by Sara Ring
Quick Summary
The North Star Cataloging Network, launched in April, 2025, is an interest group connecting catalogers, technical services professionals, or anyone who finds themselves occasionally working with MARC records. Bringing together staff across all library types, the Network is intended to be a local and supportive space to ask questions, share our knowledge, and our challenges. While centered in Minnesota, we occasionally discuss state specific issues, but we welcome members from outside the state, including our neighboring states of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
We recently created a Google Group to support the community. You can use it as you would a listserv; for having discussions with other catalogers, for sending announcements, or for sharing other cataloging related information.
To join the Google Group, complete the sign up form.
We are planning another meetup via Zoom for later this year, so stay tuned for more details!
The North Star Cataloging Network organizers are from the Minnesota Library Association (MLA) Technical Services Section, Minitex, and a steering committee. Contact Co-Chairs of the North Star Cataloging Network Steering Committee Claire McGinty (cmcginty@tds.lib.mn.us), Sara Ring (ring0089@umn.edu), or Kate Eidem (katieanneidem@gmail.com) with any questions.
About the Network
The desire and need for catalogers to connect with one another across library types in Minnesota grew out of discussions before and after the Minitex Technical Services Symposium in 2025, and at the 2025 MLA Technical Services Section business meeting. The North Star Cataloging Steering Committee includes:
- Lizzy Baus, Macalester College
- Bobby Bothmann, Minnesota State University, Mankato
- Kate Eidem, Dakota County Library (Co-Chair)
- Seth Erickson, Traverse des Sioux Library System
- Jean Kramer, Minnesota State University Moorhead
- Dani Kroon, PALS
- Claire McGinty, Martin County Library (Co-Chair)
- Keri Ostby, Rochester Public Library
- Sara Ring, Minitex (Co-Chair)
Photo attribution: Etoile du Nord (Star of the North), taken at the Minnesota State Capitol by Zack Mensinger, CC-BY-SA 2.0.
