Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar

After attending the Politics in Minnesota session at MLA on Friday, it was good to move to the next convention at the Northland Inn and hear Minnesota Amy Klobuchar speak on Friday night. I was happy for a few hours of shopping at Rosedale between conventions.

Thanks to Nancy B.Olsen for sharing the photo from Michelle Obama's campaign 2008 appearance at Macalester College in St. Paul. (FLICKR)

MnPALS User Group Meeting

On Thursday, 30 October, I attended the second day of the MnPALS User Group Meetings. This is the first year to use the new format of just having Fall User Groups with work days in the Spring. I really like having them at MSU-Mankato as I can leave home later than to be at work at 8 AM at Worthington! I always enjoy returning to MSU. Before 9 AM, I was in the parking lot. I was happy to have plenty of time to walk to the Student Union, but after arriving there I realized that I left my glasses in my vehicle when I checked my cell phone. Anyway, I am finally reading all of the hand-outs in my blue folder that I was unable to see too clearly that day!

I attended the 9:30 General Session in the morning, and the 11 AM interlibrary loan user group. At lunch, one of the MSU folks mentioned that the Al Franken folks would be coming to the Union at 3 PM, so I decided to stay for that after the last session.

My 1 PM session was on interlibrary loan best practices and workflow. At 2 PM, I attended the breakout session on inventory management. I do not think that we have done inventory at our library recently, so it was good to hear what other libraries are doing.

The campaigning group was late, so a student with a guitar sang in the basement of the Union until they showed up. Our Representative Tim Walz, Senator Amy Klobuchar, and our former Congressman Rick Nolan from St. Cloud spoke before Al Franken did. I had forgotten about Rick Nolan, and shook hands with him afterwards. He almost seems like a "Walter Mondale type" now. The Senate race with Senator Norm Coleman and Al Franken still has not been decided. I hope that the recount does not drag out too long . . .