The Private Academic Library Network of Indiana (PALNI) is pleased to announce two recipients of the 2025 Library Innovation Grant: Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) and Hanover College. The grants, totaling $13,750, will support bold and collaborative projects that enhance library services and student success across disciplines and campuses.
Open to all 24 PALNI-supported institutions, the Library Innovation Grant funds initiatives that align with PALNI strategic priorities and promote deep collaboration throughout the consortium. Proposals are evaluated for creativity, clearly defined and measurable objectives, replicability by other PALNI schools and long-term sustainability. Funded projects are supported for up to one year, with recipients expected to share outcomes and models for continued innovation.
“Opening the Woods Core: A Large-Scale OER Adoption Project” – Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Award: $8,000
With textbook affordability a growing concern for students, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) is launching a large-scale Open Educational Resources (OER) adoption initiative targeting its general education curriculum, known as the Woods Core.
This ambitious project aims to eliminate textbook costs entirely for Woods Core courses, significantly reducing barriers during students’ first semesters in college. SMWC librarians will collaborate with faculty to identify, adapt and implement high-quality OER across disciplines. Building on existing momentum and faculty interest, the project will provide structured support to expand access to free, equitable learning materials for all students.
“Opening the Woods Core” aligns with the PALSave Affordable Learning Program by leveraging existing consortial infrastructure and resources. It will also offer a localized case study that documents strategies, outcomes and recommendations to inform PALNI-wide textbook affordability initiatives.
“I am grateful for PALNI’s support and partnership in this innovative work at The Woods,” says Rusty Tryon, DMin, MLS, director of the library and associate professor at SMWC. “It is reassuring and reinforces the need to explore creative options to make higher education more affordable and more accessible. While removing financial barriers for students is the most important outcome of the project, I am excited to share our experience with others to encourage them to consider new, impactful ways to facilitate student success on their campus.”
“Empower Students by Empowering Faculty” – Hanover College
Award: $5,750
As librarian and faculty workloads increase and staffing levels shrink, traditional models of one-shot library instruction have proven increasingly insufficient in today’s complex information environment. To address this challenge, Hanover College’s Duggan Library will pilot a faculty-centered summer institute aimed at embedding information literacy instruction directly into the curriculum.
Through this “teach the teacher” model, librarians will collaborate with a cohort of faculty from across disciplines to design and implement strategies for integrating information literacy into their courses. Participants will be empowered to become information literacy advocates within their departments.
The project reflects Hanover’s commitment to fostering student inquiry and preparing graduates for a lifetime of critical thinking and research fluency.
“We greatly appreciate PALNI’s generous support for this initiative,” says Heather Loehr, student success and electronic resources librarian at Hanover College. “By enabling our faculty to effectively integrate information literacy concepts into their courses, we aim to extend the library’s impact to all students and assist them in becoming discerning and proficient consumers of information as well as responsible digital citizens.”
Project Impact
“These projects highlight the essential role that libraries and library staff play in driving student success and advancing institutional priorities,” says Kirsten Leonard, PALNI Executive Director. “Through their ingenuity and willingness to innovate, library professionals are developing the tools, resources, and strategies that directly empower students to thrive. Projects like these are the kind of high-impact investments that pay measurable dividends across entire institutions, and we’re proud to support them.”
To learn more about Duggan Library at Hanover College and Rooney Library at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, visit them online.
For more information about PALNI and the Library Innovation Grant program, visit www.palni.org.