former Hanover Director, Morrill, tearfully spoke of approaching the Lilly Endowment to ask for the organization’s initial funding. “It really is difficult to go back and think of all the good times we had together (…) maybe one of the toughest was one day, a group of us descended on the Lilly Endowment Incorporated on North Meridian. We came to the very central part of the state, hats in hand, with a great deal of trepidation at that time, we approached the Lilly Endowment, Inc. (…) It was enough to found PALNI.”

Founding members (Left-to-right: Mary Persyn, Eileen Saner, Robert Hodge, Ron Schuetz, Cathy Salyers) reminisce as colleagues share stories of PALNI’s early beginnings at the 25th Anniversary luncheon. (Photo by: Megan West/PALNI)

Former Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary’s Director, Eileen Saner, brought some levity to the room with her story about how PALNI celebrated, “all of a sudden, there was a Scottish bagpiper in full regalia. He came into the room playing, very loudly, traditional Celtic music.” Instantly, the event planners in the room regretted not booking a Celtic bagpiper for the 25th celebration as well.

PALNI Executive Director Kirsten Leonard (left) and Assistant Director Noah Brubaker (right) share a laugh during the 25th Anniversary celebration. (Photo by: Megan West/PALNI)

PALNI Executive Director Kirsten Leonard (left) and Assistant Director Noah Brubaker (right) share a laugh during the 25th Anniversary celebration. (Photo by: Megan West/PALNI)PALNI has embarked on new initiatives well beyond the traditional library to support assessment, scholarly communication, and instructional technology, among others. The PALNI board of directors has committed to “deep collaboration” between PALNI institutions, providing better service to students and faculty by sharing resources to reduce duplication and fuel innovation. Kirsten Leonard, the PALNI Executive Director, “PALNI is a trailblazer in working together at scale. Consortia worldwide are looking to PALNI for guidance and for what new services we will develop next.”

Our Location

PALNI staff and coordinators work out of home offices or their home institutions spread across the states of Indiana and California. However, our legal address can be found at Butler University:

Private Academic Library Network of Indiana
c/o Irwin Library
4553 Clarendon Rd.
Indianapolis, IN 46208

Internal Tools and Workspaces

Majority of collaboration occurs in our private space, PALNI Community.

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