Midcontinental Chapter of the
Medical Library Association
* Colorado * Kansas * Missouri * Nebraska * South Dakota * Utah * Wyoming *
2002-2003 Priorities
Professional Development
Priority: Facilitate educational opportunities for members
Objective 1: Develop annual meeting and CE offerings that fulfill members’ educational needs.
Action: Create an annual meeting program for Fall 2003 in Sioux Falls, SD.
Responsibility: 2003 meeting planners, Continuing Education Committee
Objective 2: Integrate e-learning CE events for year-round education opportunities.
Action: Locate, facilitate and publicize e-learning courses that address members’ educational needs.
Responsibility: Continuing Education Committee, Website Editor, and Publications Committee.
Objective 3: Promote development of members’ leadership skills.
Action: Select and appoint Chapter members to committees.
Responsibility: Chair-Elect
Advocacy
Priority: Keep members informed on legislative issues pertaining to the profession.
Objective: Maintain the current Governmental Relations program.
Action 1: Facilitate communication between the Chapter Governmental Relations Committee (GRC) and the MLA GRC.
Responsibility: Governmental Relations Committee Chair
Action 2: Identify and communicate information on legislative issues relevant to Chapter members over the Chapter List-serve.
Responsibility: Governmental Relations Committee Chair
Action 3: Seek communication between Chapter members and appropriate legislators as the need arises.
Responsibility: Governmental Relations Committee Chair and Chapter Chair.
Priority: Promote medical librarianship as a career
Objective 1: Provide library and information science students with information about MCMLA as a networking and career building association
Action: Distribute information to library schools holding courses in the MCMLA region.
Responsibility: Membership Committee
Objective 2: Provide opportunities for networking for medical librarians already working
Action: Annual Meeting Activities:
Responsibility: Meeting Planning Committee
Organization
Priority: Maintain and improve MCMLA’s organizational structure.
Objective 1: Maintain fiscal accountability.
Action: Keep accurate records, review at Executive Committee Meeting and Business Meeting.
Responsibility: Executive Secretary, Chapter Chair, and Executive Committee
Objective 2: Maintain committee structure and reporting system
Action: File timely reports, review at Executive Committee Meeting and Business Meeting
Responsibility: Chapter Chair, Executive Secretary, and Executive Committee
Priority: Examine policies and make recommendations regarding budgetary support for Annual Meetings.
Objective 1: Formalize meeting support from NN/LM-MCR.
Action: Develop memorandum of understanding between MCMLA and NN/LM-MCR.
Responsibility: Chapter Chair and Chair-Elect, Associate Director NN/LM-MCR.
Objective 2: Create ad hoc committee to examine issues and make recommendations to Executive Committee.
Responsibility: Chapter Chair, Ad hoc Committee on Annual Meeting Policy
Research
Priority: Increase the visibility of research within the chapter, and involve more members in research activity. Serve as a catalyst for research within the chapter.
Objective: Raise awareness and level of knowledge of members regarding research in librarianship.
Action 1: Communicate to members regarding research results pertinent to them by distributing brief news items to members on Chapter List-serve.
Responsibility: Research Committee Chair.
Action 2: Develop and present a research class at the Annual Meeting in South Dakota.
Responsibility: Research Committee and Continuing Education Committee.
Objective: Keep MCMLA members involved as appropriate in MLA Benchmarking activity.
Action: Communicate over Chapter list-serve and by phone as needed.
Responsibility: Chapter Benchmarking Liaison and Research Committee
Membership Development
Priority: Recruit and retain members in MCMLA .
Objective 1: Review recruitment strategy.
Action 1: Discuss ways to improve recruitment.
Responsibility: Membership Committee
Action 2: Discuss feasibility of one paid membership for a library science student each year to be administered by Honors and Awards Committee.
Responsibility: Executive Committee and MCMLA members.
Objective 2: Identify ways to retain members through awards and development activities.
Action 1: Discuss mentoring program and make recommendations to the MCMLA Executive Committee.
Responsibility: Membership Committee.
Action 2: Continue existing Honors and Awards program.
Responsibility: Honors and Awards Committee.
Objective 3: Foster mentoring for MCMLA members.
Action 1: Communicate to members regarding the MLA Mentoring Program.
Responsibility: Chapter Council Representative.
Action 2: Explore with members the need to establish a Chapter mentoring effort at Business Meeting, and provide appropriate follow-up.
Responsibility: Chapter Chair, with any follow-up coming from Chapter Chair, and Membership Committee, in communication with Chapter Council Representative.
Communication
Priority: Facilitate communication among MCMLA membership.
Objective: Maintain and improve MCMLA-L discussion list.
Action: Ensure that all Committee members are subscribed to the list.
Responsibility: Executive Secretary and MCMLA-L list owner.
Objective: Maintain and improve the MCMLA web site
Action: Maintain the web site to reflect the activities of the Chapter.
Responsibility: MCMLA Web Master.
Objective: Keep the membership informed about MCMLA activities.
Action 1: Disseminate news about Chapter activities
Responsibility: Chapter Chair, Committee Chairs, Chapter Council Representative, Publications Committee.
Action 2: Survey the membership to determine the most optimal way to communicate MCMLA news to the membership, and make recommendations to the Executive Committee at the Fall, 2003 meeting regarding the chapter newsletter, list-serve, and web site, and how these communications will be stored for future access.
Responsibility: Chapter Chair and Publications Committee, in communication with Chapter Archivist, Executive Committee and membership.