Candidate Responses

President-Elect

The Nominating Committee asked each candidate for a response to this question:

Candidate Responses

• Mary Joan (MJ) Tooey, AHIP
• Jean P. Shipman, AHIP

Mary Joan (MJ) Tooey, AHIP Deputy Director/Director Designate, Health Sciences and Human Services Library, University of Maryland–Baltimore, 1999–

Answer to Nominating Committee Question

Strategic plans can be positive and motivating. As a foundation for developing a vibrant and responsive organization, they prescribe a vision and methodology to move an organization from where it is to where it aspires to be. MLA's new strategic vision does that for MLA.

How to implement our plan to optimize the resources and services of MLA? I see the strategic plan as a flexible, living document that anticipates and responds to changes in member needs, environments, resources, and technical advances. Effective organizations encourage communication in order to make course adjustments. I would seek and value input from MLA members and units at meetings, online, and by whatever mean possible to serve as "think-tanks" to advise me. I would also encourage MLA to study, develop, and use the most effective means available to deliver services, resources, and new initiatives to members.

MLA must focus on the following:

• Equipping members for the future: Through ongoing advocacy efforts, our strong continuing education program, leadership development, and good, substantive research, MLA will support our greatest resource, our members.
• Promotion of our members and profession: MLA must promote the worth and expertise of our members in their myriad environments. Medical librarianship must be shown to be the best, most exciting career option for information professionals.
• Our role in the greater community: MLA has a responsibility to be a national advocate and voice for responsible and fair information policies, practice, and issues. We must be part of any discussions ensuring funding for, and equity of access to, quality health information for all.

Our strategic plan embraces the values of our profession, while creating a relevant, flexible reality for our organizational future. It requires creativity and energy from MLA leadership and members. I look forward to that creative and energetic future.

Jean P. Shipman, AHIP Director, Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences, and Associate University Librarian, Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries, Virginia Commonwealth University-Richmond, 2000–

Answer to Nominating Committee Question

Celebrate the Phoenix within Us

MLA's most precious resource is its members-without members, MLA would have little reason to exist. "MLA needs you and you need MLA" is more than a recruitment slogan; it is a professional mantra. As information providers, we need MLA to help us reach our vision of improved health through synergy in numbers and community effort. We need to increase MLA's membership and recruit more individuals into our profession.

Both MLA and its members' needs are currently addressed through initiatives in mentoring, recruiting, establishing the Center of Research Excellence, advocating our expertise, exploring expanded roles, and extending MLA's international presence. Having worked closely with these initiatives, I can lead MLA beyond these concepts' planning stages to their adoption and diffusion for our collective benefit. The new MLA strategic plan encapsulates traditional values and roles, but it also embraces strategies for exploring new professional opportunities and greater member diversity. We need to offer our expertise to other health professionals and welcome them to join us in appreciating the value of information and knowledge.

Celebrating the phoenix within us as health information professionals may mean burning some of our past concerns and rising to the challenges of a new day. Unlike the mythical phoenix, we do not have to wait 500 years! The time is ripe to think broadly about expanding our sphere of influence. Every MLA member can help to advocate for our profession, advance our future, and further diffuse our vision of improving health through quality information. We can be recognized as the most visible, valued, and trusted source of quality health information. It is up to us-it is up to you. I would honor the opportunity to "fly with you" as we celebrate the phoenix within us and collectively work to realize our vision!