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About

Programs

MLA programs are organized as follows:

Community

  • Members: access to member-only resources and communities, such as caucuses and committees
  • Caucuses: groups of members who coalesce around major themes of long-term concern to the membership, such as, but are not limited to, types of libraries or library functions. Caucuses also coalesce around specialized or topical themes of concern. Members share information with each other and the general membership in order to educate, strategize, and further the aims of the Association. 
  • Committees: groups of members who work together to promote MLA goals, programs, and specific projects, including strategy, award programs, publications, and initiatives. Structure and participation vary to match their purpose. 
  • Chapters: regional groups of individuals (no MLA membership requirement) who offer regional meetings, continuing education opportunities, newsletters, networking, and many other programs and services.
  • International: societies from around the world affiliated with MLA, as well as specific discussion groups open to all.
  • Public communities: communities administered by MLA open to all, such as MEDLIB-L and BACKMED-EXCHANGE.
  • Social media: MLA's presence on social media

Recognition

  • Awards and honors: to recognize important achievements in the field of medical librarianship and health information

Meetings

  • Annual meeting: over 1,400 attendees, many of whom present their own work via talks or posters, highly productive interactions with exhibitors (publishers, journals and others), networking, discussions on the latest issues and more.
  • InSight Initiative to Advance Thinking: a forum for MLA leaders and participating organizations to engage in high-level, high-value dialogue on issues of common interest that impact the health information profession, with six summits held 2018–2021, in person and virtually.  
  • Chapter meetings: regional meetings organized by chapters

Professional Development

  • Professional Competencies: MLA defines essential professional skills and abilities that can be observed, measured, and taught.
  • Continuing Education: offerings of face-to-face and online classes on topics that develop knowledge on the critical professional competencies for health information professionals.
  • Credentialing: MLA's peer-reviewed professional development and career recognition program (Academy for Health Information Professionals - AHIP).
  • Specializations: education and recognition in the areas of Consumer Health Information, Data Services, and Systematic Review Services.
  • Mentoring: a network of experienced members available to mentor other members in numerous specific areas of interest.
  • Research Training Institute: provide practicing health sciences librarians an opportunity to immerse themselves in instruction and focused activities related to scholarly research, inquiry, and publishing.
  • Rising Stars: a program for members who are interested in attaining leadership roles in MLA.
  • Grants, Scholarships and Fellowships: a variety of funding opportunities to assist qualified students in graduate library science programs and to enable practicing health sciences librarians to pursue professional development.
  • Careers: a career job board, as well as specific career support initiatives and resources.
  • MEDLIB-ED: The Learning Destination for Health Information Professionals

Publications

  • JMLA: the Journal of the Medical Library Association, a peer-reviewed quarterly journal that seeks to advance the practice and research knowledgebase of health sciences librarianship, available to members as well as on PubMed Central.
  • MLAConnect: is a weekly online newsletter that serves as an important information resource on all association activities, including updates and articles on timely topics such as data curation and digital asset management, and articles about technology, research, certifications and specializations, and advocacy. Other content includes chapter and domain hub news, industry news, and a meetings and courses calendar.
  • MLA Books: published by MLA on topics important to medical librarians and other information professionals. 
  • MLA Oral Histories: a project that conducts and preserves interviews that help illuminate the history of health sciences librarianship and of MLA.
  • MLA Professional Practice Library: answers to your professional questions with these free tools created by MLA, MLA sections, and MLA members.
  • MLA Glossary: terms you should be familiar with.
  • MLA Code of Ethics: Goals and Principles for Ethical Conduct
  • Information for patients health consumers: guide to high-quality health information websites and access to useful resources.

Advocacy

  • Public Policy Center: Action alerts, key legislation and latest news affecting the health information profession, ranging from NIH and NLM funding to copyright, intellectual property and information access.
  • Health Information Profession: key information about the health information profession and environment, and the value of health information professionals.
  • InSight Initiative to Advance Thinking: forum for MLA leaders and participating organizations to engage in high-level, high-value dialogue on issues of common interest that impact the health information profession.

International Programs

MLA seeks to have an impact throughout the world in building international partnerships and supporting the information needs of underserved individuals through a specific international program.