Ken Behringer retired from the Metropolitan Library Services Agency (MELSA), a regional public library system that serves the libraries in the seven-county Twin City metro area, in 2019. His career included becoming the first Executive Director of MNLINK, serving as the Director of the Dakota County Library and the Great River Regional Libraries, and library positions in Wyoming and the North Dakota State Library. In this interview, he describes the development of library services in Minnesota that he observed from various points in his career and as a lifelong library user. Behringer often found his role to be in working with local county decisionmakers as well as the state legislature to secure funding for libraries. That led to impacts on budgeting for improved library services, technological advances, and the development of regional and state-wide library systems that have strengthened the library community in the state. He also discusses the colleagues who have been influential throughout his career including Bill Asp, Bill DeJohn, Charlene Mason, Roseanne Byrne, and Mike Turbes. This interview also includes an audio recording, transcript, and photograph of the interviewee.
John T. Butler has served as the Associate University Librarian for Data and Technology at the University of Minnesota since 2008. Prior to that role, he was the inaugural Director of the University of Minnesota's Digital Library Development Lab, and also led the Science and Engineering Library at the University of Minnesota. In the interview, Butler discusses one of his earliest experiences working in libraries as a student for Minitex and other experiences leading up to his current role at the University of Minnesota libraries. Other topics discussed include: the development of the Minnesota Digital Library and the Minnesota Legacy Amendment funding; early mentors and influential colleagues Hank Rowan (Professor of Art, University of Minnesota), Susan Ardi (Engineering Librarian, University of Texas at Austin), Bill DeJohn, and Wendy Lougee; and his engagement with the Digital Public Library of America and HathiTrust. This interview also includes an audio recording, transcript, and photograph of the interviewee.
Wendy Pradt Lougee was the University Librarian and Dean of Libraries at the University of Minnesota from 2002-2020. Prior to that role, over a period of 20 years, she held several positions at the University of Michigan, including Director of the Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library and Associate Director of the University Library for Digital Library Services. In this interview, Lougee traces her career path in Academic Libraries up to her latest role as University Librarian at the University of Minnesota. While at the University of Michigan Lougee put together the team that birthed JSTOR in the mid-1990s, a digital platform for accessing academic journals, which led to launching several other new digital projects and publishing projects. Lougee discusses the national organizations and boards she served on over the course of her career such as the Research Libraries Group, the Council on Library and Information Resources, the Digital Library Federation, Council on Library and Information Resources, the Association of Research Libraries, HathiTrust, and the Big Ten Academic Alliance. Other topics discussed include: working with Minitex; colleagues that made an impact on Lougee's work such as Dick Dougherty, Dan Atkins, Paul Courant, and Governor Elmer Andersen; the awarding of the National Medal for Libraries and Museums to the University of Minnesota Libraries; and a few future library environment forecasts. This interview also includes an audio recording, transcript, and photograph of the interviewee.
This issue includes the following articles: Bibliographic Instruction (proceedings from a workshop); COM Catalogs and Conversion Projects (from Ramsey County Public Library and Minneapolis Public Library); People; Minitex Workshop Speaker Participation Policy; Minitex/OCLC Mailings; Circulation Systems: Suggested Reading; A Circulation System With OCLC; OCLC Use in Minitex: Some Thoughts and Statistics; Minitex Courier; Regional Workshops for Catalogers: AACR2; New MULS Manual.
This issue includes the following articles: OCLC Users Council Meets in Columbus on June 4 and 5; Visitors; Minnesotans Publish; OCLN Memberships; Automation in Duluth; More Publishing; People on the Move; Liz Stroup Meets with Rug Group; South Dakota Union List of Serials; Gustavus Award Winner; Recent Publications of Interest; Reference Users Group Meets; Responsive Reference Service; and The "Not Available" Response to ILLRO's.
This issue includes includes an update on new library holdings symbols in OCLC and the final grant supported library to have their OCLC terminal installed, a summary of the Reference Users Group conference, authorization of the Minitex Advisory Committee, a summary of the OCLC cataloging users group, and the latest MULS (Minitex Union List of Serials) procedures and other updates.
This special issue on copyright includes information about how the new U.S. Copyright Law affects Minitex Document Delivery, guidelines for records retention, information on library supplies for displaying copyright information, ALA and Minitex Interlibrary Loan Request forms, copyright payment mechanisms, and a bibliogrpahy of copyright law and libraries resources.
This issue includes the following articles: Minitex Reference Services; Document Delivery Service; Back-Up Reference Service; Reference Services and Collection Development; Minitex Telephone and TWX Directory; Serving OCLC Users; Verifying ILL Requests on OCLC; Workshop on Workflow; Workshop on Library Instructions; Botany Journals; New Librarians, New Positions; New Participants; and Visitors to Minitex.
This special issue on AACR2 and the catalog includes information about the adoption of AACR2 and implications for cataloging procedures and practices. Minnesota librarians attended an institute in 1978 on "Closing the Catalog"; offered by LITA and a full summary of the event is included. This issue also contains a list of recently announced grants, RLIN (Research Libraries Group) replacing the former acronym of BALLOTS, and the new publication "The Role of the School Library Media Program in Networking."
This issue includes the following articles: Serials Collections in a Network Environment; OCLC Converts Data Base to AACR 2 Form; Quality Control Activities at OCLC; MPR Programs Available From Audio Archives; New Duluth Public Library Open; People/Minitex Directory; Serial Collection Management: A Bibliography.
This issue includes the following articles: To Network or Not to Network Schools Face the Question; Networking Conference; Library Instruction for the College Undergraduate; Selective Bibliography for Library Instruction in Academe; Retrospective Conversion; OCLC/ILL Subsystem Training; EDUCOM Seminar; Rug Reference Resources Meeting; Automation, Codes and Standards in Technical Services and their Effect on Public Services; AACR2 Preconference; Theological Libraries Meeting; People in Minitex.
This special issue on online databases includes information about the types of data in databases, online database searching protocols, online search services in the U.S. and costs, a glossary of common database terms, a bibliography of online bibliographic services, the Minitex online search service and sample search request form, a directory of online database, subject databases search in Minitex libraries, and a summary of the Reference Users Group meeting.
This issue includes the following articles: Bibliographic and Physical Resource Sharing in Minitex; Access to Minitex Libraries in Bibliographic Databases; Libraries and the 1980 Census; Minitex OCLC AACR2 Regional Meetings; OCLC'S Name-Address Directory; Minitex at Texas Instruments Symposium; Ramsey County Begins OCLC Acquisitions Subsystem Evaluation; ARL Adopts Plan for Improving Access to Microforms; Database Workshops; People; Minitex Directory Changes; Minnesota Statutes Index Errata Available; Everyone's Guide to the Whole Library.
This issue includes information about the Minitex Continuing Education Program and week-long workshops for Reference Librarians, an overview of the newly initiated Minitex Reference Service, and an overview of the Minnesota Union List of Serials emerging Minitex program.
This issue includes the following articles: Minitex: A Status Report; WILS-WLC: Library Cooperation in Wisconsin; South Dakota Health Sciences Library Consortium: Multi-Type Resource Sharing; OCLC Names New President; OCLC Users Council Annual Report Summary; OCLC Development Schedule; OCLC Users and AACR2 Questions; OCLC System Down While Converting to AACR2; OCLC Participating Libraries; CRL Receives Two Ford Grants; MPLIC Designated as Patent Depository; COMCAT Education Project; Legal Reference Servives Committee Formed; Minitex Reference Service Notes; Telecommunications Change for Minitex; ""Everyone's Guide..."" For Winter Quarter; People; and New Minitex Participant.
This issue includes the following articles: OCLC Users Council; Minitex Brochure insert; Minitex Annual Meeting; OCLC Interlibrary Loan Subsystem Test; Serials Management Workshop; Farewell to Lois Upham; USOE Grant Deadlines; Academic Library Grant Program Announced; Positions (new library staff); Honors; Minitex Libraries on OCLC: A Directory; Minitex 'NLOC' Service; OCLC Codes for Minitex Libraries; Using OCLC to Verify Minitex ILL Requests; Directory of Minnesota Libraries; and Colleagues Publish.
This issue includes the following articles: Information Data Base Services; Three Services to Libraries; The History of Some Terminology; Preservation of Minnesota Newspapers at the Minnesota Historical Society; Minnesota State University Project for Automation of Library Systems (MSU/PALS): Planning for the Future; AACR2 in Minnesota; OCLC Use Increases; AACR 2 and OCLC; OCLC Search Retrieval Enhancements Soon to be Implemented; OCLC Users Council Elects Officers; Western Council Resource Sharing Planning Conference; GPO Named Center of Document Cataloging; St. Paul Public Library Initiates Computer Catalog System; People; New Coordinators Join Minitex Staff; Congressional Information Service Seminars; ""Everyone's Guide..."" Is Back Again.
This issue includes the following articles: Planning and Library Cooperation; Reference Service Evaluation; New Advisory Committee; and a large section on OCLC and Library Automation. The OCLC and Library Automation section contains background on what OCLC is; a history of Minitex OCLC participation; cooperative cataloging in OCLC; first time use (FTU) of an OCLC record; how to become an OCLC participant; the OCLC interlibrary loan, serial control, and acquisitions subsystems; and a diretory of Minitex libraries on OCLC.
Volume 19, number 2 of the Minnesota Library Association (MLA) Bulletin was published in April 1970. Contents include an MLA President's message, an announcement about National Library Week, MLA spring district meetings, upcoming Reference workshops, a reminder about the importance of reporting complaints and/or harassment about library materials, cooperative library projects, letter to the MLA membership in response to statements made to MLA executive board, the list of MLA officers, MLA section and committee reports, MLA Articles of Incorporation, an editor's note, and an events calendar.
Volume 15, number 3 of the Minnesota Library Association (MLA) bulletin was published in April 1966. Topics include Minnesota Library fact sheet with current statistics and needs; state-wide and local preparations for National Library Week; Membership Committee update; Announcement of Spring Meeting of MLA Academic Libraries section; and report form for National Library Week activities;
Volume 18, number 2 of the Minnesota Library Association (MLA) Bulletin was published in April 1969. Contents include a message from the MLA President about the second MLA midwinter meeting, MLA spring district meetings, a general report on the MLA Midwinter Meeting, an MLA Technical Services Section meeting announcement, an MLA Academic Libraries Section meeting, an announcement about an MLA workshop on effective display techniques, an upcoming Institute on Serviing Disadvantaged Adults, a bibliography on minority groups, upcoming Children's literature European study-tours, a MLA business meeting report, an ALA Midwinter Meeting report, a summary of federal legislation of interest to Minnesota librarians, MLA awards, an MLA treasurers report, an editor's note, and an events calendar.
Volume 15, number 4 of the Minnesota Library Association (MLA) bulletin was published in August 1966. Topics include call for members interested in off-campus Library Science courses and questionnaire; MLA merges County and Public Library section; Hannis Smith names President of the American Association of State Libraries; biographies of MLA officers;
Volume 20, number 1 of the Minnesota Library Association (MLA) Bulletin was published in February 1971. Contents include an MLA Midwinter Meeting report, the Minolta photocopy machine and the FASTCAT cataloging procedure, Minnesota's challenge for the 1970s to implement a statewide computer-aided library system, an MLA directory, MLA section and committee reports, an editor's note, and an events calendar.
Volume 21, number 1 of the Minnesota Library Association (MLA) Bulletin was published in January 1972. Contents include a 1972 membership renewal form, final revision of the bylaws, announcement of new members of the bulletin editorial board, 1971 election results, position announcement for an MLA administrative secretary, an open letter about community antenna television (CATV or cable TV), U.S. President's message on private pension plans, a critique of the MLA committee interest process, children's librarians scholarships to attend ALA, a 1972 Association for Educational Communications and Technology annual convention announcement, an open letter librarian employers, MLA section and committee reports, and a copy of the MLA bylaws.
Volume 15, number 1 of the Minnesota Library Association (MLA) bulletin was published in January 1966. Topics include recent awards to Erana Stadler Donahue as Minnesota Librarian of the Year and Helen W. Sweasy as Minnesota Trustee of the Year, and Marjorie H. Sibley received a Certificate of Merit. MLA elections results announced; Section and committee reports for Children and Young People, Trustees, Federal Relations, Membership, World Affairs, and Retirement groups; 1966 budget; "The Cause is Mankind" booklist available; and sustaining memberships form.
