Midcontinental Chapter of the
Medical Library Association
* Colorado * Kansas * Missouri * Nebraska * South Dakota * Utah * Wyoming *
2000-2001 Priorities
Professional Development
Priority – Facilitate educational opportunities for members.
Objective 1: Develop annual meeting and CE offerings that fulfill members’ educational needs.
Action plan: Create an annual meeting program for Fall 2002 Topeka, KS meeting.
Responsibility: 2002 meeting planners, Continuing Education Committee
Objective 2: Integrate e-learning CE events for year-round education opportunities
Action plan: Locate, facilitate, and publicize e-learning courses that address members’ educational needs
Responsibility: Continuing Education Committee, Website Editor, and Publications Committee
Objective 3: Facilitate development of members’ leadership skills
Action plan: Select and appoint Chapter members to committees
Responsibility: Chair-elect
Advocacy
Priority: Keep members informed on legislative issues pertaining to the profession
Objective: Strengthen the current Governmental Relations program
Action plan: Review Governmental Relations Committee objectives and activities
Action plan: Facilitate communication between the Governmental Relations Committee and MLA
Action plan: Identify and disseminate relevant information concerning legislative issues on the MCMLA-L
Responsibility: Governmental Relations Committee, Chapter Chair
Priority: Promote medical librarianship careers
Objective: Provide library and information science students with information about MCMLA as a networking and career building association
Action plan: Develop promotional materials for mail and electronic distribution to library schools holding courses in the MCMLA region
Responsibility: Membership Committee
Organization
Priority: Maintain and improve MCMLA’s organizational structure
Objective: Fortify the chapter through organizational and fiscal development
Action plan: Operate MCMLA in a fiscally sound manner
Action plan: Evaluate committee structure and reporting system
Responsibility: Chapter Chair, Executive Secretary, Executive Committee
Research
Priority: Make research opportunities known to MCMLA membership
Objective: Encourage MCMLA hospital librarians to take part in the ongoing benchmarking research
Action plan: Utilize the listserv, MCMLA Express, or other appropriate methods to publicize benchmarking opportunities
Responsibility: Research Committee, Benchmarking Liaison
Membership Development
Priority: Recruit and retain members in the MCMLA
Objective 1: Review recruitment strategy
Action plan: Determine methods that could be used to recruit newly employed medical librarians in the region
Responsibility: Membership Committee
Objective 2: Develop plan to retain valued members in the organization
Action plan: Explore methods that MCMLA can reward its members
Responsibility: Membership Committee, Honors and Awards Committee, Chapter Chair, Executive Secretary
Information Technology
Priority: Facilitate communication among the MCMLA membership
Objective 1: Maintain and improve the MCMLA-L discussion list
Action plan: Determine the number of Chapter members subscribed to the list
Action plan: Ensure that all Committee members are subscribed to the list
Action plan: Investigate the cause of message rejection and create a FAQ for users
Responsibility: Membership Committee, Executive Secretary, Chapter Chair, MCMLA-L list owner
Objective 2: Enhance the MCMLA web site with member resources formatted for handheld technology.
Action plan: Begin new technology formats with an additional 2002 Program schedule on the web site
Responsibility: Website Editor, Chapter Chair
2000-2001 Accomplishments
Professional Development
Priority: Facilitate educational opportunities for members
Objective: Develop an annual meeting program and CE offerings that address educational needs of the membership
Action Plan: Work closely with 2001 Tri-chapter meeting planners to offer timely and pertinent annual meeting program and CE offerings in New Orleans, Fall 2001.
Responsibility: 2001 Annual Meeting Planners, Education Committee
RESULTS: Lisa Traditi, Susan Craft, Rebecca Graves, Jim Bothmer, Jeanne LeBer, Teri Hartman, and many members helped make this historic meeting a success.
Advocacy
Priority 1: Keep members informed of legislation pertaining to the profession
Objective: Strengthen the current governmental relations program
Action Plan: Monitor, evaluate and disseminate information on relevant health information policy issues to the membership
Responsibility: Governmental Relations Committee
RESULTS: Brian Stack, chair of Government Relations Committee, distributed ALAWON announcements to listserv.
Priority 2: Increase recruitment and retention of MCMLA members
Objective: Retain current professionals in our region and recruit new members
Action Plan: Refine recruitment and publicize to graduate programs and local chapters.
Action Plan: Work with Executive Secretary to encourage membership among recent chapter “dropouts”
Responsibility: Membership Committee, Executive Secretary
RESULTS: Membership renewals distributed in Winter 2000.
Organization
Priority: Maintain and improve MCMLA's organization structure
Objective: Fortify the chapter through organizational and fiscal development
Action Plan: Operate MCMLA in a fiscally sound manner
Action Plan: Review committee structures and consider best use of member volunteers within organization
Action Plan: Foster effective communication within the association and with external constituencies
Responsibility: Chapter Chair, Executive Secretary and Executive Committee
RESULTS: See Executive Secretary Financial Reports. Executive Committee voted on recommended Policy and Procedure changes, including discussion of committee size.
Research
Priority: Use research to validate the contribution of health science librarians
Objective: To encourage research activities within the chapter
Action Plan: Continue membership focus groups (virtual, in-person, etc.) regarding research needs and priorities
Responsibility: Research Committee
RESULTS: In process.
Information Technology
Priority: Facilitate communication among the MCMLA membership
Objective 1: Expand and enhance the MCMLA website and its usage
Action Plan: Encourage subscription to and use of the MCMLA listserv by all chapter members
Action Plan: Provide routine chapter updates via the MCMLA listserv
Responsibility: Website Editor, Chapter Chair and Executive Committee
RESULTS: Chair sent official “Messages from the Chair” to the membership via the listserv and many other messages on behalf of the Tri-chapter meeting. The MCMLA list continues to be heavily used as a highly useful communication tool for our geographically dispersed chapter.
Objective 2: Evaluate print newsletter
Action Plan: Evaluate efficacy of print versus online version of MCMLA newsletter.
Responsibility: MCMLA Express Editor, Publications Committee, Chapter Chair and Executive Committee
RESULTS: In process.