2011 National Program Committee

Ignite MLA

Contributed papers

Wayne Loftus, AHIP

Enlighten us, but make it quick. New this year: a session of short, high-energy talks by people with ideas. Each speaker, in exactly five minutes, will have twenty slides that auto-advance every fifteen seconds to tell us something new about libraries, technology, or health.

The National Program Committee will solicit submissions for this new presentation format in the months preceding the meeting. Look for more information in the MLA News.

Cancer Librarians Section, Public Health/Health Administration Section, Leadership and Management Section, Library Marketing SIG, Medical Library Education Section, Molecular Biology and Genomics SIG, New Members SIG

Revitalize Your Message

Invited speakers and contributed videos

Stephanie Fulton, AHIP

Have you ever found yourself on the elevator with major players at your institution and wanted to communicate how the services your library provides can benefit them? How do you tell your family and friends what you do? What about a stranger on a plane? This session will showcase some tried-and-true examples of descriptions of the different roles of medical librarians, including directors, reference, instruction, genomics, consumer health, technical services, and more. A panel of speakers will give their speeches and describe what impact they have had. Videos from the membership at large will be solicited and played during the session

Consumer and Patient Health Information Section, Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section, Complementary and Alternative Medicine SIG, Outreach SIG

Serving the Information Needs of a Multilingual/Multicultural Clientele

Invited speaker and contributed papers

Jana Liebermann

As the United States becomes more diverse in language and culture, libraries and librarians must rethink our services to fit the cultural needs of these users. Finding appropriate language-based resources, integrating religious beliefs and patient care, and learning cultural norms are part of the expanded service we must all provide.

Our speaker will inform us about experiences delivering culturally responsive health care, followed by contributed papers sharing how services expanded to meet the multicultural and multilingual needs of diverse populations.

Corporate Information Services Section, Consumer and Patient Health Information Section, Institutional Animal Care and Use SIG, Library Marketing SIG, Molecular Biology and Genomics SIG, Pharmacy and Drug Information Section

Being There: The “Embedded” Librarian

Invited and contributed papers

Janette Schueller, AHIP

As the practice of librarianship responds to changes in technology, concepts of the librarian’s role, and general access issues, there is a trend toward the “embedded” librarian, a step beyond the more traditional liaison role. Embedded librarians work directly with institutional staff, departments, specific funded projects, community organizations, organizational members, and so on. They may relocate physically with these entities, and library staff members may rotate through these positions.

How this is done reflects the organizational culture and priorities. This program will look at various interpretations of this role, current practice, and issues relevant to overall library staffing when some staff are “embedded.”

Dental Section, Consumer and Patient Health Information Section, Health Association Libraries Section, Medical Informatics Section, Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section, New Members SIG

Fifth Annual Lecture on the Evidence Base, Sponsored by STAT!Ref: Rethinking the Librarian’s Role in EHRs, PHRs, and EMRs: A Place at the Table

Invited speaker and contributed papers

Elizabeth Kettell

In the health care environment these days, if your library is not at the table, you are on the menu. The role of medical librarians has moved from operating physical libraries to their underlying responsibility: facilitating access to and use of evidence to support quality clinical care and patient education.

The emergence of electronic health record (EHR), personal health record (PHR), and electronic medical record (EMR) systems provides new opportunities for libraries to participate in the integration of evidence into the clinical process and the documentation of appropriate resources for consumers. Librarians possess the expertise, skills, and resources that are integral to facilitating these connections between information and the clinician or consumer.

The Fifth Annual Lecture on the Evidence Base will present an overview of the librarian’s role and experiences in integrating into institutions’ EHRs, PHRs, or EMRs. Topics may include, but are not limited to, convincing your organization to bring the library to the table, selecting and integrating of point-of-care evidence-based resources, designing systems, mapping clinical questions to appropriate resources, and documenting resources that are provided by the library to support patient care in the EHR, PHR, or EMR.

Educational Media and Technologies Section; Hospital Libraries Section; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Health Sciences Librarians SIG

Rethinking Portals

Contributed papers

James Dale Prince, AHIP

This session highlights the use, the agony, and the ecstasy of content management systems (e.g., Drupal, LibGuides, Joomla) in a library setting.

Educational Media and Technologies Section, Libraries in Curriculum SIG

Technology and Library Instruction

Contributed papers

James Dale Prince, AHIP

This session highlights the intersection of technology and instruction. Papers should address the use of technology as adjuncts to library instruction. Emphasis on new and emerging technologies will be given special consideration.

Federal Libraries Section, Library Marketing SIG

Rethinking Our Value: Determining Return on Investment

Contributed papers

Deborah Ozga

What value-added services have you developed that your customers rave about? Have you convinced customers to think of the library for services beyond journals and books? How often do you support your administration in their information needs? Have you measured the impact that your services have on your organization and estimated the time or money saved, or the collaborations or knowledge gained as a result of library and information services? What would it cost your organization to not have your services?

Health Association Libraries Section, Corporate Information Services Section, Institutional Animal Care and Use SIG, Medical Library Education Section

The Role of the Librarian in the Systematic Review Process

Contributed papers

Jean Riedlinger, AHIP

Clinicians and researchers are increasingly working on systematic reviews, comparative effectiveness research, and practice guidelines. Librarians can become valuable team members on these projects by conducting comprehensive literature searches, delivering citations, writing the methods section of the published paper, or acting as consultants. Contributed papers for this session will cover topics relevant to librarian involvement with this process, including involving the library in the process, overviews of the librarian’s role, and specific tips to assist librarians in conducting searches to support systematic reviews.

History of the Health Sciences

Remember, Rethink, and Reinvent: Using History to Show the Way

Contributed papers

Joan Stoddart, AHIP

In the midst of rethinking and reinventing libraries and librarianship, it is well to remember the past and examine the lessons learned and the ways they apply to the present. The 20th century is replete with events that posed problems for the profession and for libraries themselves. Wartime, depression, disease, and uncertainty are nothing new. This section program invites papers that will explore how historical events have impacted health sciences libraries in the past and how those solutions might apply to present problems and issues.

Hospital Libraries Section, Consumer and Patient Health Information Section, Complementary and Alternative Medicine SIG, Corporate Information Services Section, Leadership and Management Section, Molecular Biology and Genomics SIG, Library Marketing SIG

The T-shaped Librarian

Panel and invited and contributed papers

Margo Coletti

As Daniel H. Pink explained in the MLA ’10 John P. McGovern Award Lecture, the most valued employees have a "T" shape, a combination of depth of specialized knowledge and breadth of reach. We must have the ability to connect across disciplines and cultures, to speak their languages and meet their needs. Contributed papers were solicited to show how librarians have combined their own depth and breadth to make a mark in their institutions and their careers. This program will showcase approaches in which medical librarians have used knowledge management techniques to penetrate the clinical culture and make their mark.

International Cooperation Section, Public Health/Health Administration Section

Collaborating across Borders to Improve Health Information Delivery

Invited and contributed papers

Brian Bunnett, AHIP

This session will explore different strategies for improving health information delivery on a global scale. International or cross-border cooperation is viewed as a starting point for any such improvements, and contributed papers addressing such collaborative efforts will be welcomed.

Leadership and Management Section, Collection Development Section, Corporate Information Services Section, Veterinary Medical Libraries Section

Case Studies on Rethinking Services, Space, Resources, and Roles

Contributed case studies

Nancy Allee, AHIP

In contrast to the adage, “Hindsight is 20/20,” this session focuses instead on foresight and clear vision by providing a forum for obtaining strategic input and advice from presentations of contributed case studies that highlight ways in which libraries are rethinking their identities for the future, especially in terms of new services, space planning, resource management, and institutional roles.

Leadership and Management Section, Corporate Information Services Section, History of the Health Sciences Section, Hospital Libraries Section, Institutional Animal Care and Use SIG, Library Marketing SIG, Pharmacy and Drug Information Section, Public Services Section, Veterinary Medical Libraries Section

Rethinking Libraries in Hard Times

Contributed papers

Nancy Allee, AHIP

A multitude of factors are impacting the library as part of today's economic, political, and sociocultural environment. Faced with declining budgets and dwindling resources, libraries are redefining mission and goals, finding creative approaches to achieving new efficiencies in fiscal planning, rethinking and repurposing space, applying innovative approaches to implementing new technologies, and reaching and connecting with users wherever they are. These contributed papers will share strategies, planning, best practices, and success stories for struggling through difficult times and challenging climates.

Medical Informatics Section, Educational Media and Technologies Section

Top Tech Trends V

Panel and contributed papers

Michelle Kraft, AHIP

Technology trend spotters will speak about the latest issues in technology and provide their opinions and thoughts on their impact on health sciences libraries. It will be a quick-paced and interesting discussion among the panelists, along with the aid of a Google jockey searching and highlighting the topics. Bring your mobile devices, and participate in the program online as a Twitter jockey will summarize each panelist’s thoughts, fostering the online discussion. Make sure to stay to the end of the session to take advantage of the Technology Petting Zoo, where you will be able to touch and play with the latest technology tools.

The sponsoring sections will solicit abstract submissions in the months preceding the meeting.

Medical Library Education Section, Research Section, New Members SIG

New Voices

Contributed papers

Jodi Philbrick

Current master’s degree and doctoral students and recent graduates (within one year) will contribute papers on their emerging research. Presentations will illustrate how new and future librarians are linking what they learned in the classroom with current practice in the field of medical librarianship.

Medical Library Education Section, Complementary and Alternative Medicine SIG, Educational Media and Technologies Section, History of the Health Sciences Section, Libraries in Curriculum SIG, Outreach SIG

Instructional Best Practices

Contributed papers

Jodi Philbrick

This contributed paper session will feature health information professionals sharing their experiences and research on best practices for instruction in all types of settings.

Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section, Collection Development Section, Technical Services Section

Evidence-based Collection Development in the New Millennium: Doing Better What We Have Always Done Well*

Contributed papers

Susan Gerding Bader, AHIP

Whether our clients/users are nurses, allied health practitioners, physicians, biomedical scientists, academicians, health sciences students, or all of the above, librarians are rethinking resources to serve them better. Every medical librarian, from one-person hospital librarians to those at large academic medical libraries, is affected by rising costs and decreasing budgets. Price, cost per use, return on investment, user demand, and use statistics all play an important part in deciding what to offer and how. Traditional selection tools such as the Brandon-Hill lists, while providing a useful baseline, are outdated. Literature maps, overlap analysis, user surveys, focus groups, and patron-driven acquisitions are all existing items in the librarian’s tool kit. Here are four fresh examples of rethinking collection development.

* Thanks to Michelynn McKnight, AHIP (“The Agile Librarian’s Guide to Thriving in Any Institution”), for our subtitle.

Pharmacy and Drug Information Section

EMBASE Lecture

Invited speaker

Rae Jesano, AHIP

This talk will discuss the structural and pedagogical  changes in pharmacy education  and the impact of these changes on the needs and kinds of information resources. 

Endowed by Elsevier, the Embase Lecture is a talk by an invited speaker on a subject or issue relevant to pharmacy and drug information.

Public Health/Health Administration Section; Health Association Libraries Section; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Health Sciences Librarians SIG

Health Policy Changes and the Role of Libraries and Librarians in Response

Invited paper and contributed papers

Julia Esparza, AHIP

National and local changes in health and public policy have created new information needs for consumers and health care professionals. This session will feature one invited speaker who will describe an organization’s response to these information needs. Contributed papers are invited to focus on libraries’ and librarians’ responses to the challenges from the health and public policy changes.

Public Services Section, Clinical Librarians and Evidence-Based Health Care SIG, Library Marketing SIG, Research Section, Osteopathic Libraries SIG

Rethinking Assessment

Contributed papers

Kimberly Pullen

This contributed paper session will focus on assessment in libraries. Are librarians stuck in the past, using outdated assessment methods? What do we need to measure? How do we do it? Have you engineered a creative assessment? What are data used for: planning, proving worth, setting goals? Please share your experiences and thoughts. Reports of completed research in this area are highly encouraged.

Relevant Issues Section; African American Medical Librarians Alliance SIG; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Health Sciences Librarians SIG

Rethinking Health Information: Creating Outreach Initiatives, Projects, and Programs to Reach Special Populations

Invited papers

Margaret K. Alexander

In recent years, the need for quality health information for special populations, such as minorities and teenagers, has increased. This program will address ongoing initiatives, programs, and projects focusing on health information services to minorities, teenagers, and other special populations.

Research Section, Medical Library Education Section, Medical Informatics Section, Osteopathic Libraries SIG

Refining Research: From Start to Finish

Panel presentation and roundtable break-out sessions

Carole Gilbert, AHIP, FMLA

Research is an important part of defining what ideas, technologies, or programs work or don’t work in libraries. Listen to a panel of speakers talk about the process of defining the question, matching the method to the idea and question, refining the process, collecting and analyzing data, and summarizing the results. Then join roundtable discussions where MLA members who want to do research or begin a project will be able to talk with “experts” about the process and how to progress through it.

Section Council, Library Marketing SIG, New Members SIG

Next Steps: The Future (General Topic Session)

Contributed papers

Robert Johnson

Please join us for “Next Steps: The Future.” Librarians are rethinking the future of our profession, so we've asked you to tell us where we are headed! What skills does a medical librarian need? What will our physical presence be as virtual collections continue to increase? How will we promote our expertise and services? Describe how we can use today’s experiences to remain vital in the future!

Section Council, Libraries in Curriculum SIG, Medical Library Education Section

Education (General Topic Session)

Contributed papers

Robert Johnson

This session focuses on education in all its forms: education by librarians, for librarians, or of librariansp; individual, group, or online teaching; one-off courses or integrated instruction; continuing education for medical librarians; base-level education for medical librarians; and anything in between or beyond.

Section Council, Educational Media and Technologies Section, Medical Informatics Section

Rethink Technology (General Topic Session)

Contributed papers

Rikke Sarah Ogawa, AHIP

This diverse program will include contributed papers on technology related challenges and solutions as applied areas of patient education, outreach, information discovery, information access for rural clinicians, and websites in a Web 3.0 world.

Technical Services Section, OCLC SIG

Rethinking Technical Services

Contributed papers

Amy Faltinek, AHIP

With the many changes and challenges facing libraries, it is an opportune time to rethink technical services. This session will focus on the title of “technical services” and its relevance to or obsolescence in the current times. It will also focus on the changing processes and roles of librarians and staff. Contributed papers may include, but are not limited to, the following topics or buzzwords: open access, RDA, Code4Lib, cloud computing, freeware, webscale, and so on, focusing on their development, efficacy, and feasibility for local and/or global utilization in the present and future economies.

Veterinary Medical Libraries Section, African American Medical Librarians Alliance SIG, Chiropractic Libraries Section, Complementary and Alternative Medicine SIG

One Medicine/One Health: Interdisciplinary Collaborations

Contributed papers

Robin Sewell

The One Health initiative recognizes the interrelated nature of the various health professions and the need for more communication, collaboration, and cross-education in these groups to promote the health and well-being of all species. This session will explore the role of libraries and librarians in the One Health initiative as they provide the information foundation for this holistic approach. 

Veterinary Medical Libraries Section, Institutional Animal Care and Use SIG, Molecular Biology and Genomics SIG, Pharmacy and Drug Information Section

From Bench to Bedside: Librarians’ Roles in Translational Medicine

Contributed papers

Robin Sewell

The goal of translational medicine is to quickly move knowledge from the research setting to clinical application. This session will explore a wide range of library roles in translational medicine, including, but not limited to, implications for support services, education and training, and facilitation of partnerships and collaboration between researchers and clinical practitioners.