Draft Strategic Plan 2002 

MLA's Future: Issues, Challenges, and Choices

Strategic Plan, Draft #2

MLA's Vision
MLA believes that quality information is essential for improved health. MLA aspires to be the association of the most visible, valued, and trusted health information experts with proven positive influence on the quality of health in the world.

MLA's Core Values
On behalf of the profession, MLA is committed to:

• improving the knowledge and skills of health information professionals;
• advocating new directions and roles for the profession that respond to needs in society;
• advancing health information research and evidence-based practice;
• upholding and promoting the Code of Ethics for Health Sciences Librarians.

On behalf of society, MLA is committed to:

• advancing the valuable role of health information professionals in providing the best health information to all who work in healthcare, health education and biomedical research;
• promoting the use of scientific evidence in making health care decisions;
• improving the public's awareness and use of quality health information;
• promoting a sense of community and collaboration with similar organizations to ensure that the best health information is available to all.

MLA Goals and Objectives

1. Recruitment, Membership and Leadership in the Profession
   MLA will recruit and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds to become health information professionals, serve them through the association, and foster their leadership roles in the association and the profession.
   
   
• MLA will aggressively promote health sciences librarianship and other health information careers to individuals from diverse backgrounds, including members of related health and information professions, high school and college students, and others to meet the increased need for health information professionals.
• MLA will promote exploration of new health information professional roles, knowledge and skills to better serve society.
• MLA will promote mentorship and leadership opportunities to support the development and flourishing of 21st Century health information professionals.
  
  
2. Life Long Learning
   MLA will be the leading educational provider and facilitator for life-long learning opportunities in health information and knowledge management.
   
   
   • MLA will expand the market for its education programs to include students, health professionals, and the public to promote access and use of quality health information.
   • MLA will expand its health information education programs' content and delivery methods to meet the needs of expanded audiences wherever they are.
   • MLA will offer credentialing programs that recognize special expertise to promote the value of life long learning.
   • MLA will seek partnerships with other organizations and institutions such as graduate schools of library and information science to encourage the provision of education opportunities for health information professionals.
     
     
3. Advocacy
   MLA will demonstrate to the health care, education, and research communities, and the public the value of quality health information to society and the role that health information professionals play in producing and managing that information.
   
   
   • MLA will be the leading advocate for professional concerns of health information experts in our society.
   • MLA will aggressively promote the value of health information and the ability of health information professionals to serve the health information needs of health professionals, decision-makers, and the public.
   • MLA will serve as a leading advocate for unrestricted, affordable, and permanent access for all to quality health information and scientific communication that advances health.
     
     
4. Creating and Communicating our Knowledge
   MLA will create a professional research knowledge base that provides evidence to link the information services provided by health information professionals to improved health care and advances in biomedical research.
   
   
   • MLA will promote and support health information research, and capture other knowledge about health sciences libraries and librarians that members can use to advance the practice of health sciences librarianship.
   • MLA will assist in enabling its members to use advanced information technologies in the processing, organization and dissemination of health information and develop systems and content for the benefit of its members.
     
     
5. Building a Network of Partners
   MLA will actively serve every professional and student working in health care and provide health information to the public through a global network of members and partners who share expertise and resources.
   
   
   • MLA will seek local, regional, national and international partnerships with others who share its values and goals on information access programs such as outreach to underserved communities.
   • MLA will work to develop international connections that support access to quality information for improved health for all. MLA will support the information needs of the growing range of individuals engaged in providing health information services to the public.

Visit the Web-based comment area, or send your comments, questions, or suggestions to Carla Funk, funk@mlahq.org; fax, 312.419.8950.