PALNI recognizes outstanding library and consortial staff

INDIANAPOLIS—The Private Academic Library Network of Indiana (PALNI) recognized library and consortial staff members for outstanding service, deep collaboration, leadership and more during its biennial All-Staff Meeting on August 7 at Conner Prairie in Fishers, Indiana.

Founded in 1992, PALNI is a nonprofit consortium serving 23 private academic libraries and 40,000 students across Indiana. PALNI provides its institutions with shared library systems, technology, services, and expertise, giving each campus access to capabilities no single institution could sustain alone.

This year's award recipients were nominated by their peers and represent a variety of institutions, roles, and responsibilities across the consortium. Awards represented 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. "These awards recognize what we accomplish together. It has been a privilege to watch this community grow over the years, and this year's honorees exemplify the deep collaboration that makes PALNI what it is."

Award categories and honorees for 2026 include the following:

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 and strategic direction that have led to PALNI's success and who embody the PALNI culture of respect and innovation. Recipients include:

• Caitlin Balgeman, Marian University
• Lisa Gonzalez, PALNI

Recognition of Outstanding Service

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:

• Jeff Beck, Wabash College
• Annie Benefiel, Butler University
• Lisa Bennett, Butler University
• Jenni Burke, Butler University
• Sarah Damery, Butler University
• Shawn Denny, Taylor University
• Lisa Gonzalez, PALNI
• Dan Kolb, Saint Meinrad's Seminary and School of Theology

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. The recipient is:

• Abby Nafziger, Goshen College

Exceptional Leadership Award

New in 2026, this award honors library and PALNI staff members who demonstrate exceptional leadership in their work. These individuals take initiative, guide and support their colleagues, and move shared efforts forward, putting PALNI's core values into practice across the consortium. They build trust and mutual respect, approach shared challenges with innovation and flexibility, and bring people together to do their best work, strengthening the collaboration. Recipients include:

• Caitlin Balgeman, Marian University
• Bethany Dubois, Huntington University
• Alicia Ikerd, DePauw University

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:

• Brooke Cox, DePauw University
• Noelle Keller, Huntington University
• Jessica Mahoney, Franklin College
• Josh Petrusa, Butler University
• Rusty Tryon, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College

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:

• Tonya Fawcett, Grace College

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:

• Joe Thomas, Saint Mary's College

Special Recognition of PALNI Open Systems Initiative Support

This award recognizes the task force members whose expertise and dedication supported the consortium's migration as part of the PALNI Open Systems Initiative. Their outstanding work across cataloging, acquisitions, ebooks, shared settings, workflows, and fulfillment has made this consortium-wide effort a success.

Cataloging Task Force

• Lisa Bennett, Butler University
• Bethany Dubois, Huntington University
• Bristina DeJesus, Butler University
• David Fiora, Saint Mary's College
• Eve Grant, Concordia Theological Seminary
• Victoria Peters, DePauw University
• Christa Welty-Salgado, Taylor University
• Tillie Yoder, Goshen College

Acquisitions Task Force

• Robin Bennett, DePauw University
• Bethany Dubois, Huntington University
• David Fiora, Saint Mary's College
• Liz Mohler, Butler University
• Charlotte Peterson, Butler University
• Laura Vogler, Wabash College
• Becky Wallace, Franklin College

Ebook Task Force

• Shawn Denny, Taylor University
• Bethany Dubois, Huntington University
• Alexander Hess-Waldron, Saint Mary's College
• Miriam Liethen, Grace College
• Charlotte Peterson, Butler University
• Laura Vogler, Wabash College

Shared Settings Task Force

• Joel Atkinson, Butler University
• Lisa Bennett, Butler University
• Shawn Denny, Taylor University
• Bethany Dubois, Huntington University
• Alexander Hess-Waldron, Saint Mary's College
• Alicia Ikerd, DePauw University
• Heather Loehr, Hanover College
• Jessica Mahoney, Franklin College

Workflows Task Force

• Caitlin Balgeman, Marian University
• Lisa Bennett, Butler University
• Eric Bradley, Goshen College
• Sarah Damery, Butler University
• Shawn Denny, Taylor University
• David Fiora, Saint Mary's College
• Alexander Hess-Waldron, Saint Mary's College
• Alicia Ikerd, DePauw University
• Noelle Keller, Huntington University
• Miriam Liethen, Grace College
• Heather Loehr, Hanover College
• Greg Lutz, Marian University
• Jessica Mahoney, Franklin College
• Abby Nafziger, Goshen College
• Charlotte Peterson, Butler University
• Laura Vogler, Wabash College
• Christa Welty-Salgado, Taylor University
• Tillie Yoder, Goshen College

Fulfillment Task Force

• Brooke Cox, DePauw University
• Sarah Damery, Butler University
• Carrie Halquist, Grace College
• Amy Hamilton, Franklin College
• Alicia Ikerd, DePauw University
• Roger Peters, Concordia Theological Seminary
• Bob Rankin, Huntington University
• Graeme States, Anderson University
• Laura Vogler, Wabash College
• Anna Maria Wiljer, University of Saint Francis

"PALNI has always thrived because of its people, and this year's honorees are proof of that," says Noah Brubaker, PALNI Associate Director. "The work of our task forces and award recipients shows what deep collaboration looks like in practice, and these accomplishments demonstrate strength in where we are headed together."

To view PALNI's current and past award winners, see PALNI Awards and Recognition.

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About the Private Academic Library Network of Indiana

The Private Academic Library Network of Indiana (PALNI) is a non-profit organization that supports collaboration for library and information services for 23 colleges, universities, and seminaries throughout the state. From its inception in 1992, the PALNI collaboration has been a key avenue for its supported institutions to contain costs while providing more effective library services. More recently, PALNI has adopted a model of deep collaboration that pools resources and people as a strategy to expand services while containing costs. Simultaneously, PALNI is expanding collaboration between its institutions and with external library partners to address challenges and build cost-effective services. Visit the PALNI website for more information.

PALNI Supported Institutions

Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary | Anderson University | Bethel University | Butler University | Concordia Theological Seminary | Christian 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's Seminary and School of Theology | Taylor University | Trine University | University of Indianapolis | Wabash College