Annual Report 1999/2000 

Membership Committee

The MLA membership Committee met at the Annual Meeting on May 17, 1999. Reports were submitted concerning goals for the previous year and chapter activities. Goals and objectives for the coming year were set.

Goal 2. Advocacy
Objective: Work with Section Council to increase overall MLA membership and section membership
Members: Stephanie Lipow, Larry Woods, Elisa Cortez, Pat Higginbottom
Progress: A proposal from Section Council on ways to increase recruitment and retention of members to MLA and to sections has been shared. A motion was passed by the Board to restructure the committee and add Section representatives. That process has begun.

Objective: Plan the Colleague Connection Program
Members: Linda Flavin, Elaine Wells, Pat Higginbottom
Progress: Planning for the event at the annual meeting is underway.

Objective: Plan the New Members/First Time Attendee Reception
Members: Melinda Orebaugh, Gayle Willard, Virginia Carden, Debra Anderson, Pat Higginbottom
Progress: The planning leader of the group has been in contact with the NPC for MLA 2000. The event has been moved to the morning before the first session. The attendees can then go to the session as a group and be recognized together. Planning and organization is underway.

Objective: Develop a tip sheet on medical librarianship for teens
Members: MaryBeth Edwards, Valerie Rankow, Deborah Lovett, Christine Sato,Susan Bretscher, Pat Higginbottom
Progress: The group has asked for and received clarification about the intent of the goal and has begun to gather information. The sheet has been divided into sections and each section has been assigned to a member. The sheet should be ready by the annual meeting.

Goal 3. Organization
Objective: Revise Dues Structure
Members: Entire Committee
Progress: The group waited to begin until a formal charge was handed down from the board. When the word was received that the restructuring plan was to be presented at the MLA annual meeting in 2001, the chair designate of the committee was asked to lead the planning. An outline of steps has been developed beginning with gathering information from MLA members and from past dues discussions.

Goal 5. Information Technology
Objective: Update and enhance MLA Student Web pages and add membership committee information to MLANET
Members: Pat Higginbottom, Russett Hambrick, James Liu
Progress: The group has evaluated the site as it stands and it working on enhancements. Headquarters is working on getting the committee manual revised to put on the Website.

Objective: Promote MLA Student Email Discussion List
Members: Teresa Knott, Deborah Lovett, Pat Higginbottom
Progress: Discussion list is being used although sparingly. At last count, there were 159 members

Membership Committee Annual Report Addendum: Membership Statistics

The following table presents comparative MLA membership statistics for the past 5 years:

MOTION
This report is informational and requires no action by the Board of Directors.

Patricia C. Higginbottom,Chair

MLA Membership Committee Members
Debra Anderson
Susan Bretscher
Virginia Carden
Elisa Cortez
Barbara Crain
MaryBeth Edwards
Linda Flavin
Russett Hambrick
Craig Haynes
Stephanie Lipow
James Liu
Deborah Lovett
Melinda Orebaugh
Barbara Palso
Valerie Rankow
Gwenda Raupp
Christine Sato
Wilba Swearingen
Elaine Wells
Gayle Willard
Larry Woods
Teresa Knott, Ex Officio
Kate Corcoran, Staff Liaison
Jean Shipman, Board Liaison