Our History

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1977-78: Dr. Garry Hays, Chancellor of the Minnesota State University System (MSUS), establishes the Advisory Committee on Library and Media Services  

Five people sitting around a big table with notepads.
Photo of Planning Committee, this group designed the first version of the PALS online catalog. Left to right are Sandy Ready, Marilyn Lass, Marilyn Montgomery, Barbe Moore, and Mike Barnett. Mike Barnett was the programmer. Photo taken at Mankato State University.

1979: The state university board, the university presidents, and the university library directors make the joint decision to proceed with a project that would focus on the automation of library systems, establishing PALS as an organization 

Two women in a library at a computer terminal with one typing and one pointing to the screen.
Anita Dittrich is using the Pals Online Catalog in the Memorial Library at Mankato State University.

1984: PALS library software is operational 

Five people standing around a computer terminal in a library.
Donna Webb giving computer demonstration to University Board members, September 20, 1988.

1995: Creation of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) https://www.minnstate.edu/board/docs-summaries/1996/december-history.html  

1996: MnSCU works with the University of Minnesota to seek funding from the Minnesota Legislature to obtain a new automated library system 

1997: The Minnesota Legislature awards funds to the Minnesota Higher Education Services Office (HESO) to acquire and implement a statewide library system 

1998: PALS assumes support responsibilities for the worldwide libraries running the PALS software, previously supported by Ameritech Library Services (aka Dynix) 

2001: A contract for Aleph, a product of Ex Libris, is signed in 2001 

18 staff members on rocks with trees in the background.
PALS Staff 2005 – From Left: Al Rykhus, Paul Guerrero, Mike Barnett, Kyle Snay, Frank Embree, Perry Madden, Dan Honetschlager, Rod Bruce, Trudy Bement, Michelle Throdahl, Deb Domek, Mary Ann Greenwald, Linda Richter, Dee Nolan, Cathy Colby, Susan Dueis, Becky Bell, Sonja Eilertson.

2006: MnSCU signs an enterprise-wide contract with RightNow Technologies, a customer relationship management software 

2006: The MnPALS libraries and the PALS Office complete implementation of the Aleph software in May 

2008: The VuFind beta release of what would become MnPALS Plus is announced at the April Reference Work Day. MnPALS Plus, A Web 2.0 experience for library users, officially became available on August 15 

2010: PALS implements the Evergreen Open Source software for the East Central Regional Library System in May 

2013: Southwest Minnesota State University and Minneapolis College of Art and Design join with PALS as development partners for the Islandora Project

2015: PALS announces that it will no longer support Evergreen after June 30 

2016: RFP process for new integrated library system to replace Aleph begins 

2017: The MnPALS Libraries choose Alma/Primo VE, a product of Ex Libris 

2017: Vanguard Libraries Implementation begins 

2019: Planned go-live is January 29, but due to a statewide snowstorm and extreme cold, go-live is delayed for some. The final library goes live with Alma and Primo on February 1

2019: Transition of LibData, LibStats, and SubjectsPlus from St. Cloud State to PALS 

2021: CLIC Consortium libraries join MnPALS