Quick Summary
The MNLINK Transition Task Force held its first meeting on Monday, May 16. The Task Force is charged with recommending a new software platform for MNLINK, the online interlibrary loan portal to Minnesota's vast library resources.
The MNLINK Transition Task Force is charged with recommending a new solution for MNLINK, the statewide service that serves as a discovery and interlibrary loan interface for library patrons and staff. The task force will meet throughout the rest of the year, with a goal of recommending a new MNLINK solution by the end of 2022. Minitex hopes to implement a new MNLINK solution prior to June 2024, which is the end-of-life date for the current software platform, VDX.
The Task Force met for the first time on Monday, May 16. The ten members of the Task Force comprise a diverse group. The group includes representatives from academic libraries, consortia, and public libraries as well as the MNLINK Operations Committee and the Minitex Policy Advisory Council. The members bring together expertise in enterprise systems, information technology, circulation, MNLINK, and resource sharing. We really appreciate the time and energy these impressive volunteers will bring to this important project.
In their first meeting, the Task Force agreed that it's important to realize that the new platform won't function like the existing one, since no other resource-sharing platform functions like VDX. Thinking differently about the work that we do, and keeping that in mind as we discuss our options, will be a major challenge for the group to keep in mind.
The Task Force is committed to an open and transparent process. We will continue to share information about the process as our work progresses.
- Amy Pohlen, Library Assistant, Carver County Libraries
- Debi Mccuin, Library Associate, South Dakota State University
- Gerri Moeller, Minitex Associate Director for Resource Sharing and Delivery (Chair)
- Jami Trenham, Great River Regional Library, Associate Director Collection Development
- Johnna Horton, Executive Director, PALS
- Kirsten Clark, University of Minnesota Libraries, Director of Library Enterprise Systems
- Nick Banitt, Minitex Resource Sharing Manager (Vice-chair)
- Paul Swanson, Minitex Technology Director
- Sarah Jackson, Interlibrary Loan Specialist, SELCO
- Seth Erickson, Director of IT Systems, Traverse Des Sioux Library Cooperative
