Founding and Purpose

The Iowa Private Academic Library (IPAL) consortium was formed in 1977 for the following purposes: facilitating the sharing of information resources among the private academic libraries of Iowa; enhancing the availability of information resources to the academic community of Iowa; encouraging the private academic libraries of Iowa to institute such cost effective practices and procedures as may be made possible through state-wide interlibrary cooperation; enabling private academic libraries of Iowa to interact with state, regional, and national electronic bibliographic communications systems; and encouraging increased state and federal support of private academic libraries.

1977: Ad hoc committee of academic librarians met to revitalize group: Doug Baker, Jim Christopher, Rich Doyle, Kay Elliot, Charles LeMaster, Dave Netz, Bill Stoppel, Christopher McKee -- 32 private academic libraries joined; bylaws approved          

  • Annual meetings, occasionally with Academic Deans -- Surveys on library topics.

  • Panel discussions and reports on state projects -- Vendor demonstrations.

HIGHLIGHTS

1978-79: 

  • Received $12,000 MINITEX grant for Iowa union list of serials.

1980-89: 

  • Sponsored Iowa Union List of Serials (IULS) demo at ILA.

  • Received compensation from SLI for net lenders on I-LITE; Statistics collected since 1986.

1990-99: 

  • Listserv at Drake;

  • SILO advisory committee & input to SLI’s FirstSearch project.

  • Committee on Database Discounts.

  • Revitalizing IPAL led by Sheila Creth (UI).

  • $100 dues.

2000-09:

  • Netlibrary BCR grant-- Iowa College Foundation & IPAL each put in $5000 to increase access to ebooks, added 105 titles.

  • Website developed in 2004; approved consortia purchasing coordinator; IPAL database list collated 2005-2020.

2010 -19:

  • Strategic visioning by directors– Bringing our future into focus through collaboration MINITEXT fiscal agent for purchasing.

  • Added affiliate category for database purchases Interest groups– Archives & Special Collections, Information Literacy (iLove blog), and Directors, Technical Services/Technology.

  • Academic Library Summit on Collaboration establishing the Iowa Academic Library Alliance (IALA); IPAL IALA reps Rod Henshaw and Pam Rees ---most database purchasing through IALA.

  • Pilot information literacy testing for first-year students.

  • Fyffe Scholarship established in 2016.

  • IPAL Statement on Net Neutrality sent to Iowa Representatives.

  • New mission statement in 2019.        

    Iowa Private Academic Libraries (IPAL) supports its member libraries with resource-sharing initiatives, educational opportunities, and focused advocacy.

    • IPAL leverages group buying power to acquire information resources and services.

    • IPAL members share professional expertise and offer learning opportunities.

    • IPAL supports advocacy efforts at local, state, and national levels.

2020-date:

  • IPAL part of Iowa’s Open Textbook Network Non-profit status lapsed; reincorporated.

  • Non-Discrimination & Conflict-of-interest policies written Website revision -- New procedures manual -- Bylaws changes -- director listserv.