"Your job as leader is to stay as close in touch as possible with those closest to the action." -- Kat Cole, president, Atlanta-based Focus Brands
The great thing about MLA leadership roles is that not only do leaders serve side-by-side with colleagues who are very close to the action of daily library work, but odds are that those leaders are also working librarians, doing similar work, engaged in similar actions.
It's certainly true for me, Chair-Elect of the MLA Cancer Librarians Section. By day I'm a Senior Librarian at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer’s patient education library, The Learning Center, and with the close of MLA’18, I'm now that Section’s Chair-Elect, to assume Chairship at close of MLA’19 in Chicago.
This is my first time serving in a leadership role in MLA, and it's truly an exciting opportunity. My goals for this year are: watch and learn from current CLS Chair, Beth Lewis; assist her/the Section in any way; and gain the confidence to hit the ground running as "Chair" (or a new title?) in 2019.
Both our MLA'18 business meeting and fun networking dinner proved that I have a great group of committed leaders and Section members with which to align myself. While none of us knows what the logistical future of Sections/SIGs will look like after the reorganization process ensues, what will always remain is the dedication of our remarkably engaged members and our overall shared medical librarian mission.
And that’s something to look forward to.