Annual Report 1999/2000 

Awards Committee

The Awards Committee and juries worked toward the association goals, objectives, and priorities listed below. This report covers the period from the Annual Meeting in May 1999 to February 2000.

Goal 1. Professional Development

MLA promotes the professional development of health sciences library and information professionals. The association…

c. supports members in assuming leadership roles in the design, development, management, and evaluation of information systems and services.

• The committee and juries publicized awards which recognize members for their leadership roles in the design, development, management, and evaluation of information systems and services.
• The committee and juries determined who is to be recognized with awards for their leadership at the Annual Meeting.

Goal 2. Advocacy

MLA advocates for health sciences library and information professionals in an evolving health care environment. The association…

c. recognizes members who make significant contributions to the profession and publicizes these contributions in the broader health information environment.

Advocacy Priority: Promote the profession and the value of library and health information professionals.

• The committee and juries decided which members are to be recognized for their contributions. After Board approval, award recipients and their accomplishments will be publicized by headquarters staff within the association and the profession, as well as to sources outside the health sciences libraries’ environment. In addition to honoring award-winning members, such publicity promotes the profession.

Goal 3. Organization

MLA continually improves its operations, services, and responsiveness to members. The association…

d. develops, evaluates, and enhances programs and services responsive to members’ needs.

• In response to a request from the Outreach SIG, the Awards Committee discussed ways to more prominently recognize the recipient of the DeBakey Outreach Award at the MLA Annual Meeting, even though it is not an award of MLA. The committee communicated this request through its Board Liaison to Headquarters staff who suggested that the recipient be recognized at a general business session during the Annual Meeting.

e. fosters effective communication within the association and with external constituencies.

• Minutes of the committee meeting held in Chicago at the MLA Annual Meeting were distributed to all committee members.
• Committee members communicated through electronic mail to discuss issues such as confidentiality, the awards process, and the roles of liaisons. Confidentiality was particularly an issue in the case of chapter award recipients who are automatically nominated by their chapters for MLA awards.
• The committee and juries communicated with members through email discussion lists and newsletters to publicize awards.
• Committee members and juries deliberated on award nominations through electronic mail and conference calls. Board liaison and staff liaison were included in committee deliberations.
• At the Annual Meeting, committee members and jury chairs will discuss issues such as lack of nominations received for some awards.

Goal 4. Research

MLA promotes the research role of the health sciences library and information professional. The association…

c. promotes research results through publishing and awards for excellence.

• Several awards administered by the Professional Development program through the Awards Committee and its juries recognize the recipients’ excellence in research.

Goal 6. Information Technology

MLA promotes the profession as a leader in the use of information technology.

• The ISI/Frank Bradway Rogers Information Advancement Award is the main award for the area of information technology because it recognizes a member who has made an outstanding contribution in the application of technology to the delivery of health sciences information, to the science of information, or to facilitate the delivery of health sciences information. Several other awards also consider nominees’ contributions in this area.

MOTION

This report is informational and requires no action by the Board of Directors.
Janice E. Kelly
Janet Minnerath, AHIP, Chair Designate
Tracy E. Powell, AHIP
Susan A. Selig, AHIP
Bette Sydelko, AHIP
Jacqueline Wilson
Anne Greenspan, Staff Liaison
Jacqueline Donaldson Doyle, AHIP, Board Liaison
Dixie A. Jones, AHIP, Chair