Midcontinental Chapter of the
Medical Library Association

* Colorado * Kansas * Missouri * Nebraska * South Dakota * Utah * Wyoming *

Together We Can Make It! Chapter Chair Report

One of the major responsibilities of the incoming chapter chair (my “job” last year) is to ensure that the Leadership Directory is up-to-date and that committee chairs and members are in place. While this task took longer than I originally budgeted time for, it was an excellent way to connect with the members who make MCMLA happen. This is truly a together we can make it group and that is my theme for this coming year as chair. Thank you to all the incoming elected officers, appointed officers, meeting planners, and committee chairs and members who provide the expertise and energy to fuel our chapter’s success.

1. Connect with colleagues by employing communication tools and technologies that will allow MCMLA members to meet regularly in order to stay informed about MCMLA business.

   The Governmental Relations and Publication Committees and the Discussion List Owner contribute to keeping our members informed via the listserv, the Express and the website. Committees can regularly meet using Skype, Adobe Connect and Wimba, while social networking tools can make sharing information easier.

2. Encourage MCMLA members to attend, create and present educational and learning opportunities in order to improve their own professional skills.

   The Education Committee identifies the professional development needs of our Chapter members and keeps members informed of educational opportunities. They seek member input in order to provide relevant and meaningful continuing education classes. The committee will be surveying members about their CE needs in order to help Addie Fletcher develop a list of education classes for next year’s meeting in Colorado. If you have a class to offer, let the EC chair know.

3. Provide mentorship and support to MCMLA members who wish to engage in research, evaluation and assessment in order to prove the value of health sciences librarians to ourselves and the organizations that employ us.

   The Research Committee works hard to encourage members to get involved with evidence-based librarianship and doing research. The Research Committee provides mentorship, support, tools and resources for those of you who are interested in doing research, evaluation and assessment. If you have a question about library processes, resources or services, consider asking the Research Committee how to turn that question into a research project and then consider writing a paper or poster to present at next year’s meeting.

4. Advocate for health sciences librarianship through recruitment, membership and leadership in order to attract the best and brightest to ensure that MCMLA remains viable.

   The Membership Committee encourages people in our region to get involved with MCMLA. New members mean new ideas to keep our chapter virorous. In addition, the Advocacy Task force is exploring ways to promote the value of libraries to their organizations. Check out the Library Value and CBA/ROI Calculators available on the MCR website at http://nnlm.gov/mcr/advocacy/

5. Encourage MCMLA members to contribute to the 2009 MCMLA meeting in order to inform their colleagues of the work they have been doing and share expertise, skills and knowledge.

   Our 2009 annual meeting will be held in Breckenridge, Colorado, September 21- 24, 2009 with the theme High Altitudes, New Attitudes; Lynn Fox is chairing the meeting planning committee and already has a number of excellent speakers in place. As a chapter member, please consider sharing your expertise, skills and knowledge by contributing a paper, poster or program idea.

   The Honors and Awards Committee recognizes members for their outstanding contributions to the profession. Be thinking of colleagues who deserve special recognition and nominate them when the call goes out next year. The three awards given by this chapter are: the Barbara McDowell Award for Excellence in Hospital Librarianship, the Bernice M. Hetzner Award for Excellence in Academic Health Sciences Librarianship and the MCMLA Outstanding Achievement Award.

6. Ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of MCMLA operations.

   The Nominating Committee will be seeking names of members who are willing to serve MCMLA in an elected position. Nominating will be looking for a vicechair/ chair-elect, recording secretary and nominating committee member this year. Please consider one of these positions and let the committee know of your interest. A very capable Bylaws Committee ensures that MCMLA has a structure for conducting business and reviews the Bylaws to make sure that what we are doing is what we are allowed to do. This requires continual attention, review and attention to details. And finally, the Executive Committee oversees the whole operation.

7. Invite the Central and Western Groups on Educational Affairs to formally collaborate and share ideas as they grow the Libraries in Medical Education (LiME) special interest group of the Association of American Medical Colleges.

   This priority requires an explanation. Three years ago, Gerri Wanserski sent a proposal to the AAMC requesting a special interest group specific to libraries in medical education. The Central Group was the first to become active; the Western group met this past April in Asilomar, California. Since MCMLA states overlap with CGEA and WGEA state, it would be useful to have interested members, including hospital librarians who teach, meet to learn, share and collaborate with one another. Just an idea!

Lastly, the Executive Board asked me to ask the current MCMLA committees to reevaluate their charge, goals and yearly tasks. Committees will be asked to review the MCMLA Policies and Procedures Manual (recently updated by Lenora Kinzie) and the Bylaws (newly revised by Tom Gensichen) to make sure that what they do, is what they are charged to do by the Bylaws and accurately detailed in the P&P Manual.

Together we can strengthen our chapter by working together. Thank you for this opportunity to serve as MCMLA chair for the 2008-2009 term.