The Private Academic Library Network of Indiana recognized library and consortial staff members for outstanding service, deep collaboration, leadership and more during its biennial All-Staff Meeting on Aug. 2 at Marian University.
Now in its 31st year, PALNI is a nonprofit organization supporting collaboration for library and information services for 24 private colleges, universities, and seminaries throughout Indiana. The PALNI community comprises more than 150 employees from those libraries, serving approximately 47,500 students and faculty statewide.
This year’s award recipients were nominated by their peers and represent a variety of organizations, roles, and responsibilities within the consortium. Awards were given in multiple categories that support PALNI’s mission of providing high-quality support for student learning and effective teaching through shared expertise, services, resources, and partnerships.
“Each person in PALNI holds a great deal of knowledge and expertise within their respective role, which is contributed back to the collaboration in many ways,” says Kirsten Leonard, PALNI Executive Director. “The PALNI Awards were created to recognize what we do together. Our ability to function effectively only works because of the people who contribute their time and expertise to our mission. Every person in PALNI is important and provides something we need to be successful. These awards are one way we recognize those efforts in deep collaboration.”
Award categories and honorees for 2024 include the following:
Special Recognition of PALSave Support
This award recognizes the support team and task force members, project managers, and consultants who have contributed to making the Lilly Endowment-funded PALSave: PALNI Affordable Learning Program a success by achieving $2.3 million in overall savings and impacting 37,233 students throughout the state.
Recipients include: Caitlin Balgeman, Marian University; Shannon Barnes, Earlham College; Andrea Bearman, PALNI; Julian Cabiya, Butler University; Andrea Cohn, University of Saint Francis; Jennifer Coronado, Butler University; Cale Erwin, Butler University; Angela Fisher, Manchester University; Karla Fribley, Earlham College; Rebecca Johnson, Manchester University; Miriam Liethen, Grace College; Beth Daniel Lindsay, Wabash College; Olivia MacIsaac, Butler University; Jessica Mahoney, Franklin College; Edward Mandity, Marian University; Erin Milanese, Goshen/PALNI; Heather Myers, PALNI; Reiley Noe, Hanover College; Jill Noyes, Trine University; Kristen Palmer, Butler University; Amber Pavlina, University of Saint Francis; Victoria Peters, DePauw University; Sue Wiegand, Saint Mary’s College; Sylvia Yang, DePauw University; and Tim Ziebarth, Grace College.
Outstanding Service Award
This award is presented to individuals who have significantly advanced projects within PALNI throughout the year. It acknowledges the pivotal role of the recipient in driving key initiatives forward, recognizing their unique contributions that have filled essential gaps in collaborative projects.
Recipients include: Noah Brubaker, PALNI; Shawn Denny, Taylor University; Erin Gabrielson, Franklin College; Amanda Hurford, PALNI; Evan Miller, Wabash College, Butler University; Molly Reed, PALNI; and Graeme States, Anderson University.
Hall of Fame
This award recognizes long-standing service or broad investment in advancing PALNI as a whole or a major impact on a PALNI initiative over multiple years. The Hall of Fame award is given to those who have helped create the collaborative environment, strategic direction, and success PALNI has achieved and embody the PALNI culture of respect and innovation.
Recipients include: Roger Peters, Concordia Theological Seminary; and Nicholas Stanton-Roark, Anderson University, PALNI.
Heart of PALNI Award
This award recognizes those who embody PALNI’s deep collaboration and supportive culture in their work in PALNI groups and initiatives. It honors individuals who exemplify the culture of PALNI.
Recipients include: Edward Mandity, Marian University; and Laura Vogler, Wabash College.
Outstanding Achievement Award for Leadership in Deep Collaboration
This award recognizes leadership in building, supporting, and advancing the tenets of deep collaboration. It is given to select staff and directors who have led the way in working together more deliberately and effectively.
Recipients include: Amy Bryant, Earlham College; Robert Roethemeyer, Concordia Theological Seminary; and Jessica Trinoskey, Marian University.
Leadership in External Collaboration
This award recognizes outstanding contributions to PALNI’s strategic direction of building partnerships with organizations outside the consortium.
The recipient is Josh Petrusa, Butler University.
Lifetime Visionary Award for Leadership in Deep Collaboration
This award honors those in PALNI who have articulated the nature of the changing information services landscape and provided long-standing leadership to work together to meet those needs.
The recipient is Tonya Fawcett, Grace College.
“Building relationships and collaborating strategically with external partners is equally as critical as the work we do within the consortium,” Leonard said. “In PALNI, we know that we achieve more together. Our award winners represent the full gamut of PALNI collaboration and innovation, and I am so grateful to have them as part of this organization.”
