Test Message : Use this area to comment on MLA's draft strategic plan, located at http://www.mlanet.org/about/draft_plan0702.html
Thomas Hill : In my opinion, this is way off the mark of what we librarians need, as individuals and from an association and specifically MLA. I can start with the vision and go from there, but let me just start with the vision. To our administrators and public and health care providers, health information is what used to be called medical records. Therefore, "librarians" (and I am one of those who prefer we do away with, change from, whatever "librarian") are not to be "seen," recognized, acknowledged or thought of when the vision is mentioned. Go from there, and the whole document needs redoing! I am convinced of that. Because of inertia, invested interests, and fear to start over, it probably will not happen, but I would recommend we health science librarians look at what is happening and draft a strategic plan that works within the changes computer technology is driving. Without a future-centered strategic plan, hospital librarians will be gone in a few years, as a career, as constituants of MLA.
Dorrie Slutsker : I think Mr. Hill has a good point that the MLA leadership is not responsive to the real needs of its members. Hospital librarians are an endangered species. The statement that medical librarians are well compensated is not true. Compared to other information professionals (the tekkies) we are very poorly compensated. This is one of the main reasons why we have problems attracting recruits to our profession, especially the young, bright, talented recruits we so desperately need to balance the aging and imminent retirement of so many of our colleagues. MLA should actively advocate for appropriate compensation for its members. If it is constrained from doing this for legal reasons, it should advocate for the establishment of an organization which can do this.
Annette Osenga : Thanks. The only phrasing that confuses me is "community of practice". It is in quotes, which indicates everyone should understand this phrase in a particular way. I do not know what it means.
Margaret Moore : It appears that Ms Slutsker and Mr. Hill misunderstand that this strategic plan is describing MLA's future, not current reality. We are not currently well compensated compared to some other information professionals. I applaud the MLA Board for this plan, and I look forward to seeing actions that will help make this a future reality.
LoisWeinstein : 1. The vision is short and to the point which is excellent, but it doesn't include any link to us as information professionals. I think that it needs a link, for example; Quality information delivered personally by knowledgeable information professionals for improved health. Without that "human" link, the vision clearly states that "improved health" doesn't need anyone, just "quality information". 2. Within the document switching between health information professionals and health sciences librarians is just plain confusing. It is critical that we drop the "L" word if we ever want to be "well compensated"! There are many individuals who are not librarians who need to be included in the association, but who will never have the term librarian in their title. For example, in 1970 I graduated from library school with an MLS. Since then, I have been an information specialist, a manager of a technical information center, and a director of a medical library consortium, but I never held the title of librarian. To appeal to the widest of potential members, we must think of ourselves as information professionals beyond just librarians.
Chris Shaffer : In "MLA's Core Values" I wonder what is meant by 'broadening health information research'? Is this promotion of research, encouraging research in new areas, or something else? It's a bit vague as it stands. If the meaning of "Description of MLA's Future" is to describe what the association 'will be in the future', and not 'current reality', then the section should be changed from present tense to future tense. Personally, I'm quite happy to be called a 'librarian' and that's how I describe myself to others. I agree with previous commenters that the term is used pretty loosly in the document. The language should be more inclusive of our members who self-identify as other types of information professionals.
Valerie Florance : The vision statement implies a focus on content (quality information), but the core values don't get around to content until the last statement (best information available to all) and other sections focus more on the experts (whatever we call them) Some statements should be reframed to reinforce the expanded role librarians/health information experts play and will play. For example, the description of MLA's future might say : The health care community and the public understand the value of quality health information to society and the role MLA's members play in producing and managing that information. and , ...sought after as trusted experts in the development and management of quality health information. etc.
Lucy Wrightington : "promoting the value of health information professionals" is one of the stated goals, but I would like to see this more in the forefront of core values, vision, etc.
Bob Pringle : I approve of #6 under strategies. I'd like to incule a focus on serving health care practitioners in #4, such as "MLA will promote the ability of its members and others to serve the health information needs of health care practitioners and of the general public.
Jie Li : I am glad to see that MLA 's overarching goal is to be the association of the most visible trusted, and respected health information experts with proven positive influence on the quality of health in the WORLD and realized the challenge of improving access to quality health information and library services worldwide. However, the recommended strategic choices to address the challenges do not include improving information access for the most needed--information poor areas and countries. To embrace global health, MLA needs to seek partnerships to improve health information access in information poor countries and areas.
Jo Dorsch : My major problem in recruiting is that so few librarians have been exposed to health sciences courses in library school. We can't recruit if we don't have a pool of students educated in health sciences librarianship. One of our major focuses needs to be to influence library school curricula.
Steve : Perhaps I missed it in readming this Draft but I didn't see any comment about supporting the existing Medical Library profession. What is MLA doing currently to promote the careers of medical librarians (convince hospital management to support current librarians' salary (increases,) benefits,publicity and keep current librarians employed??
joan p : comprehensive document. how will progress be measured?
Tom Flemming : I like the use of the term: "health information professionals" in the statement of core values. It suggests that the importance of the "librarian" label is waning (but not disappearing) in the collective memory of the association. I also like the specific inclusion in the core value statement of the public; I think that focusing our attention on this community (the lay public) is going to be very important to us as a profession in the near future. But I deplore the failure to mention in the statement of core values the community on which we have depended and with whom we have worked throughout our history: the health care practitioners! Why is there no mention of clinicians: nurses, physicians, etc., in this important preamble to our new strategic plan? Is the omission intentional, or just an oversight? I think it is important that the statement of our core values begin with an inclusive recognition of the communities of interest in this endeavour: the health care information professionals, the public and the health care practitioners with whom we have worked, historically, to deliver the best information services possible.
Thomas Craig : I have a general comment about the use of the phrase "health information" in MLA documents, including the strategic plan. This nomenclature has been pilfered in the last few years by the medical records profession, which really deals with patient information or patient data or even disease data, but not health information. Maybe we should gain ownership of some different terminology such as "medical information" or something similar (not "knowledge based information" that few people understand).
Diane Hummel : MLA Core Values - rephrase MLA is committed to improve the knowledge and skill set of information professionals, to broaden health information research initiatives, to improve the public's utilization of health information and appreciate it's value, to promote access to global health information, and to develop collaborative and appropriate partnerships to ensure that quality health information is universally available. MLA upholds and prmotoes the Code of Ethics for Health Science Librarians. It just flows better.
Rachel Resnick : In the Core Values section, I'd like to see a statement that MLA is an advocate for the worth and value of health sciences librarians and as such, works to ensure a decent wage and adequate resources for all library workers in health sciences settings.
Cynthia Burke : Under "Core Values": - improving health care professionals' understanding of health information and its value - Improving the awareness of the role of health sciences librarians in academia, hospitals, corporate, and other sectors. Under "Challenges": - Promoting the value to health information professionals to clinicians and other health care professionals.
Gina Hug : MLA's Vision Statement / Quality information for improved health -- I find this statement to be a bit too broad. I suggest "Delivery of quality information for improved health."
Diane : in Mal'as Core Values section....before the Code of Ethics part: change "the" to "its" ... and in the same section put the word "quality" in front of "health information"... I love the shortened Vision Statement "quality information for improved health" Good work everyone !
Beth Hill : I would like to make two comments. I am not sure if this is the correct venue for them, but here goes: First- If we are interested in promoting medical librarianship to current library school students, and if we want to strive to recruit them into MLA, then we should honor their interest by allowing them to be voting members when they join. Just as provisional members of AHIP get to put the letters after their name, a library school student who pays money to join an organization should get to vote. Second comment: I would like to see some sort of certification designed for people who have been working as medical librarians for years, but do not have an MLS, and are of a technology bent. A certification in "medical informatics"? We have AHIP now, and the consumer health credential for librarians as well as allied health folks (no MLS needed). I'd like to see something along the line of the consumer health credentialling for the tech and networking people.
Janet : Why doesn't MLA seem to want to help the library professionals working now with actual real-life problems; for example, improving library-publisher relationships, maybe in the area of standardization of methods of access to online journals.
Candace Walker : Because of the use of "health information professionals" I decided to look at the AHIMA web site. Their mission statement includes their Vision "A world in which the public values the contribution of health information management professionals and the American Health Information Management Association, in the advancement of health through quality information." Maybe somewhere it should be spelled out (in the text?,as a footnote?) that the use of "health information professional" in this document refers to those working with knowledge-based information" and not patient records. I know knowledge-based info is jargon, but I can't think of anything better. Also... in item 6 under strategic choices, consider adding the word affordable to unfettered and permanent access...
Thomas Hill : Vision should be an action statement. We should be "providing quality health care information where and when it is needed" for example. For all the other areas, we mention "health information professionals" some places and "librarians" in others. Make up our minds! I firmly believe MLA ought to be about the professional education, training, and development of health sciences librarian/info professonals. No where do we mention librarians who are not the "best, brightest, diverse" (whatever that means) AND who are not using the technology and resources to deliver information to users, in the best, the current, the available means. In other words, MLA needs to address the issues of the future: using technology to get information to users where and when it is needed; librarians/information professionals who do not use current information delivery technology; librarians who do not follow best practices; librarians who do not use NLM provided technology and services; librarians who do not cooperate in creating and advancing the library information network. Finally, in general, my reactions to the draft is summarized by: "Ug! Awful! Words and no substance. I do not like it, at all." Thanks for asking. Thomas