PALNI expands staff roles to strengthen support for libraries

INDIANAPOLIS—The Private Academic Library Network of Indiana (PALNI) is expanding staff roles and service capacity to strengthen support for its 23 supported institutions across Indiana. Effective October 1, several PALNI staff members have taken on expanded responsibilities in leadership, collections, and systems, adding capacity and expertise to consortium-wide initiatives and individual library needs.

Amanda Hurford has stepped into the role of Associate Director while continuing to direct PALNI’s scholarly communications initiatives. As Associate Director, Hurford will work closely with Executive Director Noah Brubaker as part of PALNI's leadership team, taking on additional administrative and organizational responsibilities while continuing to lead PALNI’s repository, affordable learning, and open access publishing programs.

In her expanded role, Hurford will help advance strategic planning, program development, project management, and key collaborative initiatives across PALNI. She will also contribute to organizational planning, resource allocation, assessment, and recommendations to PALNI’s Executive Director and Board.

“Amanda brings a deep understanding of PALNI's programs, supported institutions, and collaborative approach to this expanded role,” says Brubaker. “Her leadership will add capacity to our strategic and administrative work while allowing us to continue advancing the programs and services that are important to our libraries.”

Lisa Gonzalez has taken on the role of Collections Services Manager, providing leadership and expertise in shared collections, licensing, acquisitions, and collections management. She will work with PALNI and its supported libraries to advance shared collection services, advise on resource licensing and negotiations, and identify opportunities to strengthen collective collections and services.

Gonzalez also brings extensive experience with electronic collections, subscription resources, and PALNI's current systems migration. In her new role, she will oversee PALNI's Analytics, Fulfillment, and Metadata support contracts and coordinate collections-related configurations, data analysis, and metadata projects across the consortium.

“Lisa's experience with both collections and PALNI's systems environment gives her a strong foundation for this role,” says Brubaker. “She will help connect collections, systems, data, and access as we continue developing our shared services.”

Lauren Magnuson has joined the PALNI staff as Systems Director, bringing longstanding experience with PALNI as a development coordinator and consultant. In this role, Magnuson will lead and manage the daily operations of PALNI's systems and provide additional technical infrastructure capacity for the systems and technologies used across the consortium.

Magnuson's responsibilities include systems strategy and operations, technical infrastructure, development, vendor and contract management, and technology project management. She will also help PALNI evaluate emerging technologies and support the development of AI implementations and pathways as the consortium continues to explore the role of technology in library services.

“Lauren already understands PALNI's collaborative environment and the needs of our supported institutions,” says Brubaker. “Her experience with PALNI, combined with her technical and project management skills, gives us additional capacity to manage the systems we operate today and prepare for future technology needs.”

Together, these expanded roles will strengthen PALNI's capacity in leadership, collections, systems, scholarly communications, and technical services while maintaining the collaborative approach at the heart of the consortium.

“PALNI’s strength is its people—the staff and library professionals across our supported institutions who bring their expertise, ideas, and commitment to the work we share,” says Brubaker. “Together, we’re able to build services and resources that extend the work of our libraries and, ultimately, contribute to student learning and faculty teaching. These expanded roles give us greater capacity to serve our libraries today while continuing to strengthen that shared mission.”

For more information about PALNI and its collaborative programs, visit palni.org.

###

About PALNI

Founded in 1992, PALNI is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit consortium with a strong track record of providing its 23 supported institutions with the best possible library information systems, technology, and services. It does so through Deep Collaboration and shared expertise among library and consortial staff, as well as strategic relationships with external partners. The PALNI organizational chart helps illustrate the complex roles and leadership structure within the consortium. PALNI employees enjoy a supportive work culture based on trust, communication and respect. Under the guidance of its Strategic Framework, PALNI strives to enhance the teaching and learning missions of its supported institutions across five focus areas: student success, affordability, services and systems, shared expertise, and outreach and engagement. Visit www.palni.org to learn more.

PALNI Supported Institutions

Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary | Anderson University | Bethel University | Butler University | Christian Theological Seminary | Concordia Theological Seminary | DePauw University | Earlham College | Franklin College | Goshen College | Grace College | Hanover College | Huntington University | Manchester University | Marian University | University of Saint Francis | Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | Saint Mary’s College | Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology | Taylor University | Trine University | University of Indianapolis | Wabash College