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A Brief Update on MLA’s Strategic Goals

In February 2015, the MLA Board transitioned from a traditional five-year strategic plan format and yearly “Presidential Priorities” to a strategic process that establishes consistency and continuity in MLA’s drive for change. Today, strategic goals set by the board focus on areas requiring significant change and board attention, generally across multiple organizational functions of the organization. Goals are organized in a “rolling” strategic plan, with goals of varying duration rolling on and off at the May annual meeting.

Through end of August, we will publish a post on each goal to highlight what has been achieved (or remains on the “to do” list), and how the results positively impact you and the profession. Spoiler alert: Members can now view MLA's strategic plan annual report.

The board concluded the “What MLA Does” goal, which looked at MLA’s audiences, sections and special interest groups (SIGs), annual meeting activities, publications, international presence, headquarter operations, governance, and institutional membership. More on that in the coming weeks!

MLA is two years into its ambitious five-year “Education” goal, which aims to make MLA “the” learning destination for health information professionals. We are just getting going with the recent revision of MLA’s competencies and the creation of several curriculum committees that will be operational in the coming months.

The “MLA Technology” goal has kept us busy, with the launch of the new MLANET platform in 2015 and of MEDLIB-ED, MLA’s new learning management system, in May 2017. But that’s just part of the story. Read the report or wait for our technology post coming soon.

Research on the profession and on building an evidence-based practice is another important MLA strategic goal, as well as an ongoing focus of key MLA sections and SIGs. We will detail status of new tools and resources that will help you demonstrate the value of the profession, the launch of the Research Institute funded by an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grant, and the creation of a curriculum committee specific to this area, which is to be appointed by end of July.

The “Community” goal task force reached out to MLA members during MLA ’17 in Seattle for input on the “guiding principles” for communities. The next step is to look at various paths to improve the organization and relevance of MLA communities: not an easy task!

You should know by now that MLA has launched a “Diversity and Inclusion goal.” Your interest in being part of the task force is impressive, which bodes well for your engagement on how we can make MLA a better place for all. Appointments to the task force will be announced by the end of July.

 

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