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MLA Chapter Project of the Year

The MLA Chapter Project of the Year Award was established by the MLA Board of Directors in 1995. The award was proposed by the Platform for Change Implementation Task Force as one of the ways to encourage health sciences librarians to creatively respond to the challenges of an evolving profession. This award recognizes excellence, innovation, and contribution to the profession of health sciences librarianship. These attributes must be shown through special projects beyond the normal operational programming of the chapter.

J.A. Majors Company (managed by John Albert Majors Jr. and William Harcourt Majors) endowed this award in 1995. Baker & Taylor acquired J.A. Majors Company in 2004 and Follett Corporation acquired Baker & Taylor in 2016. A decision to cease operations of Majors Medical Books and the retail book market was made in 2019.

Criteria

The Chapter Project of the Year Award Jury will review nominations and award points based on overview, excellence, innovation, and contribution to the profession.

  • Applicants must be MLA chapters, as defined by the MLA Bylaws.
  • Support by the chapter for the application, as evidenced by an endorsement from the chapter chair on behalf of the executive committee or officiating body of the chapter.
  • Application is made for excellence in special projects or innovative operation programming demonstrating advocacy, leadership, service, technology, or innovations that contribute to the advancement of the health sciences librarian.
  • Evidence and assessment of the achievements and impact of the project on the profession and the members of the affected chapter must be demonstrated through goals, objectives, and project evaluation or outcome.
  • The chapter project must have been completed within the three years preceding the date of the application or must be an ongoing program that accomplishes the same goals set out for the project criteria. Projects/programs may be resubmitted as long as the timeframes and criteria are still met.

Nominations

  • The online application must be completed and all supporting documents uploaded no later than October 15. 
  • The application must be accompanied by an acknowledgment and endorsement letter from the chapter’s chair on behalf of the executive committee or officiating body of the chapter.
  • Incomplete and late submissions will not be considered.

Recipients

The chair of the recipient chapter will be notified in March. The recipient chapter receives a cash award of $500 after the annual conference. The cash award is earmarked for enhancing the programming of the recipient chapter’s annual or regular membership conference. If there are no appropriate projects, the association may elect not to present the award in a given year.

Ready to Submit a Nomination?

    • The award application process is now closed.
      • Applicants and award recipients will be notified in March 2024 with the results.
        • The virtual awards ceremony will be held in April 2024.
          • Nominations for the 2025 award will open in August 2024.

          Past Award Recipients

          • 2023: South Central Chapter of the Medical Library Association: For its project to engage students and early career librarians.
          • 2022: Midcontinental Chapter of the Medical Library Association: For its project to publish the chapter Annual Meeting Proceedings.
          • 2021: Northern California and Nevada Medical Library Group: For their sponsorship, mentorship, and financial support of ALA Spectrum Scholars.
          • 2020: Pacific Northwest Chapter of MLA - Logo Pin Design Contest: For member engagement and benefiting conference scholarships.
          • 2019: North Atlantic Health Sciences Libraries: NAHSL Narratives
          • 2018: Mid-Atlantic Chapter: Chapter Diversity Task Force exploring ways to promote diversity and inclusion in medical librarianship and chapter membership.
          • 2017: Midwest Chapter: Midwest Mentor Program.
          • 2016: Midcontinental Chapter: Virtual Connections: Wherever you are – you’ll be there
          • 2015: Medical Library Group of Southern California and Arizona: Chapter outreach and promotion to non-medical librarians in Arizona
          • 2014: Medical Library Group of Southern California and Arizona: Substance Over Style: Exploring a cost-effective model for chapter meetings
          • 2013: South Central Chapter : SCC/SCAMel Writing Retreat
          • 2012: South Central Chapter: MLA continuing education course, “Get Mobilized: An Introduction to Mobile Resources and Tools in Health Sciences Libraries”
          • 2011: Medical Library Group of Southern California and Arizona: Use of MegaMeeting web conferencing service
          • 2010: Southern Chapter: Oral Histories of Southern Chapter members
          • 2009: Pacific Northwest Chapter: Web-based Expert Searching Seminar Series, “Awakening the Searcher Within: An Online Seminar on Expert Searching.”
          • 2008: New York-New Jersey Chapter: “Digitization of Chapter Photographic Archives”
          • 2007: Upstate New York and Ontario: Analysis of members’ knowledge of and perspective on the Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP)
          • 2006: Midcontinental Chapter: Membership recruitment and retention project, “Making New Friends While Keeping the Old”
          • 2005: Pacific Northwest Chapter: Consortial purchasing of electronic journals at the chapter and national level
          • 2004: Pacific Northwest Chapter: Continuing education class on survey basics using SurveyMonkey
          • 2003: New York-New Jersey Chapter: Continuing education project, “Mini Medical School for Librarians”
          • 2002: Medical Library Group of Southern California and Arizona: Broadcasting chapter meetings and programs using video recording technology
          • 2001: Southern Chapter: Establishment of scholarship to provide continuing education for hospital librarians
          • 2000: none awarded
          • 1999: North Atlantic Health Sciences Libraries: Benchmarking project
          • 1998: Southern Chapter: Journal usage study
          • 1997: Northern California and Nevada Medical Library Group: Recognized for the chapter website
          • 1996: Southern Chapter: Fundraising methods for The Cunningham Memorial International Fellowship

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