Proceedings, 108th Annual Meeting Medical Library Association, Inc. Chicago, IL May 16–21, 2008

Frances H Lynch; Rachel R Walden

doi:10.3163/1559-9439.97.1.E1

. 2009 Jan;97(1):E1–E41. doi: 10.3163/1559-9439.97.1.E1

Proceedings, 108th Annual Meeting Medical Library Association, Inc. Chicago, IL May 16–21, 2008

Frances H Lynch ¹, Rachel R Walden ²

PMCID: PMC2605030 PMID: 19159001

Introduction

The Medical Library Association (MLA) held its 108th annual meeting in Chicago, Illinois, May 16–21, 2008, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. The meeting theme was “Connections: Bridging the Gaps.” Total attendance was 2,436.

Additional meeting content, including the meeting program and various electronic presentations from business, plenary, poster, and section presentations can be found via the MLA '08 website <http://www.mlanet.org/am/am2008/>. The MLA '08 Blog is available at http://www.npc.mlanet.org/mla08/, and candid photos can be found on the blog.

Welcome to MLA '08

Sunday, May 18, 2008

MLA President Mark E. Funk, AHIP, welcomed members to MLA '08. He especially welcomed new members and first-time attendees who were sitting in a group near the front. He continued that the “Only Connect!” theme is especially fitting because it describes what we do at all MLA meetings. Attendees would be making connections and building bridges of both the professional and social kind. They would have a chance to make connections between the present and the future and maybe even bridge the gaps between generations at programs on Web 2.0 and social networking tools or at the many great social events. President Funk noted that the theme really works with the meeting location at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, in the heart of Chicago and overlooking the Chicago River with its thirty-seven movable bridges and proximity to many Chicago landmarks.

President Funk thanked the 2008 National Program Committee for planning a program that offered something for everyone at “Sweet Home Chicago.” He then introduced Mary Markland, AHIP, from the Library of the Health Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences–Fargo, and president of the Midwest Chapter of MLA, who brought greetings from the geographically diverse chapter.

President Funk then introduced a group of creative, dedicated librarians who had been working for three years to plan this meeting: the cochairs of the 2008 National Program Committee (NPC), Jane L. Blumenthal, AHIP, director of the Health Sciences Library, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor, and Lora L. Thompson, AHIP, director, Baker-Berry Library, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, and the cochairs of the 2008 Local Assistance Committee (LAC), James Shedlock, AHIP, FMLA, director, Galter Health Sciences Library, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, and Christine Frank, AHIP, director, Library of Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL. First Ms. Blumenthal and Ms. Thompson extended their welcomes to the group. They noted the new features being piloted at the 2008 meeting: doing community service projects, making the meeting more “green,” and reaching out to connect with members who could not attend by sponsoring wireless communications for bloggers and webcasting the last plenary session on “Web 2.0 Tools for Librarians.” They recognized and thanked the members of the NPC, the LAC, MLA headquarters, and the program planners. The LAC chairs, Mr. Shedlock and Ms. Frank, also welcomed everyone and thanked their committee members and volunteers. Ms. Frank emphasized that attendees “can't live on meetings alone” and encouraged everyone to also take time to see Chicago.

President Funk again thanked the committees for their hard work. He recognized and thanked the many valued sponsors. The MLA '08 sponsors generously contributed more than $102,000 to enrich the meeting. A list of the sponsors can be found at http://www.mlanet.org/am/am2008/about/sponsors.html, using three of Chicago's famous bridges to identify the three donation levels.

Ms. Blumenthal then introduced MLA President Funk, who gave his presidential address.

Presidential Address (Plenary Session I)

[slide] VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED

[slide and audio] “Previously on MLA, Only Connect!”

[film clip of highlights from last year's inaugural speech]

Mark Funk: OK, so now everyone is caught up from last season. Writing that inaugural speech at the beginning of my term was very different from writing the presidential address at the end of my term. The inaugural speech is about introducing yourself and what you would like to do in your presidential year. But what exactly is the presidential address? To answer that question, I sought the wisdom of past MLA president M.J. Tooey, AHIP, who summed up her thoughts by stating, “the presidential address is not as much fun as the inaugural address because it is basically just a report on the accomplishments of the past year.” But why does it have to be that way?

[slide and audio] “We have always done it that way.”

I don't think that answer is good enough, so I went back and read every presidential address since that of Jacqueline Donaldson Doyle, AHIP, FMLA, in 1999, and I analyzed what is typically covered in these speeches. Just because previous speeches have been done that way doesn't mean they always have to be done that way. I wanted to decide on my own what to include. Here are my findings:

Most presidents give thanks to various people who have helped them in some way during their year. What is the advantage of including thanks? People expect it. The disadvantage? You really can't thank everybody—there are too many people who have been incredibly helpful during the year. You know who you are, anyway. So I've decided not to include thanks in my speech. That's out.

Most presidents also include a list of things they have learned or did during their year. The advantage of this is that I get to talk about me! The disadvantage? Just because it happened to me doesn't make it interesting to anybody else. So that's out.

Many presidents include a summary of the various projects that MLA has accomplished during the year. The advantage is that this updates the membership on what we're doing. The disadvantage is that if I included this, Carla J. Funk, CAE, would have nothing to say in her executive director report. So that's out.

Finally, a common function of the presidential address is to summarize progress of the association's priorities during the year. The advantage is that, like giving thanks, this is also expected. I want to preface the disadvantage by pointing out that while no MLA president has ever given a boring speech, this could be a boring litany. But this has been an exciting year, so not only is this included in my presidential address, it's featured.

While the president drafts the annual priorities for the association, they are revised and approved by the board. Then they go to headquarters staff, where they are used to build a budget so we have the proper resources to accomplish our priorities. But most importantly, the priorities go to the units of MLA, where most of our work is done. So this speech isn't really about presidential priorities—it's about what you've accomplished this year and how you're going to do even more.

I want to specifically acknowledge the hard work and accomplishments of the Task Force on Social Networking Software. Truly, they just did it. Within days of being appointed, they created a private blog to make decisions. Then they set up a public blog so they could have a dialog with you. They wrote blogging guidelines for the association. They surveyed the membership on difficulties in accessing certain social networking sites. They worked with the 2008 National Program Committee on the Wednesday plenary session. Several members participated in the spring webcast on Web 2.0 principles and best practices. But they are probably best known for organizing and teaching the free, 8-week continuing education course on Web 2.0 tools, and guiding over 350 MLA members to complete it. Could the task force stand up and be acknowledged by the members? You'll notice they are all wearing Nike “swoosh” caps to show their “Just do it” spirit. I've asked them to wear their hats as often as possible this week. If you see them, please pat them on the back, or shake their hand, or give them a hug or a kiss, or buy them a drink. They deserve it.

MLA has done a lot with social media this year, exploring the tools of Web 2.0 and finding out how we can get better connected to each other. Jeff DeCagna, well known in the association community as a leading voice for innovation, has said, “Social media is a gift, like manna from heaven. Let us not squander it… Social media are all about participation, about getting people involved in creating and sharing content and engaging in conversations that are important to them.” Now some of you may be thinking, “Well, gee, Mark, that sounds a lot like what MLA is already doing. Why do we need to do things differently? Why should we use these newfangled thingamabobs on the Internet?” There are two main reasons to use them: to loosen our bureaucracy and decrease our homogeneity.

Associations, by definition, are highly bureaucratic. This includes MLA. All organizations need formalized procedures and hierarchical structures, but we want these to help, not hinder our work. Gary Hamel, who writes about strategy and innovation, says, “the problem is, there's little room in bureaucratic organizations for passion, ingenuity, and self-direction.” Remember that manna from heaven? Social media are about passion, they are about ingenuity, and they are about self-direction. Social media are the anti-bureaucracy, and they can help us in our work.

What about homogeneity? Frans Johansson is the author of The Medici Effect: Breakthrough Insights at the Intersection of Ideas, Concepts & Cultures. The title refers to the remarkable burst of creativity that was enabled by the Medici banking family in Renaissance Italy. His thesis is that great ideas are generated at the intersection of different fields, different cultures, and different perspectives. We discover new things at these intersections. It's hard to get great ideas from a group when everybody is alike—there are no intersections.

Like many associations, MLA is fairly homogenous in its governmental structure. MLA has a little over 400 total slots for national leadership roles in the association, when you add up the Board of Directors, committees, juries, task forces, and representatives to allied organizations. We have an approximate 25% annual turnover, about 100 positions to fill every year. That's not a lot for an organization of 4,000 members, especially when the perception is that in order to participate in MLA, you have to get one of these appointments. Who gets these appointments? Let's take a look at the makeup of these 400. If you are currently a member of any of the units I mentioned, please stand up. Let's do a mini-analysis. If you are 40 years old or older, please sit down. Could you please stand up again? Now, if you work at an academic library, please sit down. It seems pretty obvious that most of our leaders are middle-aged, academic librarians. With that homogenous a group, there are not many intersections. I think we can do better.

Social media, when incorporated into the association's structure, can help break up our bureaucracy and our homogeneity. With these tools, more people can participate. Different people can participate—new members, young members, solo librarians, members who can't travel, members outside the United States, members who may be afraid of talking to a large group of people from a stage but aren't afraid to type and click. People who aren't satisfied with:

[slide and audio] “We have always done it that way.”

Many MLA units have now taken up this challenge, beginning to use Web 2.0 tools, opening up the workings of the association, and decreasing our bureaucracy and homogeneity. Here is the honor list of these units and the tools they're using:

Educational Media and Technologies Section: blog, wiki
Hospital Libraries Section: wiki
Leadership and Management Section: wiki
Public Health/Health Administration Section: blog, wiki, social bookmarking, Google Docs, instant messaging
Medical Library Group of Southern California and Arizona: blog
Midcontinental Chapter: wiki
Midwest Chapter: blog, wiki, Facebook
New York-New Jersey Chapter: Facebook
Northern California and Nevada Medical Library Group: blog
Pacific Northwest Chapter: blog
Philadelphia Regional Chapter: blog
Upstate New York and Ontario Chapter: blog, wiki
Board of Directors: blog
President: blog
Google Health Coop Team: tagging
Health Information Literacy Research Project: blog
Joint MLA/NLM Joint Electronic Personal Health Record Task Force: social bookmarking
Professional Recruitment and Retention Committee: wiki
Section Council Composition Review Task Force: blog
Task Force on Social Networking Software: blog
Vital Pathways Task Force Documentation Team: wiki
2008 National Program Committee: blog
2009 National Program Committee: blog
2010 National Program Committee: blog

This annual meeting also features some new Web 2.0 activities. The National Program Committee has done its best to think outside the box this year. For the first time, we have official bloggers reporting on the meeting. We also have the first-ever live videocast of a plenary session on Wednesday. So congratulations to all of these groups.

You probably noticed that list did not include every unit of MLA, and that's OK. Some units may be slow to get going, and some may eventually decide these tools just won't work for them. But if you took the Web 2.0 101 course this spring, and you're a member of a section, chapter, committee, or task force, think about all the tools you learned to use. There's a good chance that one or more of those tools would be helpful in setting or achieving the goals of that unit.

In fact, can we use Web 2.0 tools to rethink how we do much of our current association work? We currently have a committee structure that averages about eight members. This means each committee has a lot of combined association experience at the table. I asked Kate Corcoran at headquarters to run some numbers for me, and she calculated, based on the year that each of us joined, that we have a collective MLA experience of around 50,000 years. Why can't every committee or task force create a public blog—open up its work, make it transparent so other members can weigh in? Each committee could go from around 100 years of experience to potentially thousands of years of experience. In addition to valuable experience, opening up the process can bring in youth, enthusiasm, and new perspectives, creating more intersections. More intersections mean more creativity, and more creativity leads to better ideas.

Under the leadership of Mary Ryan, AHIP, FMLA, this coming year, MLA will reexamine our strategic plan. I hope we have the opportunity to use these new tools to make this process open, transparent, and easily accessible to the entire membership.

Our continuing education (CE) program continues to increase in size, with now over 200 courses listed in our clearinghouse. While the current database includes a brief description of each course, we could make the clearinghouse even more useful by adding some Web 2.0 goodness. How many people here use Amazon.com? I love its selection, prices, and ease of use, but I think its most valuable asset is the reviews contributed by their customers—helping other customers make better decisions. How about adding the capability of user ratings and reviews to our CE clearinghouse? That way people will have a better idea of which courses are most suitable for them.

MLA publications are extremely useful, but do we need traditional books any more? While some of our DocKits and BibKits are available electronically, we're still following a printed book model of publishing. Perhaps instead of books we need short, digital works on hot topics. These would be quicker to write, easier to produce, and still remain totally relevant at the time of purchase. Or we could consider producing subject wikis that are constantly updated—no printing, and they're always relevant.

How can we rethink this, our annual meeting? One of our priorities this year was to explore ways to make the annual meeting more virtual, and we're experimenting on Wednesday, with the plenary session on Web 2.0 tools being videocast live to non-attending members. While the technology is still expensive, costs are constantly decreasing. What might we be able to do for next year's meeting, when we suspect fewer people than average can attend? I hope the 2009 National Program Committee is considering this.

Can we also rethink the paper presentations at the annual meeting? This is my thirty-first annual meeting, and I've been to hundred of papers—many given by extremely nervous people who either used up (or ran over) their allotted time, which meant no questions from the audience were possible. What if papers were “presented” beforehand on MLANET or SlideShare, and the annual meeting time used instead for audience dialog and discussion with the authors? They could discuss what the results meant and how other libraries could use the results. Wouldn't that be more useful? I'm looking at you, Research Section, to experiment with this.

But however we rethink the association, remember it isn't about the tools. We must beware the lure of the shiny. Not everyone is a technophile, and just because you've learned how to use a hammer doesn't mean everything has magically become a nail. We're interested in results, what these tools can produce for us. And we shouldn't be discouraged or disappointed with the early results of our new tools. How many of you took shop class or have children who took shop class? Remember that first project? Not exactly destined for the Art Institute of Chicago, was it? But the second project was better, and the third better than the second. Think of our early 2.0 projects as our early projects in shop class. They will improve as we use them. The benefits of Web 2.0 are not about the technology, but a new way of connecting with friends, customers, coworkers, and colleagues in ways that are more user friendly, more satisfying, and more productive than previous electronic means.

[slide] “OMG, is he still going on about connections?”

I know, you've listened to me talking about connections for over a year now, but the importance of connections is hard to overemphasize. We couldn't even stand up without connections. The strength of our bones is determined, in large part, by the number of connections in their microscopic architecture. Compare here the number of connections in a normal bone with a weak, osteoporotic bone, where there are far fewer connections. There is more strength with more connections. Over centuries, philosophers and poets have realized the importance of human connections. The Jacobean poet John Donne said, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main.” More recently, the Beatles said it for my generation, “I get by with a little help from my friends.” More scientifically, Robert Metcalfe, the coinventor of Ethernet, said in 1980 that the value of any network is proportional to the square of the number of compatible devices in the system. This is illustrated in this chart. As the number of compatible devices increase linearly, the value of the network increases more rapidly, as the number of connections between the devices increase at a nonlinear rate. While he was speaking of network devices back then, what is now known as Metcalfe's Law is being applied to social networks. A social network of one has little value, unless you're a hermit and that's your goal. A network of two increases the value. But as each additional person enters the network, the value, or number of connections, doesn't increase by one, it increases by the total number of users in the network.

With 4,000 members, we have lots of potential connections. But not everyone is connected; not everyone participates in the conversation that is MLA. In addition, in the next 5 to 10 years many of our current members will be retiring. We'll be losing not only a large chunk of that 50,000 years of experience we now have, but many of those connections as well. We need to start creating connections now, so the value of our association doesn't decrease as our members retire. These new tools will allow us to dramatically increase the number of connections.

This won't be easy; there are many obstacles in our way, and we need to think of this as a long voyage, not a short trip. People have to start thinking differently about how we do things in the association. There is a learning curve involved in becoming comfortable with these tools. Transparency in governance isn't easy to achieve; sometimes there are legal issues involved. Many of our hospital librarians face blockage to these tools from their information technology (IT) departments. And of course, there's the ever popular:

[slide and audio] “We have always done it that way.”

But we're all learning, we're all on this voyage together.

My year as president is over, but our voyage to MLA 2.0 is just beginning. Although I've lived in New York City for twenty-one years, and many of you think of me as a New Yorker, I still consider myself a boy from a small town in Missouri. So allow me to quote a fellow Missourian from another small town who knew something about voyages. Mark Twain said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off your bow lines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Bon voyage, MLA. Bon voyage.

[slide] To be continued…

Other Plenary Sessions

II, May 18, 2008: The John P. McGovern Lecture

Introduction of video: Elizabeth K. Eaton, Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library, Houston, TX.

Video of John McGovern: <http://mcgovern.library.tmc.edu/people/mcgov/> (Click on Biography Film Clip in text).

Introduction of lecture: Jane L. Blumenthal, AHIP, Health Sciences Libraries, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

[Trends Shaping the Future]: Andrew Zolli, founder, Z+ Inc.; National Geographic Society Picture the Future Project (see <http://www.mlanet.org/am/am2008/events/speakers.html#mcgovern> for more information about Mr. Zolli).

III, May 19, 2008: The Janet Doe Lecture

Introduction: Henry Lemkau Jr., FMLA, Fort Lauderdale, FL.

There Are No More Giants: Changing Leadership for Changing Times: Thomas G. Basler, FMLA, Libraries and Learning Resource Centers, Medical University of South Carolina–Charleston.

IV, May 21, 2008: Web 2.0 Tools For Librarians: Description, Demonstration, Discussion and Debate

Note: This was the first MLA plenary session ever made available via a live video webcast. The webcast is now publically available at <http://www.mlanet.org/am/am2008/events/plenary_webcast.html>.

Introduction: Mark E. Funk, AHIP, Samuel J. Wood Library, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York.

Panel: Amanda Etches-Johnson, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada, and blogger at <http://www.blogwithoutalibrary.net>; Bart Ragon, Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, University of Virginia–Charlottesville; Melissa Rethlefsen, Learning Resource Center, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN; David Rothman, Community General Hospital Medical Library, Syracuse, NY, and blogger at www.davidrothman.net; and Aaron Schmidt, North Plains Public Library, North Plains, OR, and author, www.WalkingPaper.org

Awards Ceremony

The Awards Ceremony and Luncheon was held on Monday, May 19, 2008. President Mark E. Funk, AHIP, began the ceremony by reminding the audience that the purpose of the ceremony was to honor colleagues who have made outstanding contributions to the profession and the association and to recognize their accomplishments. He thanked Jett McCann, AHIP, chair of the Awards Committee, and Hanna Kwasik, AHIP, chair of the Grants and Scholarship Committee, and all the jury members for their time and effort.

President Funk announced that Debra Lappin was unable to attend the ceremony but had received her certificate when she presented the National Library of Medicine (NLM)/MLA Leiter Lecture at NLM on May 14, 2008. On Sunday, May 18, Andrew Zolli—noted futurist, author, writer, and speaker—had delivered the John P. McGovern lecture and had received his award and certificate at that time.

The Honorable David Obey received the MLA Award for Distinguished Public Service from MLA on April 9 in Washington, DC. After years of level funding for both federal and health education programs, Chair Obey took the lead and fought to increase funding for federal and health education programs through the 2008 Labor-Health and Human Services (HHS)-Education Appropriations bill. His efforts resulted in funding increases for National Institutes of Health (NIH) and NLM that provided $8.9 million above the president's request of $329 million for NLM. He also supported the successful NIH public access policy that includes language in the Fiscal Year 2008 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill that requires all investigators funded by NIH to submit their final, peer-reviewed manuscripts to NLM's PubMed Central database within 12 months of publication.

MLA awards scholarships annually to students who show excellence in scholarship and potential for accomplishment in health sciences librarianship. The 2008 MLA Scholarship winner was Lisa O'Keefe, a student at the Graduate School of Library and Information Sciences, University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign. As she was unable attend, her certificate was mailed to her after the meeting. The MLA Scholarship for Minority Students encourages candidates who show excellence in scholarship and potential for accomplishment in health sciences librarianship. The 2008 MLA Scholarship for Minority Students was presented to Manju Tanwar, a graduate student at the School of Library and Information Science, University of South Carolina–Columbia. The MLA Annual Meeting Scholarship for Minority Students, an award sponsored by the 2008 National Program Committee to help support a minority student who aspires to become a medical librarian to attend the annual meeting, was presented to Elana Churchill, who attends the School of Information and Information Science program at San Jose State University in San Jose, California.

President Funk introduced Lisa Kruesi and Vijay Padwal as the 2008 Cunningham Fellows. Ms. Kruesi is the manager, Health Sciences Library Services at the University of Queensland, Herston Health Sciences Library, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Australia. She arrived in the United States a few days before and will have the opportunity after learning at MLA '08 to study at host library sites in Nashville, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

Mr. Padwal is a librarian at the Institute of Immunohaematology, Indian Council of Medical Research in Mumbai, India. He arrived in the United States at the beginning of May and spent time at two host sites in the Washington, DC, area and finished his program at MLA '08.

Ms. Kruesi and Mr. Padwal spoke briefly about their gratitude to their hosts and MLA for this opportunity.

EBSCO Information Services generously donates funds to provide up to $1,000 each for up to 4 librarians new to the profession for travel to MLA's annual meeting and other meeting-related expenses. This year's EBSCO/MLA Annual Meeting Grants were awarded to Mary Lou Glazer, AHIP, medical librarian at the DVA Medical Center Library in Northport, New York; Laura Haines, a medical librarian at the Dana Medical Library, University of Vermont–Burlington; Meredith Orlowski, an information services librarian at the Academic Information Technology and Libraries, University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center, Cincinnati, Ohio; and Jason Young a medical librarian for the Health Sciences Library, Genesis Medical Center in Davenport, Iowa.

The Hospital Libraries Section sponsors grants to provide librarians working in hospitals and similar clinical settings with the support needed for educational or research activities. The 2008 Hospital Libraries Section/MLA Professional Development Grants were awarded to Amy Frey, AHIP, and Michelle Goodwin. Ms. Frey, manager at the Hospital for Special Care Health Sciences Library in New Britain, Connecticut, used her grant to attend the 2007 Health Care Education Association Meeting held September 2007 in Hartford, Connecticut. Ms. Goodwin, a medical librarian at Northwest Hospital & Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, will use her grant to attend continuing education courses at the fall 2008 Pacific Northwest Chapter of MLA meeting. As she was unable to attend, her certificate was mailed to her after the meeting.

The David A. Kronick Traveling Fellowship was established in 2001 with an endowment from the Bowden-Massey Foundation. It is awarded annually to an MLA member to cover expenses involved in traveling to three or more medical libraries in the United States or Canada for the purpose of studying a specific aspect of health information management. This year's recipient was Kathryn Kerdolff, AHIP, LSU Health Sciences Center Library at Louisiana State University–New Orleans. Ms. Kerdolff hopes to develop online classes to teach numerous health care professionals throughout the university with a focus on evidence-based medicine resources. She plans to travel to three medical libraries in the United States, located in Fort Worth and Houston, Texas, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The Donald A. B. Lindberg Research Fellowship, established in 2001 with contributions from MLA members and other people and companies in the health care community, is awarded annually through a competitive grant process to a qualified health care professional, researcher, educator, administrator, or librarian. MLA thanked the New England Journal of Medicine for their generous sponsorship of this year's fellowship. MLA established the fellowship to fund research that links the information services provided by librarians to improved health care. Mark Puterbaugh, a medical librarian at Warner Memorial Library, Eastern University, St. Davids, Pennsylvania, is the sixth recipient of the award and will develop the Virtual Learning Commons for Nurses project that will evaluate a virtual three-dimensional environment as a tool to enhance nursing students' access to nursing, medical and health care information. The fellowship is named in honor of Dr. Lindberg, director of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) since 1984, in recognition of his significant national and international achievements at NLM, the world's largest medical library.

The Medical Informatics Section (MIS) of the Medical Library Association established the MIS/MLA Career Development Grant in 1997. The section awards up to 2 individuals $1,500 each to support a career development activity that will contribute to the advancement of the field of medical informatics. This year's winners were Karen Albert, AHIP, and Maureen Knapp, AHIP. Ms. Albert, director of Library Services at the Talbot Research Library, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, plans to use her grant to study courses in medical informatics in the areas of research methods and clinical decision support. Ms. Knapp, a reference librarian and instructor at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Medical Library–New Orleans, will use the grant to attend the 2008 Internet Librarian Conference in Monterey, California, where she hopes to expand her knowledge of emerging digital tools and trends.

The MLA Continuing Education Grant is awarded annually to an MLA member to assist with the development of theoretical, administrative, or technical aspects of medical librarianship. This year's recipients were Patricia Hammond, a solo medical librarian at the Potomac Hospital Immerman Memorial Library in Woodbridge, Virginia, who took an eight-week, evidence-based medicine course offered online through the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill to implement evidence-based nursing practice, and Susan Schleper, a medical librarian at the St. Cloud Hospital Medical Library in St. Cloud, Minnesota, who took the same course as Ms. Hammond to meet the needs of working with physicians, nurses, and staff at the hospital in the area of evidence-based medicine.

Thomson Scientific sponsors a fellowship of $2,000, which is given every other year to foster and encourage students who have been admitted to candidacy to conduct doctoral work in medical librarianship or information science. The 2008 Thomson Scientific/MLA Doctoral Fellowship was awarded to Lorie Kloda, a doctoral student at McGill University, Graduate School of Library and Information Sciences, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She plans to research how various therapists' (including speech, physical, and occupational therapists) information needs are met to provide the best possible patient care as information-seeking behavior has not been well studied in this group. Ms. Kloda plans to present the methodology of the study at future workshops and conferences to enhance professional practice for this group. She was unable to attend the luncheon so her certificate was mailed to her after the meeting.

The Virginia L. and William K. Beatty MLA Volunteer Service Award was given for the first time at the MLA '08 Awards Ceremony and Luncheon. This award recognizes a medical librarian who has demonstrated outstanding, sustained service to MLA and the health sciences library profession. The award is named in honor of Virginia L. and William K. Beatty and recognizes their significant contributions to MLA and the profession as longtime volunteers to the association. The first recipient of the award was Logan Ludwig, AHIP. Dr. Ludwig has been a long- time, dedicated MLA volunteer, particularly at the national level, showing consistent and outstanding service to the association and the profession. He is the associate dean, Library and Telehealth Services, Loyola University Medical Center Library, in Maywood, Illinois. His national MLA activities are numerous and substantial. To name a few official MLA committees: He served as a member of the Governmental Relations Committee (GRC) from 1998–2004 and chair of the GRC from 2002–2004. As GRC chair, he provided testimony for MLA in Washington, DC, for fiscal appropriations for the National Library of Medicine in May 2003 and April 2004. He served on the MLA 1999 National Program Committee and was an MLA Awards Committee member from 1997–1998, a member of the Credentialing Committee from 1996–1998, and Bulletin of the Medical Library Association associate editor from 1990–1994 and has contributed as a member to at least a dozen more committees and official activities for MLA, plus various positions at the section and chapter level. Dr. Ludwig is also a Distinguished Member of the Academy of Health Information Professionals. Before Dr. Ludwig accepted his award, Mrs. Beatty was asked to come to the podium and say a few words on the new award.

The Lucretia W. McClure Excellence in Education Award was established in 1998 and first presented in 1999, in honor of one of MLA's most respected members. The award recognizes an outstanding educator in the field of health sciences librarianship and informatics who demonstrates skills in teaching, curriculum development, mentoring, research, or leadership in education at local, regional, or national levels. President Funk presented the 2008 award to Sarah McCord, head of reference and instructional services and associate professor of library and learning resources, Henrietta DeBenedictus Library, in Boston, Massachusetts. Ms. McCord coordinates the reference and instructional work of five faculty librarians located on three campuses. In addition, she co-teaches a section of “Drug Literature Evaluation” in the doctor of pharmacy program and will guest lecture in several informatics classes. She is currently developing and implementing an information literacy program that will be integrated into the curricula of all undergraduate and first-degree programs. Her committee leadership roles include serving as a past chair of the MLA Pharmacy and Drug Information Section and as section editor for the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. She has authored multiple journal articles, and in her prior position developed an instruction program that is now integrated in the curriculum at the College of Pharmacy at Washington State University–Seattle.

The Lois Ann Colaianni Award for Excellence and Achievement in Hospital Librarianship is given to a professional who has made significant contributions to the profession in overall distinction or leadership in hospital library administration or service; has produced a definitive publication related to hospital librarianship, teaching, research, or advocacy; or has developed or applied innovative technology to hospital librarianship. The 2008 recipient was Jan Orick, AHIP, director of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Biomedical Library, Memphis, Tennessee. Ms. Orick has increased electronic journal access for researchers at the hospital from 5 to over 1,700 titles. She was one of the first hospital librarians to develop Ariel document delivery, substantially decreasing turnaround time for interlibrary loans. Ms. Orick has also developed a system for providing data concerning high-impact publication and citation analysis data comparing St. Jude's to other institutions. She has developed an outstanding resource list for Internet cancer resources, providing a leading role in guiding the hospital library to meet the needs of researchers, clinicians, and consumers. Professionally, Ms. Orick has served on the MLA Task Force on Vital Pathways for Hospital Librarians and is a member of the Hospital Libraries Section and Cancer Librarian Sections of MLA. Ms. Orick exemplifies the spirit of Coalianni award.

The Louise Darling Medal for Distinguished Achievement in Collection Development, endowed by Ballen Booksellers International, recognizes distinguished achievement in collection development in the health sciences. This year's award was presented to the Grey Literature Report, New York Academy of Medicine. The Grey Literature Report began at the New York Academy of Medicine in 1999 and is produced bimonthly by various librarians there. It is a compilation of links to the English-language research done by various organizations and government entities in the area of public health and health services. Most of the links are not published or indexed through conventional channels. Approximately 600 health-centered and government agencies are monitored to produce the bimonthly report. The Grey Literature Report has an impressive list of over 1,200 subscribers with over 745 institutions in several states and countries worldwide, including the World Health Organization. This important and free service is one of the first of its kind and remains one of the few English-language public health and health services collection development reports. President Funk asked all the people involved in the Grey Literature Report in the audience to stand and be recognized for their valuable contributions. Lisa Genoese, technical services librarian at the New York Academy of Medicine in New York City, accepted the award on behalf of all of the people involved in the project.

The Thomson Scientific/Frank Bradway Rogers Information Advancement Award is sponsored by Thomson Scientific and recognizes outstanding contributions in the application of technology to the delivery of health sciences information, to the science of information, or to the facilitation of the delivery of health sciences information. The 2008 award was presented to Digital Divide, Rural American Indian Communities, a project by Louis Lafrado, Eaerlen Groseclose, and Linda Morgan Davis. This project delivers timely evidence-based medical and Internet-based consumer health information to underserved rural populations in New Mexico. Mr. Lafrado accepted the award on behalf of the group. The project is unique in providing access terminals in health care facilities, a mobile workstation for training practitioners, and handheld personal digital assistant (PDA) devices for point-of-care, evidence-based medicine in rural areas throughout the state. Ms. Morgan Davis works on the information delivery, Ms. Groesclose is the public health liaison, and Mr. Lafrado implements the mobile broadband Internet access for these rural locations statewide. The project has had a positive impact on many rural sites in New Mexico including: the New Mexico State Library, New Mexico Donor Services, and the Department of Ophthalmology at Santa Fe Indian Hospital.

The Majors/MLA Chapter Project of the Year Award recognizes excellence, innovation, and contribution to the profession of health sciences librarianship by an MLA chapter and is sponsored by J.A. Majors Company. For 2008, the award was presented to the New York-New Jersey Chapter of MLA for their innovative project “Digitization of Chapter Photographic Archives.” Patricia Gallagher, AHIP, accepted the award on behalf of the chapter.

The Ida and George Eliot Prize is presented for a work published in the preceding calendar year that has been judged most effective in furthering medical librarianship. This year, the prize is awarded to Keith Cogdill, AHIP, for his article, “Progress in Health Sciences Librarianship: 1970–2005.” The article reviews significant advances in the health sciences library profession, highlighting key issues throughout the years. Mr. Cogdill is employed at the University of Texas Health Science Center Briscoe Library–San Antonio.

The Murray Gottlieb Prize was established in 1956 by a gift from the Old Hickory Bookshop to recognize and stimulate health sciences librarians' interest in the history of medicine. The 2008 Murray Gottlieb Prize was awarded to Heidi Heilemann, AHIP, for her paper, “Envisioning the Unborn: Art, Anatomy and the Printing Press in the Early Modern Era.” Ms. Heilemann is acting director of the Lane Medical Library, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.

The Rittenhouse Award is presented annually by MLA for the best unpublished paper on health sciences librarianship or medical informatics written by a student in an American Library Association–accredited program of library and information studies or a trainee in an internship in health sciences librarianship or medical informatics, and it is sponsored by the Rittenhouse Book Distributors, in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. The 2008 recipient was Bob Gerth for his paper, “Varicose Veins Pathfinder.” Mr. Gerth attends the library school at the Dominican University School of Library and Information Science in River Forest, Illinois.

The T. Mark Hodges International Service award was established to honor outstanding individual achievement in promoting, enabling, and/or delivering improvements in the quality of health information internationally through the development of health information professionals, the improvement of libraries, or the increased use of health information services. The 2008 T. Mark Hodges International Service Award was given to Carol Lefebvre. Ms. Lefebvre is a fellow of the UK Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) and currently serves as a senior information specialist at the UK Cochrane Centre in Oxford, England, United Kingdom. Her prior experience includes a long career in health libraries. Her work on the methodology of searching and the importance of sensitivity and precision when searching complex thesaurus-driven databases has advanced the field of medical librarianship. Ms. Lefebvre's contributions have been noted by leading and respected authorities in the field of evidence-based medicine. She was one of the advanced thinkers in the early 1990s regarding development of the basic concepts of evidence-based medicine. She foresaw the rapid rise of interest in evidence-based searching as an opportunity for health librarians and, in 1993, presented a paper at the National Institutes of Health on “Identification of Randomized Clinical Trials” using MEDLINE. After her presentation, NLM applied indexing improvements to MEDLINE based on her article. Today, the UK Cochrane Centre is respected worldwide as a leading resource for searching techniques.

A highlight of each MLA annual meeting is the Janet Doe Lecture on the history or philosophy of medical librarianship. Thomas Basler, FMLA, delivered the 2008 lecture, “There Are No More Giants: Changing Leadership for Changing Times.” Dr. Basler is chair of the Department of Library Sciences and Informatics at the Medical University of South Carolina–Charleston.

President Funk then announced that the Board of Directors had named five association members as MLA Fellows. Fellows are chosen for their outstanding contributions to health sciences librarianship and to the advancement of the purposes of MLA. President Funk introduced the following five new Fellows:

Suzanne Grefsheim, FMLA: “Along with her many awards and accomplishments, Suzanne Grefsheim can now add the prestigious honor of MLA Fellow to the list. Ms. Grefsheim has served as executive director at the National Institutes of Health [NIH], NIH Library, Bethesda, Maryland, since 1992. Unfortunately, she could not be with us today so we will mail her certificate to her after the meeting. Suzanne has been a dedicated and active long-time member of MLA and has given enthusiastically to the profession over the course of many years. She has served on multiple committees for the profession and served on the MLA Board of Directors from 1998–2001, the last two years as treasurer. She has served on at least twenty other committees for MLA on the national, chapter and section level. As director of the NIH Library, Suzanne's leadership has been innovative, creating new uses of technology and programs. Among her notable achievements, she reorganized staff in the library into teams and developed a learning organization emphasizing evidence-based practice. She also renovated the user spaces in the library adding an open reading room and an increased number of workstations for library users. Last but not least, she has led the way to electronic services in the last decade seeing the transition from print to electronic services. The NIH virtual library is customized in its services, houses extensive electronic journals and early linked functionality, and is recognized nationally, winning the ‘Federal Library of the Year Award’ in 1998. She also chaired the task force who successfully revised MLA's research policy statement last year.”
Betsy Humphreys, AHIP, FMLA: “I am pleased to welcome Betsy Humphreys as a Fellow of the association. Her impact on the profession is far-reaching. Betsy is considered a role model for the profession as a leader, mentor, researcher, innovator, and policymaker. She joined the NLM staff in 1973 and worked in a variety of different positions rising from serials librarian to associate director of the National Library of Medicine (NLM). Betsy coordinates the Universal Medical Language System (UMLS) and NLM's activities related to health data standards. She closed the card catalog and opened an online catalog system, increased use of acid-free paper in biomedical literature, and established the NLM Preservation Section. Ms. Humphreys is currently a Distinguished Member of [the Academy of Health Information Professionals] (AHIP) and, last year was the recipient of the Marcia C. Noyes Award, MLA's highest honor. Recently, she has been at the forefront of development of the public health focus of NLM, working to expand and disseminate health information internationally. She has published extensively for the profession, presented numerous papers, and served as a manuscript reviewer and editor for several publications. As a colleague stated in a letter of nomination, ‘Betsy has made outstanding and sustained contributions to the advancement of the purposes of the association and health sciences librarianship throughout her medical library career.’”
Linda Garr Markwell, AHIP, FMLA: “It is with great pleasure I recognize Linda Garr Markwell as an MLA Fellow. Ms. Markwell has been involved in MLA and the MLA Southern Chapter for over thirty years and has made time to volunteer extensively on both levels for MLA. She took on responsibility for countless opportunities, serving in over seventeen elected positions for the Southern Chapter of MLA. In addition, she was an MLA Board member from 2001–2004, serving as Chapter Council chair. She is currently head, Branch Library Services, Emory University, Grady Branch Library, in Atlanta, GA. One of her letters of recommendation noted that, ‘Linda is a highly respected, natural leader and has shown outstanding leadership as MLA Chapter Council chair.’ Ms. Markwell can also count among her many professional honors, the MLA Hospital Libraries Section (HLS) Section ‘Scroll of Exemplary Service’ in 2002. Ms. Markwell was a charter member of the Academy of Health Information Professionals in the early 1990s at the Distinguished Member level. Linda was also instrumental in encouraging chapter members to participate in MLA's benchmarking project.”
Diane McKenzie, FMLA: “Along with the other four Fellows receiving this year's award, Diane McKenzie can add the prestigious title of Fellow to her list. Diane has been a member of MLA since 1988 and recently retired from the Health Sciences Library at the University of North Carolina (UNC)–Chapel Hill as the collection development and history librarian. While at UNC–Chapel Hill, she taught and developed courses on the history of medicine and reference collection development. Diane also served as a speaker at numerous meetings on the subjects of oral history and collection development. She has made extensive contributions to MLA in the role of collecting, editing, and publishing the historical records of the association. She joined the MLA Oral History Committee in 1991 and in 1995 was appointed chair. During her tenure, she was project director for the committee, interviewing over fifteen notable leaders for MLA oral history reviews, helping preserve MLA's rich history. Her contributions to the Mid-Atlantic Chapter (MAC) chapter are extensive. She has served as the archivist for MAC since 2000 and coauthored, ‘Anatomy of a Chapter: The History and Milestones of MAC, the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of MLA.’ A colleague summarizes in her nomination, ‘In terms of her achievements in preserving MLA oral histories, Diane has added to that knowledgebase by capturing the recorded thoughts, recollections and interpretations of library issues and trends over the years directly from our association leaders.’”
Lenny Rhine, FMLA: “I am pleased to welcome Lenny Rhine as an MLA Fellow. Lenny has had an active and extremely rich role in the international field of outreach for MLA and international health sciences librarianship in developing countries, including Africa. He has a passion and commitment for improving the health and well-being of developing countries around the world. His first MLA appointment was as program chair for [the International Cooperation Section] (ICS). He has chaired numerous committees within the section and served on the Sister Library/Health Library Partnership Committee. He was also a former member and chair of the Cunningham Fellowship Jury. He is currently a member of the Librarians without Borders (LWB) Task Force for MLA and is the coordinator for the LWB e-library training initiative funded by a grant from Elsevier. He has over six pages of international presentations and was a key figure in the establishment and growth of the Association for Health Information and Libraries in Africa. Lenny retired from the University of Florida–Gainesville as a medical librarian but has kept a strong commitment to international efforts.”

President Funk continued: “The highest honor that the Medical Library Association confers on any individual is the Marcia C. Noyes Award. We have come to the place in today's awards program for presentation of that special distinction.“

Betsy Humphreys, AHIP, FMLA, the 2007 Noyes winner, introduced the 2008 recipient, Rick B. Forsman, AHIP, FMLA.

Ms. Humphreys: “It is my great pleasure and privilege to introduce the 2008 recipient of the Marcia C. Noyes Award: Rick Brian Forsman, a Distinguished Member of the Academy of Health Information Professionals and a Fellow of the Medical Library Association. Rick Forsman is admirable on many levels. To get the superficial level over first, his fit and stylish presence elevates the tone of any gathering. In fact, Rick usually looks like he just arrived from the beach—maybe because often he has just returned from scuba diving in some exotic locale. Surface aside, Rick is an exemplary colleague—highly intelligent, articulate, forward thinking, good humored, extremely well organized, willing to take action, and not hesitant to deliver constructive criticism—and I speak from personal experience.

You also have to admire Rick for his success and accomplishments in his home institution. Rising through the ranks in technical services departments at academic libraries in three states, he became director of Denison Memorial Library at the University of Colorado–Denver in 1992, where he earned a statewide reputation for leadership and effective management. We at NLM certainly envied his ability to plan, secure funding, and oversee the construction of a great new library building. Not long ago Rick retired as director of the library and associate professor, but the university was apparently reluctant to lose his executive ability—he was recently rehired as a senior project manager in the Office of Academic and Student Affairs.

But we are honoring Rick today primarily for his admirable contributions to health sciences librarianship—in particular for his tremendous sustained impact on professional education and development programs both within the Medical Library Association and more broadly. Rick was a major architect of MLA's 1992 Platform for Change educational policy, and he very recently chaired the task force that revised this document, now called professional competencies. In case you were wondering, MLA's pioneering educational policy statements have had a significant effect not only on the scope of MLA's own highly regarded continuing education programs, but also on the educational policies and programs of other associations and institutions. Rick helped to foster this broader impact by serving as a bridge to the educational activities of other library organizations, most notably as a member and chair of the American Library Association's Committee on Accreditation of Library Schools. He is still serving on its site visit teams.

Rick also chaired the 1995 Task Force to Review MLA's Academy of Health Information Professionals and was instrumental in creating the current version of this credentialing program. It might surprise you to hear that discussions of policies on continuing education, credentialing, and certification don't always bring out the best in people. It is therefore not an overstatement to say that, like Marcia C. Noyes herself, Rick took on important, but thankless tasks on behalf of this association and the profession as a whole.

Rick also found time to serve on the Board of Directors; chair Section Council, two MLA sections, and the Health Sciences OCLC Users Group; serve as a regional AACR2 trainer; teach and develop popular CE courses; edit the administration and management volume of MLA's Current Practice in Health Sciences Librarianship series; and give a Janet Doe Lecture. Rick has been president of the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries and played a key role in expanding the National Library of Medicine's collaborative educational activities with that organization, including a major library building symposium and the highly successful NLM/Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) Leadership Fellows program.

Among its other recommendations for action, MLA's current educational policy statement urges individual health sciences librarians to ‘exercise leadership in and contribute to the professional development of the field.’ For a career that demonstrates how to do this, Rick Forsman is a very worthy recipient of the Marcia C. Noyes Award.”

President Funk concluded the session by saying that the Awards Ceremony and Luncheon “stands as a vital symbol of the numerous accomplishments our peers have made to the profession of health sciences librarianship. It simultaneously provides the encouragement to continue aspiring toward higher levels of achievement. In recognizing these individuals, we affirm the ‘best and brightest’ in the field of health sciences librarianship.”

Business Meeting I

Sunday, May 18, 2008

President Funk opened the first business meeting of 2008 at 2:00 p.m. He introduced MLA Executive Director Carla J. Funk, CAE. Ms. Funk presented the members of the 2007/08 MLA Board of Directors: President Mark E. Funk, AHIP; President-Elect Mary L. Ryan, AHIP, FMLA; Immediate Past President Jean Shipman, AHIP; Treasurer Linda Walton; Secretary Craig Haynes, AHIP; Chapter Council Chair Paula Raimondo, AHIP; Section Council Chair Tovah Reis; and Directors Margaret Bandy, AHIP, Gary Freiburger, AHIP; T. Scott Plutchak, AHIP; Connie Schardt, AHIP; and Laurie Thompson, AHIP; appointed officers: Parliamentarian Lucretia W. McClure, AHIP, FMLA, and Sergeant-at Arms Linné Girouard, AHIP, and Editors Melissa DeSantis, AHIP, MLANET; and Linda M. G. Katz, AHIP, MLA News.

President Funk then recognized Nunzia Giuse, AHIP, FMLA, outgoing editor of the Journal of the Medical Library Association (JMLA), for her dedication and effort in producing three outstanding years of the JMLA, and introduced Susan Starr, who will assume the editorship of the JMLA with the January 2009 issue and continue for a three-year term.

President Funk then asked attendees to join him in a moment of silence to honor the memories of the many valuable members who had died during the year as screens displayed names and assembled photographs of Emiko Akiyama, Julita Castro Awkward, Maria Buhl, Margaret Demchuk, Ellen F. Geraghty, Betty Jo Jensen, Frances Johnson, Winifred (Win) Ewart Kistler, John McGovern, and Helen Yast.

Ms. Funk then recognized the efforts of chapter chairs, section chairs, and special interest group (SIG) chairs. She noted that in 2007, Section Council celebrated its 25th anniversary and to mark this occasion, as well as the rollout of MLA's new research policy statement and proposed changes to the Lindberg endowment, Section Council, under the leadership of Tovah Reis, initiated a fund drive and raised almost $9,000 for the Lindberg endowment, with all 23 sections making a contribution. She also recognized 3 of MLA's sections that celebrated significant anniversaries during the year: the Dental Section on its 75th anniversary and both the Hospital Libraries Section and the Leadership and Management Section on their 60th anniversaries. She then recognized committee chairs, task force chairs, and MLA representatives to allied organizations. She acknowledged MLA member Gale Dutcher for her hard work over the years in organizing the library school reunions at the MLA meeting. She also recognized any of the 528 new members who had joined MLA since MLA '07 who were present.

President Funk called to order Business Meeting I of MLA '08 and asked if the quorum of 250 of the voting members required for transaction of business was present. After Sergeants-at-Arms Girouard confirmed that the 285 members present represented a quorum, the president called on Secretary Craig Haynes to move adoption of the Rules of the Assembly.

Haynes explained that the Rules of the Assembly included information on addressing the chair, presenting motions, debating, and voting and are available on MLANET. At the direction of the Board of Directors, he then moved that the Rules of the Assembly, as they appear on MLANET, be adopted. Voting paddles were raised, and there being a majority in the affirmative, the rules were adopted.

Haynes noted that the agendas for the 2008 business meetings were on pages 23 and 34 of the Official Program. Then, by direction of the Board of Directors, he moved that the agenda for the 2008 business meetings of the Medical Library Association be adopted. Again, the vote was affirmative and the agendas adopted.

President Funk announced that in November 2007, ballots for MLA's election of 2008/09 Officers, Board of Directors, and Nominating Committee members were sent electronically or by postal service to all eligible voting members of the Medical Library Association. One thousand three hundred sixty-two valid ballots were returned from 3,532 eligible members, a participation rate of 39%. On December 12, 2007, the election results were certified by Christopher M. Keran and Amy C. Ebli from Survey and Ballot Systems of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, the firm MLA contracted with to conduct the election. The election results were announced in the January 2008 issue of the MLA News, and complete election results, including vote totals, were published in the 2007/08 annual report, which is available on MLANET.

Election results: President-elect: Connie Schardt, AHIP. MLA Board of Directors (three-year term): Jane Blumenthal, AHIP, Julia Kochi, and Beverly Murphy, AHIP. Judy Burnham, AHIP, who was elected at the 2007 annual meeting as Section Council liaison, will also serve as a director from 2008 to 2011. Nominating Committee: Ysabel Bertolucci, AHIP; Ellen Gay Detlefson; Sandra G. Franklin, AHIP; Charles J. Greenberg; Elaine Russo Martin; Gerald (Jerry) Perry, AHIP; Chris Shaffer, AHIP; Julia Sollenberger, AHIP, FMLA; and Michelle Spatz. Jean Shipman, AHIP, immediate past-president, will chair the 2008/09 Nominating Committee.

The next item of new business was to consider proposed amendments to the MLA Bylaws. President Funk explained that at its February 2008 meeting, the MLA Board of Directors approved the report of the Section Council Composition Review Task Force, which makes several recommendations that would require amendments to the MLA Bylaws regarding the governance structure of Section Council:

Section Council should continue to exist, but its structure should be changed from a representative and representative-elect model to a council that is composed of section chairs and section immediate past chairs;
The term of office on Section Council should be two years;
The Section immediate past chair should be the primary voting member from their sections. If the past chair is not present at the Section Council meeting, the section chair should cast the vote. If neither the section immediate past chair nor the section chair is present at the Section Council meeting, then the section may appoint another section officer as the proxy to vote on council issues.

The complete report is available on MLANET and includes additional recommendations and findings that do not directly impact the MLA Bylaws.

Because the cost of amending the bylaws is high, as a cost-containment measure, the association typically waits until there are several proposed amendments to present to the membership for a vote. Thus, in addition to the Section Council amendments, the board directed the Bylaws Committee to also include amendments that include the MLANET editor as an appointed officer under article IV, section 4, and article IV, section 5, of the bylaws as requested at the 2004 Business Meeting in Washington, DC, and that change how section and chapter candidates for Nominating Committee membership are elected under article V, section 2A and B, to allow electronic voting of these candidates.

The four motions that the Board of Directors had approved are:

MOVED, that the MLA Board of Directors approve for presentation to the membership changes to the MLA Bylaws that reflect the new structure for Section Council. Under the new structure, Section Council shall be composed of Section immediate past Chairs and Section Chairs. This is article XII, sections 3A, B, C, D, and E.
MOVED, that the MLA Bylaws be changed to allow the inclusion of the MLANET editor as an appointed officer. This is article IV, section 4, and article IV, section 5.
MOVED, that the MLA Bylaws be changed to allow for electronic voting of potential Section and Chapter candidates for Nominating Committee Membership. This is article V, section 2A and B.
MOVED, that the Bylaws Committee and headquarters staff shall be authorized to make other grammatical, editorial, and numerical changes as needed to reflect the intention of these amendments.

As required by the MLA Bylaws, the proposed amendments were presented to the membership through MLA-FOCUS on March 11, 2008, in compliance with article IV, section 1B, of the Bylaws. Print copies also were mailed to MLA voting members who do not subscribe to MLA-FOCUS, and all of the information was published in the April issue of the MLA News. The tellers also distributed reprints of the March 11 issue of MLA-FOCUS as members entered the Business Meeting I assembly.

For the sake of time, President Funk asked the membership to suspend the rule to read all of the Bylaws and there was no objection from the members present. Susan Corbett, AHIP, Bylaws Committee chair, moved that the amendments to the Bylaws be adopted. No second was required because the Bylaws Committee submitted the amendments. This motion put the amendments on the floor for discussion and amendment.

Before opening the floor for discussion, President Funk reminded the membership of the MLA Rules of Assembly. Discussion is limited to two minutes per speaker. No speaker may have the floor twice on the same question until all who wish to speak have spoken. A member wishing to speak a second time is limited to one minute. The timekeepers will time all discussion and hold up a paddle to signify when the two-minute limit is up. Speakers may not yield the floor to another person. The chair will recognize the speakers. When speakers approach the microphone, they need to state their name, institution, city, and state.

President Funk: It is moved to amend article XII, section 3A, by striking all of the current section A and replacing it with the new language as published in amendment 1 of the handouts to allow for the new Section Council structure. The representative and representative-elect model will be eliminated, and council will be composed of section chairs and section immediate past chairs. The term of office on Section Council will be two years, the first year in their roles as section chairs and the second year in their roles as section immediate past chairs.

At the February 2007 MLA Board meeting, a report was submitted from the Section Council chair describing problems and issues with the current structure of Section Council. The board approved establishing a task force to look into Section Council's current activities and structure, evaluate these, and make recommendations for the future. At its May 2007 meeting, Section Council supported this initiative. The MLA Board of Directors approved the final report and recommendations at its February 2008 meeting. In developing the report, the task force gathered information from current chairs, current section chairs-elect, immediate past chairs, and current Section Council representatives, they addressed issues related to the original purpose of Section Council and current activities that support that purpose, and they assessed the current structure and activities of Section Council.

The Section Council Composition Review Task Force made several recommendations concerning the new Section Council model and the roles and responsibilities of section chairs and immediate past section chairs, and these can be found in the task force report on MLANET. For the sake of time, I will only read those recommendations that relate to the proposed Bylaws amendments. President Funk then turned over the microphone to Tovah Reis, Section Council chair.

Tovah Reis: The Section Council Composition Review Task Force made several recommendations concerning the new Section Council model and the roles and responsibilities of section chairs and immediate past chairs. Concerning amendment 1, the task force recommended that:

Section Council should continue to exist, as it is needed to provide a forum for sections to share information, raise concerns, solve problems, and network. In addition, Section Council provides input concerning section issues and needs to the MLA Board of Directors, through the Section Council chair, who is an ex-officio member of the MLA Board. The task force also recommended that:

Section Council should be composed of section chairs and immediate section past chairs. As the Section Council meeting takes place at the beginning of the annual meeting, and new officers begin their responsibilities at the end of the annual meeting, the section chairs will attend the meeting as incoming section chairs. The recommended term of office on Section Council is two years.

In developing these recommendations, the task force referred to MLA's 1977 Annual Report that stated: “Section Council shall be formed to serve as an advisory body to the ex officio Board member representing Sections (the Section Council Chair), and to serve as an interface among Sections, between Sections, and the MLA Board.”

The task force found that while Section Council does serve as an advisory body to the Section Council chair, at best this is only on a limited and sporadic basis. Input received by the task force noted that while Section Council puts all sections on an even playing field, not all participate in the discussions or in the work of the council. In general, under the current governance structure, Section Council is not the most effective body in advising the Section Council chair about section issues and concerns and does not fulfill its role as an interface among sections.

An assessment of the current activities and structure of Section Council and the sections and special interest groups (SIGs) found that under the current structure there is no formal relationship with the chair of Section Council and the sections' leadership. Furthermore, the representative-elect model that was created in 1998 has not been effective. Often there is miscommunication among leadership that results in information not being shared in a timely way with the appropriate leader, and that confusion exists about what representatives need to do in order to decide how to vote in Section Council. For example, do they consult with the section officers, does the section chair make the decision, or does the representative get feedback from all section members?

For all of these reasons, the task force has recommended that Section Council be composed of section chairs and immediate section past chairs, with section chairs-elect being invited to the council meeting at the annual meeting and being on the Section Council email list. A Section Council of chairs and past chairs will have several benefits that support more effective and efficient communication and transaction of business. Some of these include:

providing a forum for section leaders to meet; share ideas, best practices and experiences; address issues and questions; and identify beneficial solutions, providing a more informed venue for discussing issues and providing feedback to the MLA Board;
providing more direct communication between Section Council chair and the elected leadership of the sections;
Section Council decision making and follow-up actions by sections will be implemented faster because the middleman position of the representative will be removed, and the section chairs, who decided on the action, will also be responsible for the implementation;
providing more opportunities for section chairs to play stronger leadership roles and broadening the role of section past chairs by tapping into their leadership and programming expertise; and
creating a path for section chairs to have the potential to serve on the MLA Board, since the Section Council chair is elected by Section Council.

President Funk then opened for discussion the motion to amend article XII, section 3A, with these comments received:

Mike Flannery, Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences, University of Alabama–Birmingham: I would like to propose a revision to this motion that reads, in substance, the History of the Health Sciences Section proposes to amend the motion to change the Section Council structures to read that Section Council shall be composed of section immediate past chairs and section chairs or a representative duly elected by the section. In no case will a section be unrepresented in Section Council. The feeling being that this proposed revision would allow for flexibility to reside with the individual sections to determine what the adequate representation will be. If they wish to continue to have a Section Council representative, then they may do so, or they may revert to this new model and simply have it revert to the council chair and past chair. One of the concerns is that at least one individual who might otherwise be able to come to MLA would not have an officer's position. It actually shrinks and reduces the number of potential participants in any given MLA conference because very often, having an officer's position is something that an individual can take to their administration for effective attendance at the given council.At the request of President Funk, a copy of the motion was given to the teller.
Gale Dutcher, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland: I feel that this [board-proposed amendment] puts an even greater burden on section chairs who already have a substantial job. In essence, the section chair runs the section, and the representative represents the section externally. The section representative is elected by the members of the section and represents the section, is not there just to do the bidding of the chair, and reports back to the section just like your representative does who represents your state in Congress. I don't see that this is any conflict. And I also don't think that this proposal has taken into account any use of any of the Web 2.0 technologies that Mark was talking about this morning for communication.President Funk: We have an amended motion up, and all speakers right now have to address that amended motion first before we can get back to the main motion.
Stephen Greenberg, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland: I am speaking in support of the amended motion. First of all, let me say that I have served in Section Council twice. I have been a section chair twice. And one of the best things about this organization is the volunteerism that makes everything run: attendance, Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP), everything that we do. And I will speak in support of Mike's motion because it gives the greatest opportunity for more people to be involved in this organization.
Patricia Thibodeau, AHIP, FMLA, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina: I speak against the amended motion only because as being once an alternate, once a rep, and then chair of the Section Council, I realize that communication with the section chairs is very, very important. I think the initial amendment given to us by the board provides a very strong communication tie between the sections, which are our most important resource, I think, in MLA, and that gives us a strong way of making sure the leaderships in the sections are involved with MLA, and that the board can immediately contact, listen to, and communicate with those leaderships.
Mike Kronenfeld, AHIP, A. T. Still University, Mesa, AZ: I am a member of the ad hoc committee. In the last thirty years, I've had a chance to be an alternate on Section Council and chair three different sections. I also spent a term as chair of a division at the Special Libraries Association (SLA) that has this model, and I think that the structural problem with the current model is that it's very hard, and even with Web 2.0, to have a real sense of strong communication and the chair being involved with what's going on. The other thing that I think that we want to accomplish with this is an opportunity for section chairs to network with each other. I think not only should the section chair represent the section, but section chairs need an opportunity to meet again, interact, and in that position, not only get to know each other, but coalesce as a group representing the sections' wishes and input forward. So I think this opportunity for section chairs to get together, to coalesce, to have chairs draw upon the expertise of past chairs across the sections, and a chance for incoming chair-elects to have an opportunity to get a feel of issues beyond just their sections are reasons that this structure goes beyond simply the Section Council representing the sections.
Marie Ascher, AHIP, Health Sciences Library, New York Medical College–Valhalla: I'm speaking in favor of the proposed amendment, basically, on several levels. First of all, full disclosure, I'm a current member of Section Council, but that has nothing to do with it. I do think the opportunities for participation are really valuable. But probably most importantly, I think that the amendment provided by the board assumes that the primary work of the chair is to speak back to national MLA, and I think that the chair does have a lot of more interesting work that they could be doing and should be doing, and often are not doing, and that this would really take away from that, if the primary energies of the chair were focused toward Section Council, which actually can be a lot of work. I also like the proposed amendment because it would allow for smaller sections who can't fill those positions to fill those positions, so I think it works really well. I'm thinking back to the presidential address today, which actually said that more devices and more voices aid communication, the exponential increase in communication when you add more devices. I think a section representative, if done well, can be an additional device, but that we have to really work well to make that communication work well.
Barbara Epstein, AHIP, Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: I'd like to speak against the amendment. As I've been sitting here trying to think about the practical implications of what this amendment would mean, it seems to me that it would lead to kind of a mish-mash on Section Council. There would be some elected representatives, there would be some chairs. How would each section make that decision? How often would it change? You know, this year we want an elected one, next year we're going to have the chair. And I think the practical implications of this aren't clear to me, and I think it would kind of lead to a great deal of confusion.
Patricia Gallagher, AHIP, Library, New York Academy of Medicine–New York: I'd like to speak in favor of the amendment. My feeling is that the revision will permit the officer who serves on Section Council to always be an elected official, never someone who is appointed. I think it is important that the person who serves on Section Council, whether they be someone who is a chair or immediate past chair or an elected member of Section Council be elected, not a proxy member.President Funk then called for a vote on the proposed amendment to the motion, which read, “That Section Council shall be composed of Section Immediate Past Chairs and Section Chairs or a representative duly elected by the Section. In no case will a Section be unrepresented in Section Council.” The motion failed, and this amendment was not adopted. President Funk returned to discussion on the main motion.
Gale Dutcher, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland: I think I really said my peace earlier, that I am against the original amendment 1. I really don't see the advantages of it… In the sections to which I belong, the representative is an officer, and is a member of the executive board of that section, and is fully capable of representing the section. And this reduces the number of people who can participate as elected officers and puts undue burden on the chair.
Norma Funkhouser, AHIP, immediate past chair, Section Council: I would like to speak in favor of the changes in the Bylaws as they're proposed. I can testify that there has been a lack of communication between the representatives of Section Council and some of the sections, and I think it is critical that that be improved. And I think that one way to really do this and ensure that the sections really know what's going on with the council and vice-versa is to have the chairs and the past chairs of the sections represent the sections on the Section Council.
Janet Schnall, AHIP, Health Sciences Libraries University of Washington–Seattle: I was also, in full disclosure, a member of the task force. I am strongly in favor of this amendment. I have been both a Section Council representative for several years and I also currently serve as chair of the Nursing [and Allied Health Resources] Section. And seeing both sides of the picture, I will strongly say that there is definitely a lack of communication. When I was a representative, I had to give all the information to the section chair. Now I'm a chair and I'm relying on the representative to represent us in a council. And very often the information does not get back and forth very easily. Also, as a chair, I would love to have an opportunity to meet with other chairs and to share our issues and our concerns and be together as a group, and there is no opportunity for us right now. And secondly, this task force did look very heavily into other organizations of our type, and in almost every single case, they followed an example of having some kind of Section Council, whatever they called it, but it was all represented by the division heads or the section heads or whatever, so this model was not invented out of the air; we did some research on this question.
Michelynn McKnight, AHIP, School of Library and Information Science, Louisiana State University–Baton Rouge: I have served on the Section Council and also as section chair of a couple of sections. And I have to say that my Section Council experience, at best, was an example of the department of redundancy department and at worse suffered from what we all find very funny in the childhood game of telephone, of one person says something to somebody, who says something to somebody else. There's a very, very good reason why we don't do our reference interviews by proxy.
Marie Asher, AHIP, Health Sciences Library, New York Medical College–Valhalla: I really just wanted to add something. I continue to be, now, against this proposal. And I keep on hearing the comment being made that the section chairs are saying they don't have an opportunity to get together, and I'm wondering whether that constitutes disbanding Section Council as we know it or whether there should be an orientation for new chairs, which is just something that doesn't happen—just a suggestion.
Mary Ryan, AHIP, FMLA, UAMS Library, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences–Little Rock: I'd like to speak in favor of the motion. As a former Section Council rep and a chair of Section Council nearly twenty years ago, this is not just a temporary problem. We had this problem with communication back in the early 1990s on Section Council, and we actually discussed a proposal similar to this then, but we thought since Section Council wasn't really very old at that time that we would give it a little longer to see if this structure actually worked. And obviously, nearly twenty years later, I think it's still not working very well. I think it adds an extra layer of bureaucracy that makes it harder for the Section Council to function efficiently and effectively.Seeing no one else approach the microphones, President Funk called for a vote on the motion to amend article XII, section 3A, by striking all of the current section A and replacing it with the new language as published in amendment 1 of the handouts to allow for the new Section Council structure. There being a majority in the affirmative, the assembly recommended to the membership adopting the amendments to article XII, section 3A, of the Bylaws.

These remaining amendments were passed without discussion/objection:

Amend article XII, section 3B, by striking all of article XII, section 3B, and inserting language that allows for the new Section Council structure. Rationale: The Section Council Composition Review Task Force recommends that each section should have one vote on Section Council and that the primary voter should be the immediate section past chair. If the immediate past chair is not present at the Section Council meeting, the section chair should cast the vote. If neither the immediate past chair nor the section chair is present at the Section Council meeting, then the section will select a proxy to cast the vote. This amendment makes provision for all sections to have the opportunity to participate and vote at the Section Council meetings when the immediate past chair is unable to attend. It also provides the section with direction in the event that the section chair is unable to attend, whereby the section may appoint another section officer as the proxy to represent the section's interests.
Amend article XII, section 3C, by striking all of article XII, section 3C, and inserting language that allows the section to appoint a replacement to serve until the next scheduled election if there is a vacancy in both the office of the immediate past section chair and the section chair. Rationale: This amendment gives section leaders guidelines for appointing a replacement in the office of section immediate past chair or section chair in the event of a vacancy in either of those offices, so there is continuity of leadership and that the section's interests may be represented in Section Council.
Amend article XII, section 3D, by striking the term “representative” and replacing it with the term “Voting Member,” by removing provisions related to outgoing members who are elected to serve as council chair and staggered terms, and by adding the terms “Section” and “Section Council” for clarification. Rationale: These changes become necessary under the new governance structure of Section Council. Replacing the term representative with the term “Voting Member” is due to the elimination of the representative position, and the provisions related to outgoing members of Section Council who are elected to serve as Section Council chair-elect and staggered terms are removed because they are no longer relevant under the new governance structure.
Amend article XII, section 3E, by striking section 3E. Rationale: This amendment is necessary because the issue of vacancy is addressed under amendment 3.
Amend article IV, section 4, by adding the MLANET editor to the list of appointed officers and by making other editorial changes to accommodate this addition. Rationale: At the 2004 MLA Business Meeting, during the discussion and amendment of article IV, section 4, of the Bylaws that called for removal of the managing editor of books, a recommendation was made to add the MLANET editor to the list of appointed officials in the Bylaws. The assembly agreed that this recommendation should be referred to the Bylaws Committee. Because of the high cost of amending the bylaws, the Bylaws Committee waited to present the amendment related to the MLANET editor until now when other amendments are being proposed.
Amend article IV, section 5D and section 5E, to allow for the inclusion of language for the duties of the MLANET editor and to make other editorial changes within section 5 to accommodate this addition.
Amend article V, section 2A, by striking the words, “this submission shall be made to the appropriate Council before its final assembly at the Association's Annual Meeting,” and replacing these words with “by the date previously announced by each council,” to allow for electronic voting of potential candidates for Nominating Committee membership. Rationale: The current process for nominations and elections of potential candidates for Nominating Committee membership has proved to be labor intensive and expensive and is not always efficient and effective. Currently, chapters and sections submit to their respective councils the name of their potential candidates for MLA Nominating Committee before its final assembly at the MLA annual meeting. The respective councils then vote for their prospective candidates at the post-meeting council meetings and forward these names to the MLA Nominating Committee over the summer. This change would allow the chapters and sections to submit the names of their potential candidates earlier and would allow the councils to vote electronically for their potential MLA Nominating Committee candidates prior to the MLA annual meeting. Because the MLA Nominating Committee meets at the annual meeting, the councils would be able to forward the names of their potential candidates prior to this meeting.
Amend article V, section 2B, by striking the words “while assembled at the Association's Annual Meeting” and “immediately thereafter” to allow for electronic voting of potential candidates for Nominating Committee membership. Rationale: This Bylaws change would save the association and its members time and money. It would shorten the amount of time the councils need to spend conducting business at the post-meeting council meetings. It would also eliminate the need to spend time and money reproducing and distributing multiple copies of paperwork for the council meetings, because this information could be handled electronically before the annual meeting.

This brought discussion of the Bylaws amendments to a close. The amendments and a summary of the discussion was to be forwarded to all voting members for their consideration and vote this summer. President Funk thanked all of the individuals who spent many long hours working on these issues, especially the Bylaws Committee, the Board of Directors, the Section Council Composition Review Task Force, and MLA headquarters staff for all their work on behalf of the association.

Because of the time it took for the amendments, the treasurer's report and the executive director's report were postponed until the second business meeting on Tuesday. President Funk then adjourned Business Meeting I.

Business Meeting II: Presidential Inaugural Address and MLA '09 Invitation Tuesday, May 20, 2008

President Mark Funk welcomed everyone and called the morning's session to order. He reminded everyone that this session was the conclusion of the association's business for 2007/08. A quorum of voting members was present for the business meeting, and total meeting attendance was reported as 2,484 [at the time; the final attendance number was 2,436].

As there was unfinished business from Business Meeting I, President Funk announced that they would finish that first and introduced MLA Treasurer Linda Walton, who presented the treasurer's report.

Linda Walton: Good morning. As your treasurer, I believe it's my responsibility to provide you with the details of how the board manages your money. The film clip that I'm about to show you is a perfect example of a typical board meeting. [Video clip from “Mad Money” plays.] But seriously, Carla Funk, Ray Naegele, and the entire staff do a fantastic job of managing the association's finances, and my job as treasurer would be impossible without them.

Now down to business. As you look at the chart [slide] from left to right, you can see that not only has our budget been balanced for the past 2 years, but we have had net revenue as well. We had net revenues of $52,661 in 2006, $118,166 in 2007, and we anticipate $10,650 net revenue in 2008. And just so it's clear to everyone, the MLA budget is on the calendar year, not on the association year, which is why we're now going to take a minute to look at both 2007 and 2008.

Two thousand seven was an excellent financial year for MLA. Memberships, meeting attendance, and exhibit rentals were all up. I'm also pleased to report that the MLANET as well as Journal of the Medical Library Association and MLA News advertising has increased over the past couple of years. Finally, the contract MLA has to manage the Association for Library and Information Science Education has really paid off, thanks to Kathleen Combs and her excellent management skills.

Now, you might ask what did the board decide to do with the $118,166 in revenue? Well, like many members, we are concerned about the future of the national economy, and so we have elected to put the money into reserves. A quick recap of the 2008 budget shows that both revenue and expenses are expected to be about 6% higher than last year. Revenue is projected at $3,320,250, and expenses are projected at $3,309,600, with a net revenue of $10,650.

Where is your money going this year? New initiatives for 2008 included a more green meeting. I hope you've noted the recycling bins around the meeting center. Recycled paper has been used for badges and some of the printing, when possible. Additionally, watch for more social networking, such as the blog for this meeting and the Web 2.0 plenary session tomorrow morning. For more information, see the 2008 budget article in the April issue of the MLA News and in the 2007 year-end audit report posted on MLANET <http://www.mlanet.org/pdf/budget/auditedfin_2007.pdf> (members only).

Next, President Funk called on Carla Funk to present the executive director's report.

Carla J. Funk: Good morning, everybody. I hope you've really enjoyed your stay in Chicago, home of MLA headquarters. A summary of MLA activities over the year is on the back of the National Medical Librarians Month poster that you got in your meeting bag, and the full annual report is on MLANET <http://www.mlanet.org/about/annual_report/07_08/> (members only). What I'd like to highlight today, though, is how we've tried this year to bridge some of the knowledge gaps about our members' needs and preferences.

MLA's revised research policy statement, The Research Imperative, was published last year. In the spirit of the policy's recommendations, there have been a number of survey and data collection activities undertaken by the association and its members, including the Benchmarking Editorial Board, the Task Force on Social Networking Software, the Membership Committee, Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section, Section Council, and the International Cooperation Section.

Membership Committee members also surveyed Colleague Connection participants, and staff supported the Health Information Literacy Research Project survey of hospital administrators and health care providers. So you can see this has truly been a year of research for the association. What did we learn? Well, the first thing we learned is—and not surprisingly—there is a generational shift in MLA's membership. The membership survey reported a slight increase since the 2003 survey in both the number of respondents in the 30- to 39-year-old age range and in the percentage of respondents who have been employed 10 years or less. Also, although the majority of respondents to the membership survey have been in the profession 20 years or more, 24% have been members for 3 years or less, a higher percentage than in either the 1994 or 2003 membership surveys. And these data are in line with the record number of new members who have joined MLA over the past couple of years.

Mentoring activity has also shown an increase over the past 4 years as newer people come into the profession. Again, membership survey results reported an almost 10% increase over 2003 in respondents who use the Academy of Health Information Professionals mentor program, and an almost 8% increase in respondents who reported having been mentored during their careers. And in fact MLA's mentoring website received almost 40,000 hits in 2007.

The Colleague Connection at the annual meeting is one of MLA's most visible mentoring activities. Membership Committee Chair Dean Hendrix found from his survey of members who had used the Colleague Connection at the 2006 and 2007 annual meetings that 80% of respondents believed that the Colleague Connection benefited their meeting experience and would participate again and that the mentees felt more connected to MLA as a result of the experience. And there is an article about this survey, plus recommendations, in the April 2008 issue of the MLA News.

As far as professional development is concerned, we found that 73% of people responding to the membership survey still overwhelmingly preferred classroom instruction to other modes of learning, with 40% favoring web-based courses and 36% favoring webcasts. However, 78% still were starting to express interest in web-based tutorials as a mode of learning.

Staff assisted the Task Force on Social Networking Software to register and track MLA members participating in MLA's first-ever online accredited continuing education course, “Web 2.0 101, Introduction to Second Generation Web Tools.” And I'm sure many of you in the audience participated. It was an enormous success, and something that we are going to continue next year.

The top reasons for MLA membership have shifted slightly between 1990 and 2007 toward a more advocacy driven program. In 1990 and 1994, the top reason for MLA membership was keeping up-to-date on health information issues. Today, the top reasons are advocating for the value and role of librarians with accrediting bodies and assisting in setting professional standards. MLA continues to promote the “myths and truths” advocacy materials for hospital librarians, and this resource actually has been used extensively by our European colleagues as well as our members.

The Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section (NAHRS) Survey of Magnet Coordinators and Librarians in Magnet Institutions, by Pamela Sherwill-Navarro, AHIP, and Margaret (Peg) Allen, AHIP, revealed that 92% of magnet coordinators responding felt that a medical librarian on-site or access to a medical librarian provided value to an institution and its employees. They also felt that medical librarians have a distinct role to play in the magnet journey. These survey results were sent to the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and as a result, the group will add a question about the participation of and access to a medical librarian to their new readiness assessment tool and provide links to the NAHRS and MLA websites to access the magnet survey.

There were also marketing seminars, and there will be, I think, one after this session today, both basic and advanced, during the meeting. And I hope that you were able to attend one or will attend it.

From the Health Information Literacy Research Projects Hospital Administrator and Health Care Provider Survey, completed in February 2008, we found that 82% of survey respondents described the provision of patient and consumer health information and resources as critically important to fulfilling their mission. However, when forced to choose between funding information services for health care professionals or health information services for patients and consumers, 86% chose to fund services for health professionals.

We had expected, actually, the opposite result. We thought that they would favor a consumer health resource center, so this was very surprising. And the leading rationales for this choice, according to the people surveyed, were that hospital libraries serving health care providers are critical to successful patient outcomes and that health care providers use these resources to provide health information to patients.

And as part of the project, the Indiana University School of Library and Information Science sponsored a working conference in April 2008 in Indianapolis, Indiana, to discuss the health information literacy curriculum that is currently being piloted by nine hospital library sites across the United States and Canada.

Staff also continues to support the work of MLA's Vital Pathways project, and we're hopeful that there will be a symposium on the project published in the Journal of the Medical Library Association next year that will include, among other papers, results from the hospital library survey, a report on medical education and libraries, and a white paper on the state of hospital libraries and future directions.

As part of this project, MLA initiated the Hospital Library Status Notification Form. To date, we have received 121 responses from both MLA members and nonmembers. About two-thirds of these have reported downsizing in staff budgets and facilities or library closures. But about one-third have reported increases in all these areas. Also, MLA members seem to be faring somewhat better than nonmembers, with 8% more members reporting positive changes, and 3% fewer reporting negative changes in status. During the same time period, 7% fewer nonmembers reported positive changes, while 17% more reported negative changes.

According to the membership survey, keeping up-to-date on health information issues and networking with other information professionals both tied for second place for reasons why people are members of the association. Most respondents prefer receiving information about MLA and the profession via MLA-FOCUS, followed by MEDLIB-L. This is different than 1994, as you can imagine, when the MLA News was the most popular communication tool for this type of information. Also, in spite of increasingly accessing the Journal of the Medical Library Association and the MLA News online, over 50% of respondents still prefer receiving the print edition.

And finally, according to the Task Force on Social Networking Software survey, over 70% of respondents use blogs and really simple syndication (RSS) news feeds in their professional lives. At this point in time, though, only 8% of member survey respondents prefer receiving information about MLA and the profession this way, so this is kind of interesting.

The third benchmarking network data collection tool was distributed in 2007/08 in partnership this year with the Canadian Health Libraries Association/Association des bibliothéques de la santé du Canada (CHLA/ABSC), and over 300 libraries participated in the survey. Information for participants will be available this summer, and it will be interesting to compare aggregate data with the past surveys.

Also this past year, MLA added the fifth edition of Introduction to Reference Sources in the Health Sciences, edited by Jeffrey Huber, Jo Anne Boorkman, AHIP, FMLA, and Jean Blackwell, AHIP, to its list of quality publications.

MLA continues to build its network of partners during 2007/08. And as we've heard earlier, the Librarians without Borders e-library training initiative, funded under a grant from the Elsevier Foundation and coordinated by Lennie Rhine, FMLA, continued with training sessions in Vietnam, Nigeria, Nepal, Zanzibar, Tanzania, and Cambodia. We have started to get more and more inquiries about this program from both members and nonmembers.

MLA worked with the Massachusetts Health Sciences Library Network Working Group for Health Literacy to produce a series of Medspeak and Plain Language brochures, written at approximately a fifth-grade reading level. The first in the Plain Language series debuted in February, and three additional Plain Language brochures on diabetes, stroke, and HIV/AIDS were published in April, and copies of all four are in your annual meeting bags. And we're going to do some additional titles in this series later this year.

Finally, I would like to recognize some MLA staff members. I am very happy to introduce Elizabeth Lund, who was hired as director of publications in November, replacing Lynanne Feilen who left MLA in June after more than six years on staff. Elizabeth's most recent experience was as development editor for Neal-Schuman, MLA's books copublisher, where some of MLA's authors worked with her preparing their books for publication.

We also have some milestones to celebrate this year, very appropriately, in this year of research. I'm happy to recognize Kate Corcoran, MLA's director of research and information systems, for her twenty years of service to the Medical Library Association and its members. She was instrumental in launching many of the research projects that I mentioned today and in providing other research support as well as developing and maintaining MLANET as a valuable member and public resource for everything MLA.

Editorial Assistant Susan Talmage and Accountant Tom Pacetti, whom you have seen at this meeting, are celebrating their tenth anniversaries with MLA, and Susan Chesniak, also an accountant in finance and administration, is celebrating her fifth anniversary with the association. Many of you have met her at the meeting registration desk at this and past annual meetings.

This concludes the headquarters report, and I hope you've had an opportunity to meet all of our staff. We love to meet in Chicago because everybody gets to come. And I hope that you have had an opportunity to also visit MLA headquarters, which is right down the road. And I also hope that you have had a wonderful, wonderful meeting experience. Thank you.

President Funk returned to the podium and moved on to the next order of business, the annual report. In the interest of time, he received the annual reports in a block.

The informational reports of the appointed officials, the councils, the committees, the representatives, the chapters, and the sections are found in the 2007/08 Annual Report of the Medical Library Association. These reports are posted on MLANET <http://www.mlanet.org/about/annual_report/07_08/> and will remain available on MLANET throughout the year. They are also available in paper copy, by request, from the executive director's office. There being no corrections or objections from members, the reports were filed as presented.

President Funk then recognized and thanked the retiring MLA board members, Margaret Bandy, AHIP, Craig Haynes, AHIP, Tovah Reis, and Connie Schardt, AHIP. They were presented with certificates as tokens of respect and gratitude for work well done.

Next, President Funk expressed his sincere gratitude to retiring Immediate Past-President Jean Shipman, president of MLA during the 2006/07 association year. She was presented with a plaque.

The new members of the MLA Board of Directors, Connie Schardt, AHIP (as president-elect), Jane Blumenthal, AHIP, Judy Burnham, AHIP, Julia Kochi, and Beverly Murphy, AHIP, were then welcomed and introduced.

Incoming President Ryan presented Funk with the presidential cup and congratulated him on an outstanding year on behalf of the association. President Funk proceeded to introduce the incoming president, Mary Ryan, AHIP, FMLA, director, University of Arkansas for the Medical Sciences Library–Little Rock, 2008/09 MLA president, who then delivered the inaugural address.

Inaugural Address

Mary Ryan, AHIP, FMLA: Thank you, Mark, for that nice introduction, and thanks to all of you for being here today. Let me begin by saying how honored I am to be serving you as a president of the Medical Library Association. I appreciate the trust you've placed in me, and I'll do my best to serve you well.

One of the responsibilities of the president-elect is to work with MLA units and members to identify priorities to be focused on during the coming year. But before I tell you about the priorities for 2008/09, there are some things I probably should disclose about myself that—in the spirit of full disclosure—will help you to understand why some of these particular priorities were chosen.

I'm not a techie like Mark. I don't particularly enjoy experimenting with new technologies. Fortunately, I work with some very smart people who do that for me. I'm much more interested in the sociological aspects of technology—how it affects our everyday lives and how it affects our jobs and our relationships with each other. I'm kind of like that demographer that Andrew Zolli talked about Sunday, so you might guess that my undergraduate degree is in sociology. I also have a degree in public health, so you will see some public health topics in the priorities for this coming year.

Also, I'm an amateur photographer, but since I'm not a techie—I mean, I'm a really amateur photographer—I just use a point-and-shoot digital camera. But you'll see some photographs included in my presentation today. The good thing about using your own photographs is you don't have to worry about copyright.

Also, I'm a reality TV junkie. I like to watch travel and cooking shows and HGTV. I won't tell you some of the other ones. My favorite show is The Amazing Race. For those of you who have never seen it—and I'm sure there are at least a few in the audience who have never seen it—it starts with, I think, twelve teams, and there are two people on each team. And they get these instructions and they race to these different locations or pit stops around the world. Now, along the way they encounter a lot of detours, and obstacles, and challenges, and the last team to arrive at each pit stop usually gets eliminated from the race, until there are three teams left. And in the finale, the first of the final three teams to cross the finish line wins a million dollars.

Now, the reason I'm telling you about this show is because one of the main ways that teams get ahead in The Amazing Race is to form a partnership or a coalition with another team, so that they can share resources and help both of them to get further along in the race. I'll talk more about The Amazing Race in a few minutes.

I've given the title “iFusion: Partnerships for Addressing Information Issues” to our priorities for the coming year. I wish I could claim credit for the “iFusions” idea, but I got the idea from the 2009 National Program Committee, which chose it as the theme for our meeting next year. Now, fusion can be defined as a partnership or a merging of diverse, distinct, or separate elements into a unified whole. And this is kind of how I think of MLA. We're all very individual members. We work in a lot of different working environments. We have a lot of different needs and perspectives. But we fuse together into this unified whole through MLA.

Now, the “i” in iFusions can stand for several things: of course, for the individual members of MLA, for the interrelationships that we form with each other through MLA and the interorganizational partnerships that MLA forms with other associations. By forming all of these partnerships, we can much better meet our individual and local needs, as well as standing in a stronger position when addressing issues of a national or international nature.

Now, as Carla mentioned in her report, there are a lot of initiatives currently underway through MLA, so we're doing a lot of work already. So when we were looking at what to choose for the priorities for the coming year, we took all of these into consideration, and it's important that we continue working on all of these current initiatives while adding a few new ones.

The priorities for the coming year are based mainly on input that I received from talking to a lot of different people about what they thought MLA's priorities should be. The priorities fall into one of three general categories. One is recruitment and retention of health information professionals; one is advocacy for the profession and issues of importance to it; and last is efficiency and effectiveness of association operations.

Any successful professional association should be concerned about the recruitment and the retention of the members of its profession. The looming retirement of many Baby Boomer librarians—of which I'm one—just magnifies the need for us to recruit and retain talented librarians in our profession. Since 2002/03, the MLA Professional Recruitment and Retention Committee (PRRC) has been working on some initiatives to try to recruit more members to our profession. During the coming year, they will also work on some retention initiatives.

And let me give you just one brief example of why I think this priority is so important. In my library we had absolutely no librarians with young children for almost twenty years. And now, suddenly, we have four librarians with very young children. And I watch these librarians struggle every day to try to meet their work and home demands. And we had to develop some flexible work schedules and some work at home policies in order to keep these librarians in the profession when their children are so young.

Two of them hosted a sharing session at the South Central Chapter Meeting to talk about work–life balance issues. And I was stunned at how many people attended that sharing session, so it was obviously a very popular topic. At that sharing session, they talked not just about having young children and how hard it is to meet demands, but also about taking care of aging parents, being the sandwich generation that's taking care of children and parents, and single people who want to have a better work–life balance than some of us have had. They came up with some really good ideas, but some really strong indications that this is an important topic. They asked me, at that sharing session, to make this a priority for MLA.

Now, these are just two [slide] of the reasons why I need to get a better work–life balance, and I have to confess that I'm not in balance. These are Honey and Bandit, and they wait very patiently, or not, for me to get home at night to take them for a walk. And of course they're much cuter than the picture, but it was really hard to take a picture of two little dogs who don't like to sit next to each other.

In conjunction with a human resources firm called the Hay Group, MLA conducts a survey every 3 years to gather comparative salary data as well as gather demographic data on how many MLA members fall into each age group, how many are planning to leave the profession, and the reasons why. Now, the 2005 survey showed that 50% of the respondents were at least 50 years of age or older, that was half of all the MLA members who responded were at least 50 years of age. It also showed that one of the main reasons why people were planning to leave the profession was to get a better work–life balance.

During the coming year, we will do that survey again to get updated data, and I encourage all of you to participate in it, because we need to get the data on salaries, we need to get the data on who's planning to leave the profession and the reasons why so that we can try to look at those reasons why people are planning to leave the profession and figure out some ways that we can all retain the talented librarians we already have. Of course, they'll look at generational issues and work–life balance. The PRRC will also look at health promotion and the work site programs because this is a priority for the American Library Association right now, so hopefully we can learn some things by looking at their project as well.

Now, advocacy for the profession and issues of importance to it is the second category of priorities. When I first started working as a paraprofessional at the Tulane Health Sciences Library in 1972, I typed subject headings on the top of catalog cards in red and I filed them in the catalog and I maintained the shelf list. Now, things moved at a pretty slow pace back then, and we thought it was a really big deal when we got a TWX machine to transmit interlibrary loan (ILL) requests. And when we got an IBM Correcting Selectric typewriter with these little interchangeable balls—is this bringing back memories for anybody?—that allowed us to type in different fonts, even in italics, we thought that was really cool!

I learned a lot in library school, but I graduated from the Louisiana State University Library School in 1976 without ever having touched a computer. And I remember my last semester of library school, walking down the street from Tulane to the New Orleans Public Library to look at their brand new OCLC work station. I remembering writing computer programs in COBAL and FORTRAN in the early 1980s, back when I was a techie, and entering them into the computer using keypunch cards. I couldn't find a keypunch card, they're so far gone.

And I remember when we got our first computer in the library and we all had to share it, and we had to sign up on this big printed calendar, and we could only use it for an hour at a time. People would stand there waiting for you to get off. And I remember when the first two of us in the library got email, and we wondered whether anybody else would ever start using email enough to make it useful to us in our everyday work, if you can imagine that now.

Now, these changes that have taken place in the past are important, but I think it's important for us to stop and think about how much we're going to have to change in the future. I've made a list of what I normally would think of as the traditional functions that a library has performed in the past. And if we think about these and think about how we're transitioning from providing information resources in print to providing information resources online, and we think about that in relation to these traditional activities that we've performed, we all know that these activities have changed a lot. I don't need to tell you all that because we're all living it every day.

We do selection and acquisitions differently because we try to look for the best consortia deal that we can get. We have to negotiate licensing agreements, we have to put links in our catalog to the online resources and run a proxy server to make sure unauthorized users don't get in, we've automated the ILL process. And my library has pretty much given up the archiving function except for our unique and historical collections. Whenever a journal back file becomes available on PubMed Central, we automatically delete it from our print back file collection because we need to convert that space to student study space.

And of course we have more reference librarians now, and a lot of hospital librarians who are going out and teaching information literacy skills. So these activities have changed a lot. But I think the changes that we've seen in the last ten years will pale in comparison to the changes that we're going to see in the near future as technology changes and as the system of scholarly publishing changes.

Since we've been the gatekeepers of mainly published information, it's important for us to see what's going on in scholarly publishing. And the functions of scholarly publishing have been described as the registration of ideas so that we know who had an idea and the approximate time that they had it, the certification of the validity of information in a journal article—and this is done mainly by the peer-review process and the journal editorial process—and then awareness, which involves the publication, distribution, and indexing of journal articles so that people know what information exists and how to find it, and then of course the archiving function.

A lot of researchers and companies have started using the web and 2.0 technologies to change the way that ideas are registered, that the information is certified, and that people are made aware of this information. Since librarians have traditionally been the gatekeepers of published information, and since information is now being generated and shared in different ways than the traditional publishing process, this is bound to have a huge impact on our profession. We can look at the changes that are taking place as threats or we can look at them as opportunities. And I think this picture [slide] that my sister took at the POW camp in Hanoi is a graphic illustration of the dilemma that we find ourselves in, with the spike fence posts and the razor wire representing the threats or the challenges that we face because of the changes in publishing and the flower representing the opportunity that we have to change our profession in a very positive way.

Now, for several years, we've had an MLA Scholarly Publishing Task Force, which has been addressing these issues. Its focus has been mainly on the open access publishing movement. But since there are still so many changes going on in publishing that are starting to affect our profession, the task force was converted this year to a committee, the Ad Hoc Committee for Advocating Scholarly Communication.

In addition to addressing open access publishing issues and the now-mandatory National Institutes of Health (NIH) public access policy, the ad hoc committee will also address other issues related to publishing. It might look at peer review. You might remember that in his keynote address at MLA last year, Arthur Caplan said that we need to be educating our users about the issues surrounding peer review such as ethics and open versus closed peer review, etc.

Impact factors are another issue that have been discussed a lot in the literature recently, partly because of the concern about the disadvantages of the commonly used system for calculating impact factors. And there have been some new ways developed to evaluate someone's scholarly work, like the Eigenfactor and the H-index. At my institution, we've been educating the promotion and tenure committees of the different colleges about these new ways to evaluate someone's scholarly work, and they're very interested in this information. And of course, the committee will continue to address the impact of changes in publishing on our profession.

And now, for just two public health topics: emergency management and the environment. Emergency management is an area that's being addressed a lot in our workplaces as well as in our communities right now that I think has the potential for a lot of new roles for libraries. And in paper presentation yesterday or Sunday, Robin Featherstone talked about some of the ways that librarians have responded to recent disasters, and that was a very interesting presentation. We learned in the aftermath of manmade disasters such as 9/11 and natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina just how quickly our world can change, and how important it is that we be prepared to respond to emergencies, and that we respond well when those emergencies occur.

These are just a few of the pictures [slides] that my sister and I took in New Orleans about six months after Katrina. This is my friend Kathleen's house. She was an MLA member. She had worked at Tulane for over thirty years, and she had retired two months before Katrina hit. You can see where the water level was in her house. It took her a year and a half to rebuild her house and move back in.

Several MLA units, including especially the Librarians without Borders Task Force, have already started addressing some emergency management issues, and they've put some information on MLANET about disaster preparedness. They released their final report recently for the Task Force on Librarians without Borders, and they made several recommendations about what MLA could do to help us be better prepared for emergencies. So during the coming year, we will look at those recommendations and see what we need to do to respond to them.

Also, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine have been very actively addressing disaster preparedness issues in the past few years. I attended a meeting about a year and a half ago that NLM held to start the discussion of the development of a national emergency preparedness plan for health sciences libraries. And at that meeting NLM staff asked that MLA help them to publicize this issue and the resources that they're developing and the plan that they're developing. So during the coming year, we will talk to NLM to see what we can do to complement the work that they're already doing.

Environmental health was one of my favorite classes in the College of Public Health at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), although it was also one of the hardest. And also, I very vividly remember the first Earth Day back in 1970, when I was an idealistic senior in college, and we thought that environmental issues were finally coming to the public's attention. Little did we know it would be almost forty years before environmental issues were addressed on a wide scale in the United States. But there have been a lot of developments in the past few years that make me hopeful that we're finally getting there.

One is the Climate Commitment, which was recently signed by over 500 college and university presidents, in which they committed to reducing the carbon footprint or the environmental impact of their universities. Many of our hospitals are becoming greener as well. My university hospital certainly is, although I think the main incentive there was to save money on our utility bills. But the result will be good for the environment anyway. Many publishers now, especially newspaper and book publishers, are trying to reduce the environmental impact of publishing through their Green Press initiative. And EBSCO has several green initiatives right now, including the recently released Green File database.

The 2008 National Program Committee for this meeting had a goal to have a green meeting here in Chicago, and we've seen the results of that with the recycling bins and other efforts to reduce the use of paper, etc. And many of our chapters have attempted to have greener meetings in the past few years. So during the coming year, MLA will work even harder to have greener meetings at our annual meetings, and they will exchange information back and forth with the chapter meeting planners to try to figure out ways that we can all have greener meetings so that we reduce the environmental impact.

Also, MLA will become a clearinghouse for information on how we can help our libraries to become more environmentally friendly. And I challenge all of us to work on this in the next few years. We need to just do it—to make our libraries more environmentally friendly.

I'm sure that we're all aware of how important it is that we do this for future generations. Not just for our own children and their children's children, but for all of the children of the world, such as these adorable little fellows that I met in Vietnam [slide]. I'm sure we're all aware that what we do to the environment in the United States affects the environment all over the world, so it's important that we do this for all of the children.

Association efficiency and effectiveness is the third category of priorities for the coming year. We have several activities planned related to this, but I just have time to talk about two of them today. One is strategic planning. In The Amazing Race, teams lose most often not because they lack physical strength or knowledge or skills, but because they either lose their focus, or they get lost and they won't stop and ask for directions, or they fail to notice what's going on around them in their environment and react accordingly—in other words, they don't have a strategic plan.

The process of developing a strategic plan allows us to pull back and look at the bigger picture, to look at the environment in which we work, and to see what's going on in that environment that might impact what we need to be doing. It allows us to figure out where we need to be going and the best way to get there. MLA's strategic plan is very important because it guides the activities of the association. It determines what headquarters staff does, it determines what the board members do, it determines what the committees and task forces do, so it's a very important document. It was last reviewed and revised in 2002/03, so we will review and revise it during the coming year.

Conflict of interest is another topic that's being discussed a lot in our workplaces right now, partly because of the concern that drug companies have a lot of influence over the prescribing habits of physicians. A few years ago the Association for American Medical Colleges recommended that academic health sciences centers develop very strict gift policies and conflict of interest policies, so it's been interesting to see those develop in the academic health centers. A lot of hospitals have started developing conflict of interest policies as well.

MLA has had an ethics code for librarians since I was on the board back in 1994, and we've had a disclosure policy for several years which all of the board members, and officers, and the chairs of the committees have to sign. During the coming year, we will appoint a task force to review the ethics code and the disclosure policy, as well as MLA's business model, to see if we need to make any changes in those.

In summary, we have some new priorities related to recruitment and retention of health information professionals, advocacy for the profession and issues of importance to it, and efficiency and effectiveness of association operations. We also have all those already existing initiatives to continue working on, so there's a lot of work to be done by the association, mainly by the committees and task forces.

During this past year, fifty-six members of MLA who joined for the first time within the past five years, and most of whom have never served on a committee, volunteered for committees. All fifty-six of those newest members of MLA who volunteered for committees were offered a committee appointment this year, so we will have a lot of new ideas, new energy, and new perspectives to bring to the work of the committees and task forces, as well as having experienced members of MLA on each committee and task force.

Fusion, besides being defined as a coalition or a partnership, can also be defined as the union of atomic nuclei to form heavier nuclei, resulting in the release of enormous amounts of energy. By working together through MLA, we can all generate enormous amounts of energy to help us better meet the goals of our association and our profession.

Thank you for your attention, and thank you, again, for giving me the privilege of serving you as president.

President Ryan then introduced the cochairs of the 2009 National Program Committee, Judy Consales, Louise Darling Biomedical Library, University of California–Los Angeles, and Alice Witkowski, Biomedical Library, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California. Ms. Consales and Ms. Witkowski thanked the 2008 National Program Committee and 2008 Local Assistance Committee. They then introduced Virginia (Ginny) Tanji, Health Sciences Library, School of Medicine, University of Hawaii–Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, and Mabel Trafford, Medical Library, Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii, cochairs of the 2009 Local Assistance Committee, and acknowledged the 2009 National Program Committee and Local Assistance Committee.

President Ryan was called back to the podium to present PR Swap ‘n’ Shop awards, announce the winner of the Section Council Shuffle, and award MLA Scholarship Booth raffle prizes. President Ryan thanked members for shopping at the MLA Scholarship Booth and supporting the MLA scholarship program.

Next, Ms. Tanji and Ms. Trafford invited members to attend the 2009 meeting, May 15–20, 2009, in Honolulu, Hawaii. They highlighted attractions in the host city, urged members to attend next year's meeting, referred members to the MLA '09 wiki <http://www.mla09.wetpaint.com>, and introduced Hawaiian dancers and musicians from the Polynesian Cultural Center, who performed as part of the invitation to MLA '09.

At the conclusion of the invitation and following a multimedia presentation, President Ryan recognized Gary Freiburger, AHIP, Arizona Health Sciences Library, University of Arizona–Tucson, who moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried, and the second business session of the 108th annual meeting was officially adjourned.

Section Programming

Contributed papers were presented in six sessions. This list is organized sequentially by day and then by lead MLA section. Abstracts are available at <http://www.mlanet.org/am/am2008/pdf/08_abstracts.pdf>.

Section Programs I: Sunday, May 18, 4:30 P.M.–6:00 P.M

2008 National Program Committee: Forging Connections to Emerging Research

Moderator: Jaime Friel Blanck, AHIP, Health Sciences and Human Services Library, University of Maryland–Baltimore.

The Librarian Emergency Responder: Summary Conclusions from the Oral History Project, Answering the Call: Library Roles in Disasters: Robin Featherstone, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

Health Sciences Libraries' Synergistic Partnerships: Jean Song, Gillian Mayman, and Jane Blumenthal, AHIP, Health Sciences Library, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

Seven-year Tune Up: How One Library Reinvigorated Their Single Service Desk: Susan McGuinness, Jeff Williams, and Alice Witkowski, AHIP, Biomedical Library, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, CA.

Q & A Session

Consumer and Patient Health Information Section, in conjunction with Corporate Information Services, Hospital Libraries, Leadership and Management Sections; Library Marketing SIG: The Bridge Is Out: Better Learn How to Swim—Coping with Budget Cuts—Creative Solutions in Lean Times

Moderator: Tammy L. Mays, AHIP, School of Library and Information Studies, University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Efficiencies of Scale and Empowerment: Consumer Health Website Design Using Social Technologies: Patricia F. Anderson, Health Sciences Libraries, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor; Sarah Brittain, Learning Technologies, Loyola University, Chicago, IL; and Sean R. Meyer, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

Using an In-depth Analysis of Individualized Learning to Best Inform a Library Training Program: Molly Cahall, Rebecca N. Jerome, Annette M. Williams, and Nunzia B. Giuse, AHIP, FMLA, Eskind Biomedical Library, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.

High Tech High Touch: Sharing Staff at a Distance: Sharon Dennis and Claire Hamasu, Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, University of Utah–Salt Lake City, and Heidi Sandstrom, Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library, University of California–Los Angeles.

Are You Marketing or Just Promoting? One Without the Other Is a Wasted Effort: Elizabeth Smigielski, Kornhauser Health Sciences Library, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY.

History of the Health Sciences Section in conjunction with African American Medical Librarians Alliance SIG: Opening Doors: The African American Connection in Medical Librarianship

Moderator: Michael S. Fitts, Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences, University of Alabama–Birmingham.

Quest for Equality: Opening Librarianship to Librarians of Color: Lisa M. Boyd, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.

Those Who Made a Difference: A Qualitative Study of Firsts: Cynthia L. Henderson, Library, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA.

The First Blood Bank in the South: The John Gaston Hospital Blood Bank in 1938: Richard Nollan, Health Sciences Library, University of Tennessee–Memphis.

Opening Doors: Contemporary African American Surgeons: Jill Newmark, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, and Margaret Hutto, Reginald Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History–Baltimore.

Research Section: Developing a Research Culture in Your Organization

Moderator: Susan Lessick, AHIP, Grunigen Medical Library, University of California–Irvine, Orange, CA.

What's So “Imperative” About Research?: Gerald Perry, AHIP, Dennison Memorial Library, University of Colorado–Denver.

From Evidence to Strategic Plan: Sue Fleming, Via Christi Libraries, Via Christi Regional Medical Center, Wichita, KS.

Making a Commitment to Evidence-based Library and Information Practice: The Role of Library Leadership: Susan C. Whitmore, NIH Library, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.

Climbing Mount Everest, or at Least the Sandias: The Viewpoint of an Academic Health Sciences Library Director: Holly S. Buchanan, AHIP, Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center, The University of New Mexico–Albuquerque.

The Culture of Research in Its Many Contexts: Rosalind F. Dudden, AHIP, FMLA, Gerald Tucker Memorial Medical Library, National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Denver, CO.

Section Programs II: Monday, May 19, 10:30 A.M.–Noon

Collection Development Section: Bridging the Library Ethics Gap: Conflict of Interest Concerns of Librarians

Moderator: Melissa M. Nasea, AHIP, Laupus Health Sciences Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC.

The Nature of the Gap: Joan Schuitema, University Library, University of Illinois–Chicago.

Mind the Publication Ethic's Gap: Andrew Robinson, Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, United Kingdom.

Pens, Pencils, and Parties: Avoiding Conflicting Interests in Collection Development: Jonathan Lord, AHIP, Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, University of Virginia–Charlottesville.

Q & A Session

International Cooperation Section in conjunction with Veterinary Medical Libraries Section; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Health Science Librarians; Outreach SIGs: Issues in International Librarianship: Copyright and Resources Sharing

Moderator: Ellen Sayed, Distributed eLibrary, Weill Cornell Medical College-Qatar, Doha, Qatar.

Collaborative Strategies for Connecting Medical Libraries in the Gulf Region: Bijan Esfahani, Distributed eLibrary, Weill Cornell Medical College-Qatar, Doha, Qatar.

International Librarianship: Copyright, Licensing, and Other Issues in Resource Sharing: Tomas Lipinski, School of Information Studies, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

Collaborative Strategies for Connecting Medical Libraries: Thomas L. Williams, AHIP, Distributed eLibrary, Weill Cornell Medical College-Qatar, Doha, Qatar.

Q & A Session

Leadership and Management Section in conjunction with Hospital Libraries Section: Connecting with Leaders: What Do They Expect?

Moderator: Terrance M. Burton, Ebling Library, University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Panel Discussion: Robert Golden, School of Medicine and Public Health and Medical Affairs, University of Wisconsin–Madison; Lois Halstead, Rush University, Chicago, IL; Jeffrey C. Miller, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; Diana Halfer, Clinical and Organizational Development, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL; and William Duffy, Nursing and Perioperative Services, Evanston Hospital, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, Evanston, IL

Medical Informatics Section in conjunction with Educational Media and Technologies Section: Top Technology Trends: Bridge Today, Gone Tomorrow

Moderator: Susan Lessick, AHIP, Grunigen Medical Library, University of California–Irvine, Orange, CA.

Panel Discussion: Sadie L. Honey, Library and Center for Knowledge Management, University of California–San Francisco; Michelle Kraft, AHIP, Cleveland Clinic Alumni Library, South Pointe Hospital, Cleveland, OH; Wallace McLendon, Health Science Center Libraries, University of Florida–Gainesville; Bart Ragon, Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, University of Virginia–Charlottesville; Gabriel Rios, UAB Lister Hill Library, University of Alabama–Birmingham; Eric Schnell, Prior Health Sciences Library, The Ohio State University–Columbus; and Rikke Ogawa, AHIP, Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library, University of California–Los Angeles.

Medical Library Education Section in conjunction with Research Section: Only Connect: Research to Practice

Moderator: Joanne G. Marshall, FMLA, School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill.

Library and Information Science Research Education and the MLA Research Policy: Michelynn McKnight, AHIP, and Carol Hagy, School of Library and Information Science, Louisiana State University–Baton Rouge.

Using Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) in Understanding Selection and Use of Information Resources: The Role of Reference Services: Donghua Tao, Medical Center Library and School of Information Science and Learning Technologies, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, and University of Missouri–Columbia, and Sanda Erdelez, School of Information Science and Learning Technologies, University of Missouri–Columbia.

Assessment of Consumer Health Information in Wikipedia: Jennie M. Morris, Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, University of Utah–Salt Lake City.

Pharmacy and Drug Information Section in conjunction with Chiropractic Libraries Section; Complementary and Alternative Medicine SIG: Bridging the Communication Gap Between Patients and Physicians/Practitioners

Moderator: Ruiling Guo, AHIP, Idaho Health Sciences Library, Idaho State University–Pocatello.

Health Literacy: Helping Health Care Providers Help Patients Understand: Mark V. Williams, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, IL.

Is There a Way for Practitioners to Provide Evidence-based Information on Herbal Medicine to Patients: Norman R. Farnsworth, Program for Collaborative Research in the Pharma Sciences, University of Illinois–Chicago.

Section Programs III: Monday, May 19, 2:00 P.M.–3:30 P.M

2008 National Program Committee: Building Connections to the Future

Moderator: Ana D. Cleveland, AHIP, School of Library and Information Sciences, University of North Texas–Denton.

Practicality versus Theory: Are We Preparing Health Sciences Librarians?: Ivonne Martinez and Michele L. Malloy, Dahlgren Memorial Library, Georgetown University, Washington, DC.

Connecting the Dots: A Library Outreach Program: Kefeng (Maylene) Qiu, AHIP, Quillen College of Medicine Library, East Tennessee State University–Johnson City, and Lin Wu, AHIP, Health Sciences Library and Biocommunications Center, University of Tennessee–Memphis.

Specialization in Medical Librarianship: Alicia A. Livinski, NIH Library, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, and Courtney D. Crummett, Science and Engineering Libraries, Massachusetts Institute of Technology–Cambridge.

Modeling Lay Information Mediary Behavior: Implications for Information Services and Health Outcomes: Jennie A. Abrahamson, NLM Fellow, Oregon Health & Science University–Portland, and Karen E. Fisher, The Information School, University of Washington–Seattle.

Consumer and Patient Health Information Section in conjunction with Collection Development Section; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Health Science Librarians SIG: Consent or Obedience? Medical Authority and Consumer Health Education: Bridging the Medical Ethics Gap

Moderator: Tammy L. Mays, AHIP, School of Library and Information Studies, University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Truth and Consequence: Authoritative Knowledge, Claims of Salvation, and the Medical Internet: Laurie Zoloth, Center for Bioethics, Science and Society, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.

Educational Media and Technologies Section in conjunction with Corporate Information Services, Dental, Nursing and Allied Health Resources, Relevant Issues Sections; Clinical Librarians and Evidence-Based Health Care; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Health Science Librarians; Molecular Biology and Genomics; Outreach SIGs: Bridging the Gap with Web 2.0: Connecting with Our Community and Ourselves

Moderator: Robert Johnson, Library, University of California–Irvine.

Cross-country Connections: Implementing Learning 2.0 in a Multistate Medical Library System: Melissa L. Rethlefsen, Libraries, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, and Ann M. Farrell, Medical Library, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL.

Treating Users as Codevelopers: One Library's Experience with Perpetual Beta: Marcus A. Banks, Sadie Honey, and Julia K. Kochi, Library and Center for Knowledge Management, University of California–San Francisco.

Challenges of Discovery: Consumer Health Resources in Second Life and Use of a Wiki for Indexing and Community Building: Patricia F. Anderson, Health Sciences Libraries, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor; Arta Dobbs, Lyman Maynard Stowe Library, University of Connecticut Health Center–Farmington; and Joshua D. Copeland, Interactive Arts and Media, Columbia College, Chicago, IL.

Ask an Avatar: Providing Reference Services in Second Life: Gillian G. Mayman, Jean Song, Whitney Townsend, Patricia F. Anderson, and Jane Blumenthal, AHIP, Health Sciences Libraries, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

Federal Libraries Section in conjunction with Department of Veterans Affairs Librarians, Mental Health, Outreach SIGs: Connecting Veterans, Military Personnel, and Families to Mental Health Resources

Moderator: Margaret (Peg) Allen, AHIP, Hmong Health Education Network, Wausau Area Hmong Mutual Association, Wausau, WI

Go Local Partnership with Citizen–Soldier Support Program for Military Families: Christie C. Silbajoris, AHIP, and Diana McDuffee, AHIP, Health Sciences Library, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill.

Information Handouts for Concrete Services and Discharge Planning: Bill Kinnaird, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL.

MyHealtheVet and Other Mental Health Resources for Veterans: Lola Purvis, Library Service, VA Medical Center–Alexandria, LA.

Q & A Session

Leadership and Management Section in conjunction with Hospital Libraries Section, African American Medical Librarians Alliance, New Members SIGs: Connecting the Dots: Strategies for Building a Portable Career (Networking, Professional Development, Leadership, Career Building, Career Reinvention, Mentoring) and Speed Mentoring

Moderator: Terrance M. Burton, Ebling Library, University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Research Section in collaboration with Complementary and Alternative Medicine SIG: Research Collaborations: Bridges with Impact

Moderator: Jonathan Eldredge, AHIP, Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center, University of New Mexico–Albuquerque.

Reconstructing Reference to Become Strategic Partners in Research Initiatives: Irene M. Lubker, Barbara Allen Wright, AHIP, Margaret E. Henderson, Kristine M. Hughes, Shannon D. Jones, Virginia L. Stone, Jean P. Shipman, AHIP, Mary Jane Green, and Catharine S. Canevari, AHIP, Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University–Richmond.

Health Sciences Librarians and PubViz: A Novel MEDLINE Exploration Engine: Jean Song and Marci Brandenburg, Health Sciences Library; Fan Meng, Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute; and Barbara Mirel, School of Information; University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

An Exploratory Analysis of PubMed's Free Full-text Limit on Citation Retrieval for Clinical Questions: Mary Krieger, Medical Center Library, and Randy Richter and Tricia Austin, Program in Physical Therapy, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO.

The Influence of an Evidence-based Medicine Focused Morning Report on Resident Physician Use of MEDLINE and UpToDate: Ahlam Saleh, Nancy Tannery, and Charles Wessel, Health Sciences Library System, and Scott R. Herrle, Bruce Y. Lee, Megan S. Cunnane, Rosanne Granieri, Elizabeth Weinstein, and Raquel A. Buranosky, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.

Connecting through Quality: A Medical Librarian's Journey to Improving Patient Care Through Six Sigma: Julia Esparza, Department of Medical Library Science, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center–Shreveport; Shannon Johnson, Performance Improvement, Deaconess Health System, Evansville, IN; Michael Wade, Physical Medicine, Progressive Health of Indiana, Evansville, IN; and Miranda Woosley, Information Services, Deaconess Health System, Evansville, IN.

Technical Services Section in conjunction with Veterinary Medical Libraries Section: Legal Aspects of Digitization and Documents Management

Moderator: Hanna Kwasik, AHIP, Library, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center–New Orleans.

Legal Aspects of Digitization and Document Management: Tomas Lipinski, School of Information Studies, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

Section Programs IV: Monday, May 19, 4:30 P.M.–6:00 P.M

Federal Libraries Section in conjunction with Corporate Information Services Section; Department of Veterans Affairs Librarians SIG: Connecting with Administrators to Show the Value of Libraries and Librarians

Moderator: Dixie A. Jones, AHIP, Library, Overton Brooks VA Medical Center, Shreveport, LA

Connecting with Administrators: Demonstrating the Value of Library Services: Edward J. Poletti, AHIP, Learning Resources Service, Central Arkansas Veterans Health Care System–Little Rock, AR; Dixie A. Jones, AHIP, Medical Library, Overton Brooks VA Medical Center, Shreveport, LA; Priscilla L. Stephenson, AHIP, Library Service, G. V. “Sonny” Montgomery VA Medical Center, Jackson, MS; Marvett S. Burns, Medical Library, Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System, Biloxi, MS; Lola H. Purvis, Library Service, VA Medical Center, Alexandria, LA; Sara Blackwell, Library Service, Oklahoma City VA Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK; Felicia Little, Library Section, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX; Dianne B. Jones, Library Service, G. V. “Sonny” Montgomery VA Medical Center, Jackson, MS; Linton Swenson, Library Service, Fayetteville VA Medical Center, Fayetteville, AR; and Sandra Todd, Library Service, Muskogee VA Medical Center, Muskogee, OK.

Bridging the Gap: Using Dollar Values to Demonstrate the Value of Library Services: Julia Esparza, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center–Shreveport, and Donna Record, Patient Financial Services, Deaconess Health System–Evansville, IN.

Demonstrating Effectiveness from Planning to Outcomes: One Regional Medical Library's Story: Betsy Kelly, National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Midcontinental Regional Medical Library, Washington University School of Medicine–St. Louis, MO, and Claire Hamasu, Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, University of Utah–Salt Lake City.

History of the Health Sciences Section in conjunction with Veterinary Medical Libraries Section; Mental Health SIG: Interconnections: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Medical History

Moderator: Patricia Gallagher, AHIP, Library, New York Academy of Medicine–New York.

A Philosopher's Medical Utopias: Ernst Bloch and the History of Medicine: Kevin O'Brien, Library of the Health Sciences, University of Illinois–Chicago.

Artificial Hearts, Endoscopes, and Other Cool Stuff: Judy Chelnick, National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center, Washington, DC.

Veterinary Medicine's Contributions to Human Health: Diane Fagen, AVMA Library, American Veterinary Medical Association, Schaumburg, IL.

Claudius Mayer and Frank (Bradway) Rogers: The End of the Index-Catalogue and the Origins of the Modern Index Medicus, a Personal History: Kathel Dunn, National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Middle Atlantic Chapter, New York University Medical Center–New York.

Public Health/Health Administration Section in conjunction with Dental, Health Association Libraries, Nursing and Allied Health Resources Sections; Libraries in Curriculum SIG: The Role of Health Sciences Librarians in Applying Web 2.0 Technologies and Their Uses in Clinical and Public Health Practice and Instruction

Moderator: Christine Marton, Public Health/Health Administration Section, Whitby, ON, Canada.

Creating a Roadmap: Web 2.0 and Local Public Health Practice: Gillian G. Mayman, Alison Grodzinski, Nancy Allee, AHIP, Whitney Townsend, Anne Perorazio, Hung Truong, and Jane Blumenthal, AHIP, Health Sciences Libraries, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

Connecting Content to Readers: Marketing RSS as an Information Management Tool: Erika L. Sevetson, Allan Barclay, AHIP, Rebecca J. Holz, Christopher Hooper-Lane, AHIP, Stephen M. Johnson, and Andrew Osmond, Ebling Library, University of Wisconsin–Madison.

When You Can't Use a Wiki Because of Security Issues, Try SharePoint: Linda J. Spadacccini, Health Center Library, Waterbury Hospital, Waterbury, CT.

Second Life for Engagement, Outreach, and Building Interdisciplinary Communities of Learning: Patricia F. Anderson, Sharon Grayden, Marc R. Stephens, Mark P. MacEachern, and Jane Blumenthal, AHIP, Health Sciences Libraries, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

Teaching Medical Subject Headings (MeSH): Web 2.0 Style: Lauren A. Maggio, David B. Flynn, Megan Bresnahan, Mary Blanchard, and David Ginn, Alumni Medical Library, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA.

Relevant Issues Section in conjunction with Chiropractic Libraries, Consumer and Patient Health Information Sections; African American Medical Librarians Alliance; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Health Science Librarians; Outreach SIGs: Health Disparities: Chasm, Gap, or Bridge

Moderator: Cynthia L. Henderson, AHIP, Library, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA.

Health Disparities: Chasm, Gap, or Bridge: John Ruffin, National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.

Section Programs V: Tuesday, May 20, 2:00 P.M.–3:30 P.M

2008 National Program Committee: Forging Connections to Emerging Research: New Technologies

Moderator: Brian Bunnett, AHIP, Libraries, University of Texas Southwestern Medial Center–Dallas.

Building and Piloting a Customizable Knowledge Management Environment to Support Public Health Practice: myPublicHealth: Debra Revere and Parmit Chilana, Center for Public Health Informatics, University of Washington–Seattle; Steve Helgerson, Public Health and Safety, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services–Helena, MT; and Sherrilynne Fuller, FMLA, Center for Public Health Informatics, University of Washington–Seattle.

MiSearch and PubMed: Assessing an Adaptive, Profile-based PubMed Search Tool: Marisa L. Conte and Jean Song, Health Sciences Libraries; Nirit Glazer and Barbara Mirel, School of Education; and David States, Bioinformatics Training Program; University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

Connections and Innovations in a Nursing Informatics Course: Lin Wu, AHIP, and Cynthia K. Russell, Health Sciences Library and Biocommunications Center, and Heather C. Templeton, College of Nursing, University of Tennessee–Memphis.

Innovative Integration of Web 2.0 Applications to Enhance Library-based Bioinformatics Support: Kristi L. Holmes, Ellen Dubinsky, and Lili Wang, The Bernard Becker Medical Library, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.

Cancer Librarians Section in conjunction with Clinical Librarians and Evidence-Based Health Care, Molecular Biology and Genomics SIGs: Translational Medicine and the Library's Role

Moderator: Margaret Vugrin, AHIP, Health Sciences Library, Texas Tech University–Lubbock.

Panel Discussion: Andrew Hamilton, OHSU Library, Oregon Health & Science University–Portland; Terrance M. Burton, Health Sciences Libraries, Ebling Library, University of Wisconsin–Madison; and Jonathan D. Eldredge, AHIP, Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center, University of New Mexico–Albuquerque.

Panel Presentation: Carolyn Reid, AHIP, Samuel J. Wood Library and C. V. Starr Biomedical Information Center, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.

Q & A Session

Medical Informatics Sections in conjunction with Corporate Information Services, Educational Media and Technologies Sections: Technologies in Teaching

Moderator: Laura P. Barrett, AHIP, Informatics Institute, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey–Newark.

Examining the Connections: Uses of Emerging Technologies for Web-based Instruction: Jaime Friel Blanck, AHIP, Stefanie Warlick, and Anna Tatro, Health Sciences and Human Services Library, University of Maryland–Baltimore.

Connecting Library and Information Science Education with the Virtual World: Feili Tu, Patrick L. McLaughlin, and Matthew B. Landau, School of Library and Information Science, University of South Carolina–Columbia, and Paul R. Keefner, US Air Force, Warner Robins, GA.

Wimba Live Classroom: Virtual Connections: Alan T. Williams, Kristine M. Hughes, Virginia L. Stone, and Catharine S. Canevari, AHIP, Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University–Richmond.

How Online Tutorials, Podcasts, and Blogs Transformed Librarians into Virtual Teachers: Josephine P. G. Tan, Library and Center for Knowledge Management, University of California–San Francisco.

Medical Library Education Section: Only Connect: Education to Practice

Moderator: Michelynn McKnight, AHIP, School of Library and Information Science, Louisiana State University–Baton Rouge.

Putting the MLA Education Policy to Work: Joanne G. Marshall, FMLA, School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill.

Panel Discussion: Rick B. Forsman, AHIP, FMLA, Office of Academic and Student Affairs, University of Colorado–Denver; Jeffrey T. Huber, School of Library and Information Studies, Texas Women's University–Houston; and Teresa Jimenez, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign.

Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section in conjunction with Hospital Libraries, Federal Libraries Section; Library Marketing SIG: Connecting Libraries to Organizational Mission: Using Assessment to Strengthen the Library's Institutional Role

Moderator: David A. Nolfi, AHIP, Gumberg Library, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA.

“Outcomes” Assessment: Moving from Inputs and Outputs to “True” Outcomes: Peter Hernon, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, Simmons College, Boston, MA.

The Academic Library's Perspective on Assessment and Institutional Role: James Shedlock, AHIP, FMLA, Galter Health Sciences Library, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL.

Quantum Physics and Hospital Library Assessment: Michele S. Klein-Fedyshin, Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.

Pharmacy and Drug Information Section: EMBASE.com Lecture: Medication Therapy Management

Moderator: Ruiling Guo, Idaho Health Sciences Library, Idaho State University–Pocatello

Bring Medication Therapy Management (MTM) into Focus: Linda M. Strand, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota–Minneapolis.

Public Services Section: Liaisons: Our Live Links to Users

Moderator: Terry Ann Jankowski, AHIP, Health Sciences Libraries, University of Washington–Seattle.

Library Liaisons: Partnering, Connecting, and Engaging with Users: A Recipe for Success: Shannon D. Jones and Catharine S. Canevari, AHIP, Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University–Richmond.

Linking to the Informationist Concept: Defining New Training Models and Innovative Roles for the Liaison Librarian: Douglas L. Varner, AHIP, John Vinton Dahlgren Memorial Library, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, and Nancy K. Roderer, AHIP, William H. Welch Medical Library, Johns Hopkins University Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD.

Nursing Liaison Team: Making Connections Across the Education and Practice Spectrum: Cheryl A. Bartel, Emily Brennan, Andrea Lynch, and Rikke S. Ogawa, AHIP, Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library, University of California–Los Angeles.

Liaison Services for the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions: Claire Twose, Blair Anton, and Nancy K. Roderer, Welch Medical Library, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.

Take One Tier and Call Me in the Morning: Codifying Levels of Liaison Service: Michele R. Tennant, AHIP, Linda Butson, AHIP, Nita Ferree, AHIP, and Nancy Schaefer, Health Science Center Libraries, University of Florida–Gainesville.

Veterinary Medical Libraries Section: One Health—Rural, Suburban, and Urban Interactions between Humans and Animals: A Collaborative Approach between Health Care Programs

Moderator: Diane A. Fagen, AVMA Library, American Veterinary Medical Association, Schaumburg, IL.

The One Health Initiative: Roger K. Mahr, American Veterinary Medical Association, Schaumburg, IL.

Opportunities for Crossdisciplinary Reference in Medical and Veterinary Libraries: Diane Fagen, AVMA Library, American Veterinary Medical Association, Schaumburg, IL.

Opportunities for Librarian Participation in a Medical School Rural Health Program: Ellen Schellhause, Crawford Library of the Health Sciences, University of Illinois–Chicago, Rockford, IL.

Section Programs VI: Tuesday, May 20, 4:30 P.M.–6:00 P.M

2008 National Program Committee: Forging Connections to Emerging Research: New Horizons

Moderator: James Shedlock, AHIP, FMLA, Galter Health Sciences Library, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL.

A Calculator for Measuring the Impact of Health Sciences Libraries and Librarians: Barbara B. Jones, Health Science Library, University of Missouri–Columbia, and Betsy Kelly, National Network of Libraries of Medicine, MidContinental Regional Medical Library, Washington University, St. Louis, MO.

Health Information-seeking Behaviors of Older Adults: Results from an Interdisciplinary Institute of Museum and Library Services-funded Research Project: Mary Stansbury, Library and Information Science, University of Denver, Denver, CO, and Ruth Ludwick, College of Nursing, Kent State University, Kent, OH.

Psychometric Instrument Evaluation for Understanding the Information Needs of Cancer Patients: Kalyani Ankem, School of Library and Information Sciences, North Carolina Central University–Durham.

Identifying the Implications of the Use of Electronic Resources and New Technologies in Academic Medical Libraries: Octavia-Luciana Porumbeanu, Library and Information Science Department, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania.

Dental Section in conjunction with Clinical Librarians and Evidence-Based Health Care SIG: Evidence Base: Web 2.0 for Professional and Clinical Productivity

Moderator: Michael Kronenfeld, Learning Resource Center, A. T. Still University of the Health Sciences, Mesa, AZ.

Social Technologies for Professional and Clinical Productivity: Patricia Anderson, Health Sciences Libraries, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor, and David Rothman, Medical Library, Community General Hospital, Syracuse, NY.

Q & A Session

Health Association Libraries Section in conjunction with Consumer and Patient Health Information Section; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Health Science Librarians; Outreach SIGs: The Role of the Librarian in Health Literacy

Moderator: Susan Bolda Marshall, Division of Library and Archival Services, American Academy of Pediatrics, Elk Grove Village, IL.

Librarians at the Point of Care: Connecting Clinic Patients with Information They Can Trust: Tracy E. Powell, AHIP, Lydia Cheney, Ty Howell, and Lee Vucovich, AHIP, Lister Hill Library; University of Alabama–Birmingham.

One Size Does Not Fit All: Meeting the Health Care Needs of Diverse Populations: Karen K. Lee, Division of Standards and Survey Methods, The Joint Commission, Oakbrook Terrace, IL.

Health Information Literacy Research Project: Results from the Hospital Administrator and Health Care Provider Survey: Sabrina Kurtz-Rossi, MLA Health Information Literacy Research Project, Medford, MA.

Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section in conjunction with Hospital Libraries Section; Outreach SIG: Connecting Libraries, Nurses, and Accreditation/Credentialing Organizations to Improve Patient Care

Moderator: David A. Nolfi, AHIP, Gumberg Library, Duquesne University, Pittsburg, PA.

Building a Bridge Between MLA and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program: Melody M. Allison, Biology Library, University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign, and Margaret Bandy, AHIP, Library and Media Services, Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital, Denver, CO.

Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section and American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet Accreditation: What's the Attraction?: Pamela J. Sherwill-Navarro, AHIP, Health Science Center Library, University of Florida–Gainesville, and Margaret (Peg) Allen, AHIP, Peg Allen Library Consultant, Stratford, WI.

Reconnecting Librarians with Nursing Accreditation: Key Results: Margaret (Peg) Allen, AHIP, Peg Allen, Library Consultant, Stratford, WI; Pamela Sherwill-Navarro, AHIP, Health Science Center Library, University of Florida–Gainesville; Melody M. Allison, Biology Library, University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign–Urbana; and Susan K. Jacobs, AHIP, Elmer Holmes Bobst Library, New York University–New York.

Nurse Practice Court: A Play to Aid Nurses in Evidence-based Practice: Sheila Hayes, AHIP, Library, Portsmouth Regional Hospital, Portsmouth, NH.

Technical Services Section in conjunction with Collection Development, Leadership and Management, Public Services Sections: Connecting to New Roles

Moderator: Hanna Kwasik, AHIP, Library, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center–New Orleans.

Institutional Repository: The Bridge that Connects: Allyson Mower, Joan M. Gregory, AHIP, and Mary E. Youngkin, Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, University of Utah–Salt Lake City.

Entering Their World: How Can Catalogers Aid Electronic Medical Record Development?: Nadine P. Ellero, AHIP, The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, University of Virginia Health System–Charlottesville.

From Copyright to Rights Management: Partnering for Success: Ruey L. Rodman, Pamela Bradigan, and Lynda Hartel, John A. Prior Health Sciences Library, The Ohio State University–Columbus.

Poster Sessions

Posters were presented in two sessions, with eighty-five posters scheduled for each session. Poster abstracts are available at <http://www.mlanet.org/am/am2008/pdf/08_abstracts.pdf>. Slides and handouts for many of the posters can be found at <http://www.mlanet.org/am/am2008/e-present/posters.html>.

Poster Session I: Sunday, May 18, 3:30 P.M.–4:30 P.M

2) An Overlap Analysis of Occupational Therapy Electronic Journals Available in Full-text Databases and from Subscription Services: Judy L. Schroeder, Frey Foundation Learning Center, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI.

4) Closing the Divide to Achieve Bibliographic Consistency Among Three E-journal Access Tools: Erica R. Powell, AHIP, Louis Calder Memorial Library, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL.

6) Creative Partnerships: Collaborative Approaches to Cost Sharing: Eric A. Rector, and Alexa A. Mayo, AHIP, Health Sciences and Human Services Library, University of Maryland–Baltimore.

8) Only Connect the Consumer and the Evidence! Involving Patients in the Creation of a Patient Information Website: Andrea Lane, BMJ Knowledge, BMJ Publishing Group, London, United Kingdom.

10) Website Usability Testing Using Camtasia Software: Caryn L. Scoville, Rachel A. Schaff, and E. Diane Johnson, AHIP, J. Otto Lottes Health Sciences Library, University of Missouri–Columbia.

12) Collaborating to Bridge the Gaps in Educating Patients and Families: Barbara S. Reich, AHIP, Samuel and Sandra Hekemian Medical Library; Karen DellaFave, Department of Clinical Education; and Deborah Magnan, AHIP, Samuel and Sandra Hekemian Medical Library; Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ.

14) Implementation of SFX and MetaLib in a Multihospital Health Care System: Vicki Budzisz and Brenda Fay, Aurora Libraries, Aurora Health Care, Milwaukee, WI.

16) Missing Links: Eroding Citations in Two Medical Library Journals: Maureen Watson, AHIP, Michigan College of Optometry Reading Room, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI, and Gale Oren, AHIP, Kellogg Eye Center, and Alex Watson, School of Information, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

18) Bridging the Electronic Journal Gaps: Just How Far Back Can the Collection Go?: Betsy A. Appleton and Kathe S. Obrig, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library, George Washington University, Washington, DC.

20) Losing Remote Access to a Point-of-care Resource: What Are the Impacts on Library Portal Use?: Mary Beth Schell, and Adam Dodd, North Carolina Area Health Education Center Information and Library System, Health Sciences Library, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill.

22) Why Develop Knowledge Management Resources?: David B. Goolabsingh, Suzetta C. Burrows, AHIP, and Mary Moore, Louis Calder Memorial Library and Biomedical Communications, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL.

24) Web 2.0 Tools in Medical and Nursing School Curriculum: Trey Lemley and Judy Burnham, AHIP, Charles M. Baugh Biomedical Library, University of South Alabama–Mobile.

28) Facebook as a Tool for Health Education: Gillian G. Mayman, Health Sciences Library, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

30) Six Essential Social Technologies for Health Sciences Faculty: Gillian Mayman, Whitney A. Townsend, Mark MacEachern, and Marisa Conte, Health Sciences Libraries, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

32) Third-year Medical Student Participation on a Daily News Service Editorial Board: D. Elizabeth Irish, AHIP, and Enid M. Geyer, AHIP, Schaffer Library of Health Sciences, and Jacob M. Reider and Kimberly A. Noyes, Family and Community Medicine, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY.

34) Making the Connection: Assessing the Information Literacy Skills of First-year Students Enrolled in a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) Program: John Siegel, AHIP, Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.

36) Beyond PubMed: Andrea S. Horne, Nadine P. Ellero, AHIP, and Inhye Kim Son, AHIP, Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, University of Virginia–Charlottesville.

38) Bridging the Gap to PDA Technology: The University of Connecticut Health Center PDA Program: Robert M. Joven, Ben Smith, and Sheryl Bai, Lyman Maynard Stowe Library, University of Connecticut Health Center–Farmington.

40) Bridging the Information Management Gaps in a Revised Medical School Curriculum: Patricia C. Higginbottom, AHIP, Lee Vucovich, AHIP, and Gabriel Rios, UAB Lister Hill Library, University of Alabama–Birmingham.

42) Designing a Comprehensive Program to Support Nurses in a Hospital Magnet Journey: Mary Lou Glazer, AHIP, Medical Library, Department of Veterans Affairs, Northport, NY.

44) Health Literacy: Stepping Stones to Understanding: Janet L. Petty, AHIP, Shirley Sebald-Kinder, AHIP, and Leslie Lindsey, Craig Memorial Library, Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton, OH.

46) PubMed and Evidence-based Medicine Training for Medical Students: Finding a Better Way: Brandi Tuttle, Connie Schardt, AHIP, Anne Powers, AHIP, and Megan von Isenburg, Medical Center Library, Duke University, Durham, NC.

48) Launching a New Generation of Nursing Researchers into Nursing Informatics: Carolyn M. Brown, AHIP, and Anna Getselman, AHIP, Health Sciences Center Library, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA.

50) Supporting “No Harm on the Farm”: Ellen Schellhause, Crawford Library of the Health Sciences, University of Illinois–Chicago, Rockford, IL.

52) Aiming to Connect and to Captivate: Linda J. Collins, AHIP, Health Sciences Library, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill.

54) Being Present at the Birth: Distance Learning Services for Nurse Midwifery Students: Colleen M. Kenefick, AHIP, and Susan E. Werner, Health Sciences Library, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY.

56) Evidence-based Medicine Tool Picking Made Easy: Simplifying the Tiers of Evidence Helps Students Choose the Best Information Tools for Their Clinical Questions: Rita Shaughnessy, Family and Community Medicine, and Rita Vine, Gerstein Science Information Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, and Mindy Thuna, University of Toronto Mississauga Library, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada.

58) Linking Medical Residents to Training: An Analysis of Training Needs: Rick Wallace, AHIP, Quillen College of Medicine Library, East Tennessee State University–Johnson City.

60) Bridging the Training Gap by Connecting with Colleagues: Jeanne M. Le Ber, Eccles Health Sciences Library; Margo Beecher, Education and Development; and Andrea Brown, Division of Human Resources; University of Utah–Salt Lake City.

62) The Three-pronged Approach: A Framework for Teaching Information Management in the Health Sciences: Erika L. Sevetson and Christopher Hooper-Lane, AHIP, Ebling Library, University of Wisconsin–Madison.

64) Connecting with Students: Using Case Studies to Teach Research Skills: Sharon C. Murphy, AHIP, Health Sciences Library, University at Buffalo, State University of New York–Buffalo.

66) Clickers in the Classroom and Beyond: Using Personal Response Systems to Improve Student Learning: Janet G. Schnall, AHIP, Amy L. Harper, Leilani A. St. Anna, AHIP, and Joanne Rich, Health Sciences Libraries, University of Washington–Seattle.

68) Connecting Health Sciences Students with MEDLINE through OvidSP: A Comparison of the Basic Search and Advanced Ovid Search Modes: Eileen Eandi, Norris Medical Library, University of Southern California–Los Angeles.

70) Connecting with Customers: Customer Service Training for Library Staff: Irene M. Lubker, Alan T. Williams, Kristine M. Hughes, Barbara A. Wright, AHIP, Jean P. Shipman, AHIP, and Catharine S. Canevari, AHIP, Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University–Richmond.

72) Medical Students Bridge Their Knowledge Gaps by Connecting to Lecture Podcasts: Nancy T. Lombardo and Derek Cowan, Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, University of Utah–Salt Lake City.

74) Handouts No More: Increasing Access and Saving Paper By Using del.icio.us: Mary J. Markland, AHIP, Harley E. French Library of the Health Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences–Fargo.

76) Simplified Selection of Web Content: Balancing Library Expertise with User Data: Jill E. Foust, Reference Department, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.

78) Understanding Biocurators: Attributes and Roles of Model Organism Database Curators: W. John MacMullen, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign.

80) VIPCare: A Collaborative Tool Connecting Third-year Medical School Students to Information at the Point of Learning: Jane Ichord, Elizabeth J. Richardson, Amy LaVertu, and Eric D. Albright, AHIP, Hirsh Health Sciences Library, Tufts University, Boston, MA.

82) Connecting with International Evidence: Measuring the Importance of Multiple Database Searching for BMJ Clinical Evidence: Sarah L. Greenley, BMJ Knowledge, BMJ Publishing Group, London, United Kingdom.

84) EBM Librarian: A Wiki Connecting Instructors to Content: Karen Odato, Dartmouth Biomedical Libraries, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, and Connie Schardt, AHIP, Duke Medical Library, Duke University, Durham, NC.

86) Building on Existing Evidence: Comparing MEDLINE Systematic Review Search Strategies for Everyday Use: Sarah L. Greenley, BMJ Knowledge, BMJ Publishing Group, London, United Kingdom.

88) Use of Multiple Citation Analysis Resources to Measure Scientific Works: Evaluation and Comparison of Citation Analysis Tools: Yanira García-Bárcena and John D. Jones Jr., Louis Calder Memorial Library, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL.

90) Using Innovative Technology to Showcase the Uniqueness and Elevate the Global Visibility of a Special Collections: Christopher Ryland, Taneya Koonce, James Thweatt, Mary Teloh, and Nunzia Giuse, AHIP, FMLA, Eskind Biomedical Library, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.

92) Information Management: “Compounds Capable of Relieving Pain without the Loss of CONSCIOUSNESS” (See Medical Subject Headings for Analgesics): Mia S. White, AHIP, and Anna Getselman, Woodruff Health Sciences Center Library, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA.

94) Medical Librarians in Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery: Stacey J. Arnesen and Gale A. Dutcher, Office of Outreach and Special Populations, and Cynthia B. Love and Steven J. Phillips, Specialized Information Services, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

96) Health Sciences Librarians in Michigan: Connecting to Emerging Web 2.0 Technologies: Misa Mi, AHIP, Library Services, Children's Hospital of Michigan–Detroit; Sandra Swanson, Amos Crist Health Sciences Libraries, Mercy General Health Partners, Muskegon, MI; and Marie-Lise Shams, AHIP, Dental Library, University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, MI.

98) An Analysis of Clinical Questions Asked at Professor Rounds: A Retrospective Review: Nancy A. Bianchi, Dana Medical Library, University of Vermont–Burlington.

100) Connecting an Underserved Community with Consumer Health Information: The Clinical Informationist's Role in a Health Education Program: Elaine C. Mosher, Diane G. Schwartz, AHIP, FMLA, Elizabeth Eisenhauer, and Helen Anne Wolf, Medical Library, Kaleida Health, Buffalo, NY; Kavita P. Ahluwalia, Division of Community Health, Columbia University, New York, NY; Donna Slawek, Women' Health Clinic, and Karen Lamson, Medical Library, Kaleida Health, Buffalo, NY; and Tracy Diina, Administration, Literacy Volunteers of Buffalo and Erie County, Buffalo, NY.

102) Library as Place: Defense of the Physical in a Perceived Virtual Environment: Karen W. Dillon, Health Sciences Libraries, Carilion Clinic, Roanoke, VA.

104) “Phantom FTE's” in a Hospital Medical Library: Robert T. Neumeyer, PMHS Libraries and Archives, Pittsburgh Mercy Health System, Pittsburgh, PA.

106) Toolkit for Effective Collaboration: Ulrike Dieterle, Ebling Library, University of Wisconsin–Madison.

108) Building Team Connections in a Health Sciences Library Using the DISC Profile: Nancy Allee, AHIP, and Jane Blumenthal, AHIP, Health Sciences Libraries, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

110) Connecting University Initiatives in Health Literacy: Virginia Commonwealth University Librarians Help to Bridge Gaps: Jean P. Shipman, AHIP, and Shannon D. Jones, Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences, and Sarah E. Amick, VCU Libraries, Virginia Commonwealth University–Richmond.

112) Reaching New Levels: Creating a Career Ladder for Support Staff: Jane Fama, James Comes, Vivian Frempong, Barbara Ingrassia, AHIP, Kerry Mayotte, Lisa Palmer, and Mary Piorun, AHIP, Lamar Soutter Library, UMass Medical School, Worcester, MA.

114) Passion Through Art: First Annual Atlantic Health Family Art Exhibition: Patricia Regenberg, AHIP, Health Sciences Library, Overlook Hospital, Summit, NJ, and Maria R. Lupo, Atlantic Integrative Medicine, Atlantic Health, Morristown, NJ.

116) Make Mine a Double: Librarian Office Hours Multiply Basic Services: Mellanye Lackey and K.T.L. Vaughan, Health Sciences Library, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill.

120) Applying a Logic Model to an Evidence-based Practice Outreach Training Program: Ruiling Guo, AHIP, Idaho Health Sciences Library; Janene Willer, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and Education of the Deaf; and Barbara Bain, Research Mentoring Program, Kasiska College of Health Professions; Idaho State University–Pocatello.

122) Pharmacy Preceptors' Information Use Skills and Access to Drug Information: Jonathan Koffel, Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, and Susan Staggs, College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa–Iowa City.

124) Academic Medical Center to Rural Clinic: Ensuring Fair and Accurate Representation in Go Local: Shiela Phillippe and Marianne Burke, AHIP, Dana Medical Library, University of Vermont–Burlington; Alan Lampson, Frymoyer Community Health Resource Center, Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington, VT; and Tina Kussey and Lesley Boucher, Dana Medical Library, University of Vermont–Burlington.

126) Bridging the Health Information Gap for Hospital Nurses: Christine Shaw-Daigle, Victoria General Hospital Library; Lisa Demczuk, Grace Hospital Library; Analyn Cohen Baker, Seven Oaks General Hospital Library; Melissa Raynard, Concordia Hospital Library; and Lori Giles-Smith and Patricia Barrett, Neil John Mclean Health Sciences Library; University of Manitoba–Winnipeg, Canada.

128) What Works: Improving Health Literacy in the Real World: Kelly K. Near, Information Services, Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, University of Virginia–Charlottesville, and Cindy Westley, Medical Center Administration, and Laura Humbertson, Medical Center-Consumer Health Info, University of Virginia Health System–Charlottesville.

130) Forging New Directions: Launching a Scholarly Communications Initiative: Cathy Sarli, Bernard Becker Medical Library, Washington University, St. Louis, MO.

132) Disaster and Emergency Preparedness Information for Special Populations: Gale A. Dutcher, Office of Outreach and Special Populations, and Deena M. Pers, Division of Specialized Information Services, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

134) Measuring the Effectiveness of Community Outreach: The Community Medical School Project: Laura Haines, Dana Medical Library, University of Vermont–Burlington.

136) Tox Town en Español: Cynthia B. Love and Judy Kramer, Specialized Information Services Division; National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

138) Somewhere Between the Monster Truck Pull and Desperate Housewives: Successful Marketing Connects Web Media to Health Information Consumers: Sally M. Patrick, Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, University of Utah–Salt Lake City.

140) Bioinformatics Self-help Tools 24/7: Courtney D. Crummett, Science and Engineering Libraries, Massachusetts Institute of Technology–Cambridge, and David Osterbur and Paul Bain, Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.

142) Research First Aid: Two Libraries Reaching Out with One Podcast: Amy E. Blevins, William E. Laupus Health Sciences Library, and Mark Sanders, Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC.

144) Connecting the Campus: Library Leadership in Social Networking: Alexa A. Mayo, AHIP, Stefanie E. Warlick, and M. J. Tooey, AHIP, Health Sciences and Human Services Library, University of Maryland–Baltimore.

146) Librarians Supporting Health Sciences Programs in General Academic Libraries: Mary K. Taylor, AHIP, Morris Library, Southern Illinois University–Carbondale, and David A. Nolfi, AHIP, Gumberg Library, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA.

148) Why Wufoo? Collecting Data about Reference Desk Transactions Using an Online Form Builder: Martha E. Hardy and Lisa McGuire, Bio-Medical Library, University of Minnesota–Minneapolis.

150) Think Big! Building Connections to Support Interdisciplinary Programs in Academic Institutions: Global Health at the Library: Jim Henderson, Life Sciences Library and Osler Library of the History of Medicine; Deborah Meert, Life Sciences Library; Eamon Duffy, Humanities and Social Sciences Library; and Louisa Piatti, Nahum Gelber, Law Library; McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.

152) Home Field Advantage: Connecting with Users on Their Turf: Shannon D. Jones and Catharine S. Canevari, AHIP, Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University–Richmond.

154) Weathering the Storm: Preparing for User Connection after Disaster: Jie Li, AHIP, Biomedical Library, University of South Alabama–Mobile; Ellen Sayed, AHIP, Distributed e-Library, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Doha, Qatar; and Judy F. Burnham, AHIP, Biomedical Library, University of South Alabama–Mobile.

156) The Jefferson Digital Commons: Starting an Institutional Repository at an Academic Health Sciences Library: Daniel G. Kipnis and Ann Koopman, Academic and Instructional Support and Resources (AISR), Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA.

158) Does Submitting Nontraditional Scholarly Content to an Institutional Repository Provide Academic Value to the Submitters: A Study at the University of New Mexico: Holly Phillips, AHIP, and Philip Kroth, Health Science Library and Informatics Center, University of New Mexico–Albuquerque.

160) Open Journal Systems Bridge the Publication Gap: Nancy T. Lombardo, Allyson Mower, Jeanne M. Le Ber, Stephen A. Mossbarger, and Julie Quilter, Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, University of Utah–Salt Lake City.

162) Enhancing Podcast Development and Activity: Courtney D. Crummett, MIT Engineering and Science Libraries, Massachusetts Institute of Technology–Cambridge, and Robert A. Logan, Lister Hill National Center for Biomedical Communications, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

164) Web 2.0 and Information Literacy: The Importance of Critical Thinking in Public Health: Laura Cobus, Health Professions Library, Hunter College, New York, NY.

166) Gangplank or Bridge: Providing New Librarians Pathways to Success: Rick Wallace, AHIP, and Nakia J. Carter, AHIP, Quillen College of Medicine Library, East Tennessee State University–Johnson City.

168) Using a Case-based Approach to Illustrate the Process of Addressing Complex Information Challenges in the Health Sciences: Rebecca Jerome, Rachel Walden, Taneya Koonce, Nila Sathe, and Nunzia Giuse, AHIP, FMLA, Eskind Biomedical Library, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.

170) The BIG: A Collaborative Librarian Group: Jean Song, Marci Brandenburg, Marisa Conte, and Merle Rosenzweig, Health Sciences Libraries, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

172) Connecting the Dots: An Analysis of Search Strategy Reporting in Meta-analyses: Shari Clifton, AHIP, Betsy Tonn, Michael Coffman, Wyatt Ditzler, Mark Hopkins, and Jeffrey Richards, Robert M. Bird Health Sciences Library, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center–Oklahoma City.

174) The Desk Set Fifty Years Later: Susan Fowler, St. Louis Children's Hospital Medical Library, and Misty Carney, Bernard Becker Medical Library, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO.

Poster Session II: Monday, May 19, 3:30 P.M.–4:30 P.M

1) Spanning Gaps in Information Services and Resources to Medical Residents: Rick Wallace, AHIP, Quillen College of Medicine Library, East Tennessee State University–Johnson City.

3) Weed It and They Will Come: The Nitty Gritty of Assessing, Weeding, and Rebuilding a Physical Book Collection: Adriana Yoshii, AHIP, Kathleen Moeller, AHIP, FMLA, and I. Marina Salcedo, Health Science Center Libraries/Borland Library, University of Florida–Jacksonville.

5) The Development of the Medical Library Consortia in Taiwan: Tzu-heng Chiu, University Library, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Huei-chu Chang, Graduate Institute of Library and Information Science, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan; Josephine Yu-Tzuon Chuo, Medical Library Committee, Library Association of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Taipei, Taiwan; Yu-Hsiang Hu, Medical Library, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; and Peng Kao, Medical Library, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.

7) Point-of-Care Resource Evaluation: Connecting the Library with User Needs: Karen Stanley Grigg, Richard A. Peterson, AHIP, Connie Schardt, AHIP, and Patricia L. Thibodeau, AHIP, FMLA, Medical Center Library, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.

9) Presenting the University of California–San Francisco Japanese Woodblock Print Collection on the Web: Lisa A. Mix, Leslie Kleinberg, and Julia Kochi, Library and Center for Knowledge Management, University of California–San Francisco.

11) OSTMED.DR: Building a Bridge from Citation to Full Text: Elaine G. Powers, VCOM Library, Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine–Blacksburg.

13) Incorporating Library Instruction and Resources into the University's Writing Program for Undergraduates: Anne Linton, AHIP, and Alexandra Gomes, AHIP, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library, George Washington University, Washington, DC.

15) Teaching First-year Medical Students Where to Go First: Connecting Information Needs to E-resources: Elizabeth Whipple, Margaret (Peggy) Richwine, and Frances Brahmi, AHIP, Ruth Lilly Medical Library, Indiana University–Indianapolis.

17) Developing an RSS Current Awareness Service: Allan R. Barclay, AHIP, Rebecca J. Holz, Christopher Hooper-Lane, AHIP, Stephen M. Johnson, Andrew Osmond, and Erika Sevetson, Ebling Library for the Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Madison.

19) Ebling Library's Role in the Development, Launch, and Growth of the Innovations in a Medical Education Video Library and Digital Portal: Ann M. Combs, Andrew J. Osmond, and Allan R. Barclay, AHIP, Ebling Library for the Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Madison.

21) Assessing the Impact of National Library of Medicine–funded Grant Initiatives on the University's “Information Workspace”: Laura P. Barrett, AHIP, Informatics Institute, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey–Newark; Jeanette de Richemond, ECRI Institute Headquarters, ECRI Institute, Plymouth Meeting, PA; and Cecilia S. Gal, Paul B. Kantor, and Catherine L. Smith, School of Communication, Information and Library Studies, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.

23) Bridging the Gaps in Access: Merging Two Library Catalogs into One: Robin Sewell, Mary Holcomb, and Joan B. Schlimgen, Arizona Health Sciences Library, University of Arizona–Tucson.

25) Virtual Reference: Chat With Us!: Mariana Lapidus, Library and Learning Resources, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences–Boston, and Irena Dryankova-Bond, Library and Learning Resources, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences–Worcester.

27) If We Build It, Will They Use It? Surveying Users to Improve Cross-cultural Health Care Information Services and Digital Library Design: Anne G. Turner, Northwest Resource Center on Culturally & Linguistically Appropriate Services and Health Disparities, The Cross Cultural Health Care Program, Seattle, WA, and Jennie A. Abrahamson, Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health & Science University–Portland.

29) An Exploratory Study of Patient Online Search Behavior: Jason Howell, Andrea J. Melnikas, Qian Gao, Shing Lai Cheng, and Stan Kachnowski, Research Department, Healthcare Innovation and Technology Laboratory, New York, NY.

31) From Tox Town's Neighborhoods to a Virtual World: Representing Environmental Health Concerns in Second Life: Cynthia B. Love, Victor H. Cid, Laura Bartlett, and Judy Kramer, Specialized Information Services Division, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

33) Habits for Lifelong Learning: Core Competencies in Hospital Medicine for Physician Assistants: Anne Fladger, AHIP, Medical Library; Sylvia McKean, Hospitalist Service, and Deborah Yolin-Raley, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.

35) Interdisciplinary Clinical Team Experience: Bridging the Education Gap: Joan M. Stoddart, AHIP, and Nancy T. Lombardo, Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, and Wendy Hughes, School of Medicine, University of Utah–Salt Lake City.

37) Using Pretests and Posttests to Assess Database Searching Instruction: Danielle M. Carlock, AHIP, Library at the Polytechnic Campus, and Jonna Anderson, College of Nursing and Healthcare Innovation, Arizona State University–Mesa.

39) An Emerging Alliance: Librarians Collaborating with Colleagues in Medical and Health Care Education: Julia Sollenberger, AHIP, FMLA, Health Science Libraries and Technologies, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY; Lauren Maggio, Alumni Medical Library, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA; and Erika L. Sevetson, Ebling Library, University of Wisconsin–Madison.

41) Repairing the Bridge: Assessing Critical Information Skill Deficiencies in Medical Residents: Rick Wallace, AHIP, Quillen College of Medicine Library, East Tennessee State University–Johnson City.

43) The Culture of Medicine and Nursing: Implications for Information Literacy Training: Elena Prigoda, Gerstein Science Information Centre, University of Toronto Libraries, Toronto, ON, Canada; Liz Bayley, Health Sciences Library, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; and Doug Suarez, James A. Gibson Library, Brock University, St. Catherines, ON, Canada.

45) PDAs and First-year Medical Students: Annis Lee Adams and Virginia M. Tanji, Health Sciences Library, and Joshua L. Jacobs, Office of Medical Education, University of Hawaii–Manoa School of Medicine, Honolulu, HI.

47) Integrating Evidence-based Practice and Library Research Skills into the Physical Therapy Curriculum: Clista Clanton, AHIP, Baugh Biomedical Library, University of South Alabama–Mobile.

49) Making Connections: In-person Hands-on Training Across the United States: Janice Kaplan, Joseph Nicholson, and Eva Daniels, National Training Center and Clearinghouse; Vijay Nandi, Center for Urban and Epidemiological Studies; and Sharon A. Brown and Maureen K. Czujak, National Training Center and Clearinghouse; New York Academy of Medicine–New York.

51) An Eight-module Information Skills Curriculum to Support Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Competencies: Doreen R. Bradley and Gurpreet K. Rana, Health Sciences Libraries; Monica Lypson, Medical School/Graduate Medical Education Office; and Stanley Hamstra, Medical School/Department of Medical Education; University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

53) Enhancing Faculty Information Skills: Doreen R. Bradley, Gurpreet K. Rana, and Patricia M. Redman, Health Sciences Libraries, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

55) How Do Users Formulate Their Queries? A Morpho-syntactic Analysis: Nicolas A. Fairon and Francoise Pasleau, Life Sciences Library, University of Liege, Sart-Tilman, Belgium.

57) Turning the User into the Builder: Implementing a Wiki for Clinical Research: Sarmad Nazemi, and Paul Fearn, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.

59) A Most Convenient Truce: Teaming up with Environmental Medicine to “Green” Our Library Survivor Tour: Angela V. Dixon and Marilyn Rosen, Edward G. Miner Library, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY.

61) Health Literacy Education Initiative (HLEI): Improving Patient Health Literacy While Enhancing Physician Assistant Patient Education Skills: Lisa Smith, Gibson D. Lewis Health Science Library, and Patti Pagels, Physician Assistant Studies Program, University of North Texas Health Science Center–Fort Worth.

63) Assessing the Impact of Information Literacy Instruction in a Beginning Nursing Professional Seminar Course Using Citation Analysis: Stephanie J. Schulte, Walter E. Helmke Library, and Rebecca Jensen and Pam DeKoninck, Department of Nursing, Indiana University-Purdue University–Fort Wayne.

65) Another Life: A Survey of Health and Medical Sites in Virtual Three-dimensional Worlds: Mark D. Puterbaugh, Warner Memorial Library, Eastern University, St. Davids, PA, and Mi Young Lim, Genesis Healthcare Systems, Norristown, PA.

69) Bridging the Gap in the Office: Intra-office Instant Messaging: Emily O. Molanphy and Shannon Kealey, Ehrman Medical Library, New York University–New York.

71) Podcasting: Making the Connection Embraces More than Recording, Posting, and Registering: Janice E. Cox, AHIP, School of Dentistry Library, Indiana University–Indianapolis.

73) Qualitative Evaluation of the National Library of Medicine Associate Fellowship Program: Barbara A. Rapp, NLM Associate Fellowship Program, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD, and P. Zoe Stavri, P. Zoe Stavri Research, Analysis, and Design, Gettysburg, PA.

75) Veggies 2.0 (Because It's Good for You): Bart Ragon, Andrea S. Horne, and Daniel Wilson, Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, University of Virginia–Charlottesville.

77) Analysis of Cochrane Collaborative Electronic Search Methods for Location and Identification of Studies: Jeanette de Richemond, AHIP, TA Information Center and School of Communication, Information and Library Studies, ECRI Institute, Plymouth Meeting, PA, and Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.

81) Interdisciplinary Collaboration to Advance Evidence-based Behavioral Practice: Kristin Hitchcock, Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; Ross Brownson, Prevention Research Center, School of Public Health, St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO; Edward Mullen, School of Social Work, Columbia University, New York, NY; Robin Newhouse, Doctor of Nursing Practice Program and School of Nursing, University of Maryland–Baltimore; Jason Satterfield, Behavioral Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California–San Francisco; Bonnie Spring, Behavioral Medicine, Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; Barbara Walker, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University–Bloomington; and Evelyn Whitlock, Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research and Oregon Evidence-Based Practice Center–Portland.

83) Constructing Solutions for Tomorrow's Needs: An Analysis of Clinical Questions Asked During Morning Report: Nakia J. Carter, AHIP, and Rick Wallace, AHIP, Quillen College of Medicine Library, East Tennessee State University–Johnson City.

85) Customizing EndNote for Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Protocol Searches: Melissa A. Ratajeski, Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.

87) Are We Making a Difference? Citations to Articles Published in ORL-Head and Neck Nursing: Alicia A. Livinski and Pamela C. Sieving, AHIP, NIH Library, and Susan F. Rudy, National Institute on Deafness and Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.

89) Database Training for Librarians: Doing It Live and Online from the National Library of Medicine: Katherine B. Majewski, MEDLARS Management Section, Bibliographic Services Division, US National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

91) Reconnecting the Past: Moving the National Library of Medicine to Chicago: James Shedlock, AHIP, FMLA, Galter Health Sciences Library, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, and Ruth Holst, AHIP, FMLA, National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Greater Midwest Region, University of Illinois–Chicago.

93) Improving Gene Name Dictionaries: Marci Brandenburg, Health Sciences Libraries, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

95) A Library-based Approach to Translational Informatics Education: Kristi L. Holmes, Ellen Dubinsky, and Lili Wang, The Bernard Becker Medical Library, and Rakesh Nagarajan, Department of Pathology and Immunology; Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.

97) How (and How Well) Do Researchers Use Bioinformatics Resources? A Preliminary Analysis: Michele R. Tennant, AHIP, Health Science Center Libraries and UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida–Gainesville.

99) Recreating Our Image: Medical Information Professionals as Seen from Our Users' Perspective: Brittany L. Rice, AHIP, Medical Library, Suburban Hospital, Bethesda, MD, and Laurie Davidson, Michele L. Malloy, and Ivonne Martinez, Dahlgren Memorial Library, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC.

101) Transcending Bibliometrics: Measuring Knowledge Transfer and Clinical Impact: Cathy C. Sarli, Bernard Becker Medical Library; Washington University School of Medicine Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences; and Susan A. Fowler, Bernard Becker Medical Library; Washington University, St. Louis, MO.

103) CHILI: An Internship Program to Introduce Underrepresented Minority High School Students to Health Sciences Library Careers: Charles J. Greenberg, Cushing/Whitney Medical Library, Yale University, New Haven, CT.

105) Connecting with the Community: What Is the Value of a Friends of the Library Group?: Marie T. Ascher, AHIP, and Diana J. Cunningham, AHIP, Health Sciences Library, New York Medical College–Valhalla.

107) Delivering Value Through Innovation: Marketing Initiatives to Become Relevant and Cost Effective Again: Gediminas (Geddy) Paulaitis, AHIP, Louis Calder Memorial Library, University of Miami, Miami, FL.

109) Renovations Improve the Look and Functionality of Old Spaces: Janis F. Brown, AHIP, Norris Medical Library, and William Clintworth, Health Sciences Libraries, University of Southern California–Los Angeles.

111) Building Connections with National Medical Librarians Month: Nakia J. Carter, AHIP, and Rick Wallace, AHIP, Quillen College of Medicine Library, East Tennessee State University–Johnson City.

113) Bridging the Gap: Translating Research Study Findings into a Community Resource Guide: Shelley A. Bader, AHIP, HSC Foundation, Washington, DC.

115) South Central Houston Community Health Information Center: Jeffrey T. Huber, School of Library and Information Studies, Texas Woman's University–Houston; Beatriz Varman, Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library, Houston, TX; and Stacie Hill, Riverside Clinic, and Anganette S. Young, Administration, South Central Houston Community Health Center, Houston, TX.

117) Chapter Website Uses Web 2.0 Approaches: Jeanette de Richemond, AHIP, TA Information Center and School of Communication, Information and Library Studies, ECRI Institute, Plymouth Meeting, PA, and Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ; Gary Kaplan and Dan Kipnis, Scott Memorial Library, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA; and Nina Long, AHIP, Wistar Library, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA.

119) Connecting with New Employees: Promoting Consumer Health Resources through New Employee Orientation: Misty Carney, Bernard Becker Medical Library, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO.

121) Consumer Health Outreach for Special Populations: Targeting the Senior Citizen Demographic: Deborah Chiarella, Health Sciences Library, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, and Lauren Olewnik, Calvin Coolidge Library, Castleton State College, Castleton, VT.

123) Assessing Health Information Needs of Patients and Families in an Adult Outpatient Clinic: Tracy E. Powell, AHIP, and Lee Vucovich, AHIP, Lister Hill Library, University of Alabama–Birmingham.

125) Developing Connections Between an Academic Library and a Multidisciplinary Health Sciences Community: Remlee Green, Courtney D. Crummett, and Tracy Gabridge, Engineering and Science Libraries, Massachusetts Institute of Technology–Cambridge.

127) Live Well at the Library: Mayo Clinic Arizona Boosts Health and Wellness for Employees: Carol Ann Attwood, AHIP, Patient and Health Education Library, and Kay E. Wellik, AHIP, Library Services, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ.

129) Community Connections through Collaboration: Social Workers and Health Sciences Librarians: Anna L. Tatro and Paula Raimondo, AHIP, Health Sciences and Human Services Library, University of Maryland–Baltimore.

131) Getting Personal: Librarians Connecting with Patients and Providers through Personal Health Records: Dixie A. Jones, AHIP, Medical Library, Overton Brooks VA Medical Center, Shreveport, LA; Michael J. Ackerman, Office of High Performance Computing and Communication, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD; Joan Ash, Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Sciences University–Portland; Patti Corbett-Bregman, Clinical Solutions, Wolters Kluwer, Madison, CT; Taneya Koonce, Eskind Biomedical Library, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN; Daphne Plaut, AHIP, Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente, Portland, OR; Catherine R. Selden, National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD; David Sweet, FORE Library, American Health Information Management Association, Chicago, IL; Carla J. Funk, CAE, Medical Library Association, Chicago, IL; and Jean P. Shipman, AHIP, Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences and VCU Libraries, Virginia Commonwealth University–Richmond.

133) The Impact of Public Library Outreach Programs on the Use of Health-E Illinois, a Go Local Project: Mary J. Klatt and Logan Ludwig, AHIP, Health Sciences Library, Loyola University, Maywood, IL.

135) Expansion of Consumer Health Information Provision to Pediatric Patients via a Secure, Web-based Patient Portal: Julie Beauregard, Taneya Koonce, and Nunzia B. Giuse, AHIP, FMLA, Eskind Biomedical Library, and Jim Jirjis, Adult Primary Care Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.

137) Information Rx as Patient-Physician Communication Tool and Community Health Information Program: Marianne Burke, AHIP, Dana Medical Library; Peggy Carey, Family Medicine; and Frederick Pond and Laura Haines, Dana Medical Library; University of Vermont–Burlington; and Alan Lampson, Community Health Improvement, Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington, VT.

139) Bridging the Americas: Development of a Spanish Language Portal and Service Network for Health Care Providers in Latin America: Yanira García-Bárcena, Joaquín Arriaga, Suzetta Burrows, AHIP, and Mary Moore, Louis Calder Memorial Library, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL.

141) Using National Network of Libraries of Medicine Resources to Train Staff and Teach Students at a Residential Treatment Center: Dennis A. Pernotto, Dawn M. Parker, and Marianne Comegys, Health Sciences Library, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center–Shreveport.

145) Development, Dissemination, and Utilization of Public Health Systems Research Resources: Rick A. Brewer, Medical Center Library, and F. Douglas Scutchfield and Rick C. Ingram, College of Public Health, University of Kentucky–Lexington.

147) Are We Meeting Our Customers' Needs? Evaluation of Information Desk Services and Staffing: Alicia A. Livinski and Brian Brown, NIH Library, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.

149) Tags: How Do Users Describe Their Information?: Michelle Frisque, Galter Health Sciences Library, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL.

151) Using RefShare to Complement Resource Guides: Irene M. Lubker and Margaret E. Henderson, Research and Education Services, Virginia Commonwealth University–Richmond.

153) Connecting with Remote Patrons Using 2.0 Widget and Knowledgebase: Ryan Harris and Tierney Lyons, Health Sciences and Human Services Library, University of Maryland–Baltimore.

155) Extreme Makeover: Swapping Book Stacks for Flat Screen TVs: Felicia Yeh, Rozalynd Anderson, and Ruth A. Riley, AHIP, School of Medicine Library, University of South Carolina–Columbia.

157) Bridging the Dissemination Gap: Communicating Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section Research to the Nursing and Allied Health Professions: Margaret (Peg) Allen, AHIP, Peg Allen Library Consultant, Stratford, WI; Melody M. Allison, Biology Library, University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign; Frances A. Delwiche, Dana Medical Library, University of Vermont–Burlington; Susan K. Jacobs, AHIP, Elmer Holmes Bobst Library, New York University–New York; Pamela Sherwill-Navarro, AHIP, Health Science Center Libraries, University of Florida–Stratford; and Mary K. Taylor, AHIP, Morris Library, Southern Illinois University–Carbondale.

159) Trends in Health Sciences Library and Information Science Research: Mary E. Piorun, AHIP, Sally Gore, Judith Nordberg, and Lisa Palmer, Lamar Soutter Library, University of Massachusetts Medical School–Worcester.

161) Are They Benefiting? Developing Country Authors Research Productivity in the Tropical Diseases Literature: Alicia A. Livinski, NIH Library, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.

163) Academic Health Sciences Library Support for Research Studies and Clinical Trials: Fern M. Cheek, AHIP, and Pamela S. Bradigan, Prior Health Sciences Library, Ohio State University–Columbus.

165) Biology in Silico: Creation of an Online Bioinformatics Portal for Researchers, Clinicians, and Students: Carrie L. Iwema, John LaDue, Fran Yarger, and Ansuman Chattopadhyay, Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.

167) Building the Bridge: Developing Clinical Librarianship in Brazil: Janet Harrison, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom, and Vera Beraquet, University of Campinas, Pontifica Universidade Catholica de Campiunas, Brazil.

169) A MEDLINE Station in the Clerkship Clinical Skills Exam: Donna O'Malley, Dana Medical Library, University of Vermont–Burlington.

171) A Case Study on Three Tutorial Creating Softwares: Amy E. Blevins and C. W. Elton, William E. Laupus Health Sciences Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC.

173) New Roles and Skills for Library Staff in a Customer-focused Environment: Peggy Tahir, Marcus Banks, and Gail Persily, Center for Instruction Technology, and Kathleen Cameron, Library and Center for Knowledge Management, University of California–San Francisco.

175) Web 2.0 and Information Literacy: The Importance of Critical Thinking in Public Health: Laura Cobus, Health Professions Library, Hunter College, New York, NY.

177) Enhancing Podcast Development and Activity: Courtney D. Crummett, MIT Engineering and Science Libraries, Massachusetts Institute of Technology–Cambridge, and Robert A. Logan, Lister Hill National Center for Biomedical Communications, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

Other Meetings and Events

Pre-Meeting Activities

The MLA Board of Directors held a daylong meeting on Friday, May 16. The MLA Credentialing Committee met Friday evening. On Saturday, May 17, these MLA groups met: Nominating Committee, Books Panel Committee, and 2009 National Program Committee. In addition, there was a Moderator Orientation Session, and Chapter Council, Section Council, and section program planners (MLA '09) held meetings.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Early Sunday morning, the Research Section held The Research Connection, the Collection Development and Veterinary Medical Libraries Sections had Executive Committee Meetings, the Consumer and Patient Health Information Section had a Board Meeting, and the History of the Health Sciences and the Corporate Information Services Sections held their Business Meetings. The Journal of the Medical Library Association Editorial Board, National Network of Libraries of Medicine Middle Atlantic Strategic Plan Launch, and Go Local Discussion Group meetings took place.

MLA sections that had business meetings in the afternoon included: Educational Media and Technologies, Federal Libraries, Public Services, Technical Services (#1), and Veterinary Medical Libraries. The Hospital Libraries Section held a combined business meeting and reception, and the Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Department of the Army Medical Command Libraries, and OCLC SIGs held meetings. The Fellows of MLA also met.

Monday, May 19, 2008

On Monday morning, the following MLA units met: 2010 National Program Committee, Awards Committee, Governmental Relations Committee, MLANET Editorial Board, Professional Recruitment and Retention Committee, section continuing education chairs, and the Medical Education and Document Task Force Subcommittees of the Task Force on Vital Pathways for Hospital Librarians. At the same time, these sections held meetings: Chiropractic Libraries, Hospital Libraries (Executive Board), International Cooperation, Medical Informatics, Nursing and Allied Health Resources (Executive Board), and Pharmacy and Drug Information, and these SIGs met: African American Medical Librarians Alliance, Molecular Biology and Genomics, Osteopathic Libraries, and Vision Science. These informal meetings were held: Ad Hoc Committee for Advocating Scholarly Communication, American Academy of Pediatrics Library Advisory Board, Oxford Journals Hospital Libraries Breakfast Focus Group, and Libraries in Medical Education (LiME) SIGs for the Group on Education Affairs.

In the afternoon, six sections met: Collection Development, Consumer and Patient Health Information, Health Association Libraries, Medical Library Education, Nursing and Allied Health Resources, and Research Section. SIGs meeting at this time were: Mental Health, Pediatric Libraries, and Retired Librarians. The Librarians without Borders Task Force and chapter treasurers, also met, and the PubMed Linkout User Group and the Electronic Fund Transfer System (EFTS) Users' Group held informal meetings. During the early evening, these SIGs held meetings: Libraries in Curriculum and New Members. The Softlink Liberty User Group also met.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Early Tuesday morning, several MLA units met: Benchmarking Network Editorial Board, Bylaws Committee, chapter continuing education chairs, Donald A. B. Lindberg Research Fellowship Jury, MLA/NLM Joint Electronic Personal Health Record Task Force, and Membership Committee. These sections also had meetings: Dental Section, Hospital Libraries (Committee Meetings), Leadership and Management (Executive Board), Public Health/Health Administration, Relevant Issues, and Technical Services (#2). The Library Marketing and New Members SIGs also met. Later that morning, the Clinical Librarians and Evidence-based Health Care, Department of Veterans Affairs Librarians, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Health Sciences Librarians SIGs met.

In the afternoon, these MLA units met: benchmarking chapter liaisons, section treasurers, and the Task Force on Vital Pathways for Hospital Librarians Steering Committee. Two sections also met: Cancer Librarians and Leadership and Management. In addition, the American Psychological Association's Librarian Roundtable Lunch and QuickDOC Users Group meetings took place.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

In the early morning, the Continuing Education, Grants and Scholarships, Joseph Leiter NLM/MLA Lectureship, and Oral History Committees met, as did section program planners (MLA '09), and the Department of Veterans Affairs Librarians and Outreach SIGs. The NLM/AAHSL Leadership Fellows Program Leadership Institute was held during the afternoon. After the close of the meeting, the MLA Board of Directors met and the Continuing Education Committee held another meeting.

Open Forums

Five open forums were held concurrently on Tuesday, May 20, from 3:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. The open forums included:

Health Information Literacy Research Project

The Medical Library Association's Health Information Literacy Research Project is funded by a contract from the National Library of Medicine. The project coordinator, Sabrina Kurtz-Rossi, facilitated the open forum, discussing results and data from the project and the national survey of hospital administrators and health care providers, which was conducted to assess their awareness of health information literacy issues and the value of health literacy in supporting patient care. Other accomplishments include an inventory of health information literacy training materials and the project's working conference that was held in Indianapolis, Indiana, on April 3–4, 2008 <http://www.mlanet.org/resources/healthlit/hil_project_conference.html>. She reported that a health information literacy curriculum has been developed and is being piloted by nine libraries <http://www.mlanet.org/resources/healthlit/hil_project_pilot.html>. Librarians from three of the pilot libraries discussed their experience so far with testing the curriculum. More information on the project is available at http://www.mlanet.org/resources/healthlit/hil_project_overview.html.

Task Force on Social Networking Software

Task force members reported on and asked for feedback on several projects completed this year. These included guidelines for blogging <http://www.sns.mlanet.org/blog/blog_index.php> and needed future guidelines, the results of the social networking survey conducted fall 2007 <http://www.sns.mlanet.org/blog/2007/09/24/what-mla-members-told-us-about-social-networking/>, and what participants liked and didn't like about the Web 2.0 101 continuing education course conducted spring 2008 <http://www.sns.mlanet.org/snsce/>. The forum ended with a discussion on future plans.

Vital Pathways Program

The MLA Task Force on Vital Pathways for Hospital Librarians used this open forum to report on their projects, accomplishments and plans. Subjects discussed were information gathered about changes in library status reported through the form at http://www.mlanet.org/resources/vital/status_form.html, Magnet status, the work of the Education Group, new Joint Commissionstandards, draft 3 of the Your Information Advantage document being prepared to target current and upcoming hospital administrators, content for the future Journal of the Medical Library Association special issue being planned, the latest brochure and public relations piece, and a discussion of how to sustain the momentum the task force has achieved. More information and documents available can be found at http://www.mlanet.org/resources/vital/.

Librarians Without Borders

MLA's Task Force on Librarians without Borders facilitated this open forum to update members about this global initiative. First, Lenny Rhine, FMLA, University of Florida–Gainsville, and grant coordinator, talked about the use of the $80,000 grant MLA received from Elsevier to train librarians in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Last year, the grant was used to conduct 8 workshops and 2 email courses. All training materials have been updated and put online. He also discussed the Health InterNetwork Access to Research Initiative (HINARI) <http://www.who.int/hinari/en/>, a collaboration between the World Health Organization (WHO) and over 5,000 publishers, which enables developing countries to gain access to biomedical and health literature. He emphasized that for communities to successfully participate they need reliable communications, adequate hardware, a body of knowledge (i.e., HINARI), and training. More information can be found at http://www.mlanet.org/resources/global/.

Marcus Banks, chair of the International Cooperation Section, then discussed the work of the Task Force on Librarians without Borders, including the members, charge, accomplishments, key recommendations submitted to MLA's Board of Directors, and synergy with the National Library of Medicine and National Network of Libraries of Medicine <http://www.mlanet.org/about/annual_report/07_08/2007_08_ar_task_forces.pdf#xmlhttp://www.mlanet.org/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/webinator/search/pdfhi.txtquerytaskforceonlibrarianswithoutbordersprdefaultproxpagerorder750rprox750rdfreq500rwfreq500rlead750rdepth0sufs1orderrcqid48251df30>.

National Institutes of Health Public Access Policy

Karen Albert, chair of MLA's Ad Hoc Committee for Advocating Scholarly Communication, and Karen Butter, chair of the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries' Scholarly Communication Committee, moderated this session, which addressed the implementation of the newly revised National Institutes of Health (NIH) public access policy. This policy, found in section 318 of H.R. 2764, The Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008, requires that all investigators funded by NIH submit or have submitted for them to PubMed Central an electronic version of their final, peer-reviewed manuscript accepted for publication no later than 12 months after the official date of publication.

Speakers included David Gillikin, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, who addressed the impact of the policy on the institution, talked about arranging author and publisher copyright agreements, and discussed the difference between “freely accessible” and “open access.” Christine Chastain-Warheit, Lewis B. Flinn Medical Library, Christiana Care Health System, Newark, Delaware, spoke about implementation strategies being undertaken by hospital and cancer libraries, and Patricia L. Thibodeau, AHIP, FMLA, Duke University, Durham, NC, discussed implementation strategies being undertaken by academic health science libraries.

National Library of Medicine Update

Donald A. B. Lindberg, director of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), began the NLM Update, which took place Tuesday, May 20, from 10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. He gave updates on new and retiring personnel, the expansion of ClinicalTrials.gov to include devices, additional types of trials and trial results, public access to public information, new initiatives in genomics in response to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) focus on genome-wide association studies, the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Human Genome Project, the NLM Disaster Information Management Research Center, and GoLocal. Diane Boehr, Technical Services Division, followed with a presentation: “On the Record: the Report of the Library of Congress Working Group on the Future of Bibliographic Control” <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/techbull/mj08/nlm_update_boehr/boehr.html>. Sheldon Kotzin, FMLA, Library Operations, gave an update on projects in the library operations area.

Legislative Update

The Governmental Relations Committee (GRC) and Joint MLA/Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries Legislative Task Force sponsored an update on Tuesday, May 20, from 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Dale Dirks, Health and Medicine Counsel of Washington (DC), and MLA's legislature representative in Washington, gave the traditional Capitol Hill overview and an update on health and education funding for Fiscal Year 2009. Dane Christiansen, also with Health and Medicine Counsel of Washington (DC), followed with a talk on grassroots advocacy. The program ended with a question and answer period with the two speakers.

Other Special Events and Receptions

Friday, May 16

Only Connect….to the Community: Each One Teach One at Wrightwood/Ashburn Public Library, noon–2:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 17:

Only Connect….to the Community: MLA Health Information Table at Rush University Health Fair, 8:00 a.m.–noon and 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Leaders' Tea, 3:00 p.m.–5:15 p.m.
Welcome Reception and Opening of Hall of Exhibits, 5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 18:

Majors Twentieth Annual Walk for Fun, 6:30 a.m.–7:30 a.m.
Tai chi, 7:00 a.m.–8:00 a.m.
New Members' and First-time Attendees Breakfast, 7:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.
Chapter Council Presents Sharing Roundtables, noon–2:00 p.m.
Public Relations/Marketing Seminar: “Marketing 100: Starting at the Bottom,” 3:30 p.m.–4:15 p.m.
International Visitors' Reception, 6:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
Library School Reunion, 6:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
Friends of the National Library of Medicine Reception, Chicago History Museum, 7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.

Monday, May 19:

Academy of Health Information Professionals Question-and-answer Session, 1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
American Medical Association Reception, 8:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.

Tuesday, May 22:

Public Relations/Marketing Seminar: “Marketing 200: Getting to the Top,” 11:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
MLA Reception, Closing Connections, 7:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.

Sunrise Seminars

Vendors again held Sunrise Seminars to provide information and introduce new products and services. On Sunday, May 18, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association, EBSCO Information Services, Elsevier, Ovid, Rittenhouse, Thomson Scientific, and Wiley-Blackwell gave seminars. On Monday, May 19, EBSCO Information Services, Elsevier, IGI Global, the National Library of Medicine, and the Radiological Society of North America presented seminars, and, on Tuesday, May 20, there were seminars by EBSCONET, Elsevier, McGraw-Hill, Ovid, and the Therapeutic Research Center.

Technology Showcases

Fifteen technology showcases were held Sunday through Tuesday. These were:

EBSCO: GIDEON, May 18, noon–12:30 p.m.
The R2 Digital Library: E-books Maximized, May 18, 1:00 p.m.–1:30 p.m.
EBSCO: DynaMed, May 18, 3:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
EBSCO: Nursing Reference Center, May 18, 4:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Unbound Medicine: uCentral Connects Patrons to Library Content via iPhone, Blackberries, Smartphones, and PDAs, May 19, 10:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
Basch Subscriptions: Let our B.O.S.S. Work for You, May 19, 11:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
BMJ Point of Care: New, Effective Decision Support, May 19, 1:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
Thomson Scientific: Inspire Collaboration and Scholarly Publishing with EndNote, May 19, 2:30 p.m.–3:00 p.m.
RMIT Publishing: Every Global Medical Library Needs a Second Opinion, May 19, 3:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
EBSCO: CINAHL with Full Text, May 19, 4:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
EBSCO: Patient Education Reference Center (PERC), May 20, 10:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
BMJ Point of Care: New, Effective Decision Support, May 20, 11:30 a.m.–noon
TDNet: What's New in E-resource Access and Management, May 20, 12:30 p.m.–1:00 p.m.
Thomson Scientific: Investigator Portal: The Indispensable Tool for Investigators in All Stages of Translational Research, May 20, 1:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
EBSCO: Medical Interface Enhancements Featuring EBSCOhost 2.0, May 20, 2:30 p.m.–3:00 p.m.

Continuing Education Courses and Symposia

The 2007/08 Continuing Education Committee offered the following courses on May 16, 17, and 21, 2008:

CE 100, Ethical Concerns for Health Sciences Librarians

CE 101, The PhD Experience: Graduate School in the Basic Biomedical Sciences

CE 102, Communicating with Physicians: For Librarians

CE 200, Gaining Leadership Skills without Formally Supervising People

CE 201, The Art of Building and Sustaining Community Partnerships

CE 202, Cheap, Fast, and Decent Strategic Planning for Medical Libraries: What You Can Do with the Time You Have

CE 203, Grant Writing

CE 204, Practical Project Management for the Solo Librarian: Getting It Done When You Are the Only One

CE 205, Measuring Your Impact: Using Evaluation to Demonstrate Value

CE 206, Introduction to Financial Management for Health Sciences Librarians

CE 208, Planning and Managing the Consumer Health Library

CE 301, Measure for Measure: Locating Information on Health Measurement Tools

CE 303, ABCs of DNA: Unraveling the Mystery of Genetics Information for Consumers

CE 304, Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) for Searchers

CE 305, The Community Health Status Indicators (CHSI) Project: An Important Resource for Determining and Improving Community Health

CE 306, An Introduction to the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP): A Resource for Medical Librarians

CE 307, Getting Started with Information Outreach in Minority Communities

CE 400, Electronic Colletion Development for Health and Medicine E-Libraries

CE 401, First Do No Harm: Basic Strategies for Administering Archival Materials in Health Sciences Libraries

CE 500, Geeks Bearing Gifts: Unwrapping New Technology Trends

CE 501, Technology Planning for Health Sciences Librarians

CE 502, Introduction to Blogs and Wikis

CE 600, Assessing Library Training Needs

CE 601, Rapid Web-based Course Development: A Hands-on Workshop

CE 602, Distance Education: Supporting Anywhere, Anytime Learning

CE 700, Knowledge Transfer: Moving from Best Evidence to Best Practice

CE 701, Evidence-based Medicine (EBM): Introduction to Study Design and Critical Appraisal

CE 702, Teaching Clinical Skills to Medical Librarians

CE 703, Understanding Health Care Literature: Advanced Critical Appraisal

CE 704, Understanding Health Care Literature: A Primer for Working with Evidence-based Health Care Principles

CE 705, Finding the Evidence: Evidence-based Practice in Nursing

CE 800, Symposium: Patient Education and Consumer Health Libraries: Collaborating for Improved Patient Care. Sponsored by the Consumer and Patient Health Information Section, Gale, and Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the symposium was held Saturday, May 17, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

CE 801, Symposium: Not-so Dangerous Liaisons: Best Practices for Library Liaison Work. Sponsored by the Educational Media and Technologies Section, the symposium was held Wednesday, May 21, 12:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

The 29 pre-meeting courses, 2 post-meeting courses, and 2 symposia (1 pre-meeting and 1 post-meeting) had a total attendance of 624.

Resources and Services

MLA offered its usual array of services for meeting attendees. A Hospitality Center provided maps and information about Chicago. The Information Desk, part of the MLA Registration Center, was the place to leave messages for MLA staff, the Board of Directors, or colleagues, and it also served as the Lost and Found center. A Message Center allowed colleagues to connect through notes, and the Internet Café was available 24 hours per day Saturday, May 17–Wednesday, May 21. The Job Placement Center was open Saturday, May 17–Tuesday, May 20, and shared space with the Member Resource Room that provided copy machines, computers, and printers for association business. The Speaker Ready Room was available Friday through Tuesday for those making presentations during the meeting. Conference Connections, official newsletter of MLA '08, was published in reduced size on Sunday, May 20–Tuesday, May 22, and provided program updates and corrections, room changes, meeting announcements, and interesting facts about Chicago. The Local Assistance Committee tried to make the meeting greener by also posting information on white boards, the meeting blog, and hotel monitors. The MLA Connection Booth was available to pick up information about MLA's programs and services. Included here were the Grants and Scholarship MLA Store, the Public Relations Swap ‘n’ Shop, MLA Publishing, and Section Council/Chapter Council information. A Relaxation Station, sponsored by McGraw-Hill, and the MLA '09 booth were available in the Hall of Exhibits.

Contributor Information

Frances H. Lynch, Eskind Biomedical Library, Vanderbilt University, 2209 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232-8340. frances.lynch@vanderbilt.edu.

Rachel R. Walden, Eskind Biomedical Library, Vanderbilt University, 2209 Garland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232-8340. rachel.walden@vanderbilt.edu.

PERMALINK

Proceedings, 108th Annual Meeting Medical Library Association, Inc. Chicago, IL May 16–21, 2008

Frances H Lynch

Rachel R Walden

Roles

Contents

Introduction

Welcome to MLA '08

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Presidential Address (Plenary Session I)

Other Plenary Sessions

II, May 18, 2008: The John P. McGovern Lecture

III, May 19, 2008: The Janet Doe Lecture

IV, May 21, 2008: Web 2.0 Tools For Librarians: Description, Demonstration, Discussion and Debate

Awards Ceremony

Business Meeting I

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Business Meeting II: Presidential Inaugural Address and MLA '09 Invitation Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Inaugural Address

Section Programming

Section Programs I: Sunday, May 18, 4:30 P.M.–6:00 P.M

Section Programs II: Monday, May 19, 10:30 A.M.–Noon

Section Programs III: Monday, May 19, 2:00 P.M.–3:30 P.M

Section Programs IV: Monday, May 19, 4:30 P.M.–6:00 P.M

Section Programs V: Tuesday, May 20, 2:00 P.M.–3:30 P.M

Section Programs VI: Tuesday, May 20, 4:30 P.M.–6:00 P.M

Poster Sessions

Poster Session I: Sunday, May 18, 3:30 P.M.–4:30 P.M

Poster Session II: Monday, May 19, 3:30 P.M.–4:30 P.M

Other Meetings and Events

Pre-Meeting Activities

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Monday, May 19, 2008

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Open Forums

Health Information Literacy Research Project

Task Force on Social Networking Software

Vital Pathways Program

Librarians Without Borders

National Institutes of Health Public Access Policy

National Library of Medicine Update

Legislative Update

Other Special Events and Receptions

Sunrise Seminars

Technology Showcases

Continuing Education Courses and Symposia

Resources and Services

Contributor Information

ACTIONS

PERMALINK

RESOURCES

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