MLA News Selected Articles

March 1999

Revisions to MLA Bylaws Proposed

Submitted by Elaine C. Johnston, Chair, Bylaws Committee; Suzanne Grefsheim, Board Liaison; Patricia L. Thibodeau, Section Council Chair; and Mary M. Langman, Manager, Information Issues and Policy

At Business Session I, on Sunday, May 16, 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m., at MLA ’99 in Chicago, IL, the membership will have the opportunity to discuss and vote on proposed amendments to the MLA Bylaws, which are found below. If adopted, a ballot containing the proposed amendments will be mailed to each Voting Member along with a summary of the 1999 Annual Meeting discussion. Voting Members will receive this material during the summer of 1999.

In summary, at its preconference 1997 and winter 1998 meetings, the MLA Board of Directors took action on the recommendations of MLA’s Governance Task Force (www.mlanet.org/about/govtf.html). At the direction of the board, the Bylaws Committee, in consultation with the professional parliamentarian, studied all of the board-approved recommendations and identified that the following motions will require amendments to the Bylaws [1]:

MOVED, that the size of the council (section) be reduced through the elimination of the elected position of alternate. (Article XII. Section 3.B.)

MOVED, that the implementation of a new structure based on the representative-elect model be approved. (Article XII. Section 3.A.,B., and C.)

MOVED, that the Bylaws be changed to reflect the elimination of the alternate (Section Council) and other changes as needed. (Article XII. Section 3.A.,B., and C.)

MOVED, that the MLA Board of Directors present for membership vote at the MLA 1999 Annual Meeting the proposal to change the MLA Bylaws for a single slate election for the office of president-elect. (Article V. Sections 3. and 6.B.)

By direction of the board, the Bylaws Committee recommended that the following amendments to the Bylaws be presented to the membership in the March issue of the MLA News. In the proposed amendments, new wording is italicized, and wording that is to be eliminated is indicated with a strikethrough.

This announcement of the time and place for discussion and the proposed amendments constitutes the official notice required by Article XIV, Section 1.B. of the Bylaws.

MLA Bylaws

Amendment 1
Current Wording Article V. Section 3. Nomination of Officers
The Nominating Committee shall prepare annually a slate of at least two nominees for President-Elect and for each Director elected by the membership at large whose term expires. The slate shall be accompanied by a biographical statement about each candidate, a photograph of the candidate, a written statement of the candidate’s consent to serve if elected, and a statement prepared by the candidate describing his or her aims as an officer of the Association.

Amendment 1
Proposed Wording—If the members of MLA vote to accept the recommen-dation contained in the Governance Task Force Report to have a single slate election for the office of presidnt-elect, the proposed Bylaws wording will be as follows:
Article V. Section 3. Nomination of Officers The Nominating Committee shall prepare annually a slate of at least two nominees one nominee for President-Elect and two nominees for each director elected by the membership at large whose term expires. The slate shall be accompanied by a biographical statement about each candidate, a photograph of the candidate, a written statement of the candidate’s consent to serve if elected, and a statement prepared by the candidate describing his or her aims as an officer of the Association.

Amendment 2
Current Wording Article V. Section 6. Elections
B. Candidates for President-Elect shall be declared elected upon receiving a majority of the votes cast. Where there are more than two candidates, a plurality shall elect. Candidates for the positions of Director and member of the Nominating Committee receiving the highest number of votes for the number of vacant positions shall be declared elected. If a tie occurs, selection from among the tied candidates shall be by a lot.

Amendment 2
Proposed Wording Article V. Section 6. Elections
B. Candidates A candidate for President-Elect shall be declared elected upon receiving a majority of the votes cast. Where there are more than two candidates, a plurality shall elect. Candidates for the positions of Director and member of the Nominating Committee receiving the highest number of votes for the number of vacant positions shall be declared elected. If a tie occurs, selection from among the tied candidates shall be by a lot.

Amendment 3
Current Wording Article XII. Section 3. The Section Council
A. The Section Council shall be composed of one Representative from each Section who shall be a Voting Member selected in accordance with the Bylaws of that Section; these Representatives shall be the Voting Members of the Council. Participation in the selection of Representatives shall be limited to Voting Members of the Association. Representatives to the Section Council shall be elected for staggered terms of three years, except that election for a shorter term shall prevail when it is necessary to maintain a one-third annual rotation of Council membership.

Amendment 3
Proposed Wording Article XII. Section 3. The Section Council
A. The Section Council shall be composed of one Representative from each Section who shall be a Voting Member selected in accordance with the Bylaws of that Section; these Representatives shall be the Voting Members of the Council. Participation in the selection of Representatives Representatives-Elect shall be limited to Voting Members of the Association. Representatives Representatives-Elect to the Section Council shall be elected for staggered terms of three years, except that election for a shorter term shall prevail when it is necessary to maintain a one-third one-half annual rotation of Council membership.

Amendment 4
Current Wording Article XII. Section 3. The Section Council
B. An Alternate Section Representative (hereinafter “Alternate”) shall be selected in the same manner, at the same time, and for the same term as the Representative. Alternates shall serve as Nonvoting Members of the Council, except that when a Representative is not present at a Council Meeting, the Alternate shall temporarily assume the office of Representative including the right to vote. An Alternate shall replace a Representative should the latter become Section Council chair, resign, or otherwise become unable to serve, and shall serve the remaining term of that Representative; a new Alternate from the affected Section shall be selected by that Section when this occurs, and shall serve the remaining term of the Alternate who is being replaced.

Amendment 4
Proposed Wording—Strike out all of the current wording and insert a new section.
Article XII. Section 3. The Section Council
B. A Section Representative-Elect shall be selected every two years for a three-year term. This officer shall serve the first year of the term as Representative-Elect. For the remaining two years of the term the Representative-Elect shall be the Representative. When a Representative is unable to attend a Council meeting, the Representative-Elect shall temporarily assume the office of Representative, including the right to vote. Should the Representative become Section Council Chair, resign, or otherwise be unable to serve, the Representative-Elect shall serve out the unexpired term of the Representative and shall continue as Representative for the term to which the Representative-Elect was elected.

Amendment 5
Current Wording—To allow for the establishment of a new Article XII. Section 3.C., rename the current Article XII. Section 3. C. as Article XII. Section 3.D., see amendment 6 below.

Amendment 5
Proposed Wording—Insert a new section.
Article XII. Section 3. The Section Council
C. When neither the Representative nor Representative-Elect is able to attend the Section Council’s meeting, a Section may appoint a Section officer as the proxy who will represent the Section’s interests during discussions, make motions, debate, and vote on Council issues on behalf of the Section. Appointment of a proxy must follow the guidelines adopted by the Board of Directors.

Amendment 6
Current Wording Article XII. Section 3. The Section Council
C. One year prior to the expiration of the term of the existing Chair, the Voting Members of the Section Council shall, at the Annual Meeting, elect from among themselves a new Chair of the Council. The person elected shall serve a one-year term as Chair-Elect while remaining his or her Section’s Representative (unless he or she is an outgoing member), followed by a three-year term as Chair. An outgoing member who is elected shall serve as an ex-officio member without vote while Chair-Elect of the Section Council. In the event of the Chair’s inability to serve or removal from office, the Chair-Elect, if any, shall immediately become Chair and shall serve until the close of the next Annual Meeting, and for the ensuing three years. If there is no Chair-Elect, the President of the Association shall appoint from the Council’s Voting Members a Temporary Chair, who shall serve only until the next Annual Meeting, at which time a new Chair, qualified as above, shall be elected; the person shall immediately assume office and shall serve for three years, except that he or she shall serve for only two years if this is necessary to maintain staggered terms.

Amendment 6
Proposed Wording—To allow for the establishment of a new Article XII. Section 3.C. rename the current Article XII. Section 3.C. as Article XII. Section 3.D., the current wording remains the same.

Article XII. Section 3. The Section Council
D. One year prior to the expiration of the term of the existing Chair, the Voting Members of the Section Council shall, at the Annual Meeting, elect from among themselves a new Chair of the Council. The person elected shall serve a one-year term as Chair-Elect while remaining his or her Section’s Representative (unless he or she is an outgoing member), followed by a three-year term as Chair. An outgoing member who is elected shall serve as an ex-officio member without vote while Chair-Elect of the Section Council. In the event of the Chair’s inability to serve or removal from office, the Chair-Elect, if any, shall immediately become Chair and shall serve until the close of the next Annual Meeting, and for the ensuing three years. If there is no Chair-Elect, the President of the Association shall appoint from the Council’s Voting Members a Temporary Chair, who shall serve only until the next Annual Meeting, at which time a new Chair, qualified as above, shall be elected; the person shall immediately assume office and shall serve for three years, except that he or she shall serve for only two years if this is necessary to maintain staggered terms.

Amendment 7
Current Wording
There is no current wording to correspond with Amendment 7.

Amendment 7
Proposed Wording
Article XII. Section 3. The Section Council
E. In the case of a vacancy in the office of Representative-Elect, or a vacancy in the office of Representative when there is no Representative-Elect, a Section shall appoint a replacement to serve until the next scheduled election. Appointment shall follow the guidelines adopted by the Board of Directors. The person elected for that position at the next scheduled election shall serve three years as Representative.

Proviso to Article XII. Section 3. of the Proposed Amendments to the MLA Bylaws*

Adjustment of Election Schedule
Elections for Section Council representatives are staggered among the sections so that each year only a portion of the Section Council will be new. This provides for continuity between the councils and for work on council activities and projects.

Under the representative-elect structure, sections will need to hold elections every two years. The newly elected representative serves the first year as the representative-elect and this is a period of training. During the second year, the position takes full responsibilities as the section’s representative to Section Council. In the spring of that term, the next representative is elected and serves as representative-elect during the representative’s third and final year.

Currently, sections hold elections every three years and approximately one-third of the sections hold elections each year. The change in the election frequency will require a change in when specific sections hold their elections. The following is the proposed method for implementation so section elections are evenly split between a two-year cycle. (Assume 1999/2000 will be the year for implementing the new structure.)

Group 1
Sections scheduled for elections in the implementation year (e.g., 1999) will hold elections only for representatives. Representatives selected to serve that year will become full representatives immediately (no representative-elect or training period) and will serve for three years. During the spring of the second term (e.g., 2001), the sections will elect representatives-elect who will start their first term after the annual meeting.

Group 2
Sections scheduled for elections two years from the implementation date (e.g., 2001) will maintain their existing representatives during the first year of the restructuring and elect representatives-elect during the next spring (e.g., 2000) who will start their first term after the annual meeting. The position of alternate will be eliminated during that year. The next election will be two years later or in spring 2002.

Group 3
Sections scheduled for elections one year after the implementation will be split between two groups.

Group 3-A will elect representatives-elect in the spring (e.g., 1999) and eliminate the current alternate position. The representatives-elect will begin their term at the end of the annual meeting held during the implementation year. Elections for the representative-elect will be held two years later (e.g., 2001). This group’s elections will become part of the election schedule followed by the sections in Group 1.

Group 3-B will maintain their existing representatives and alternates during the first implementation year (e.g., 1999). In the following spring (e.g., 2000), sections will only elect representatives. Representatives elected to serve that year will become full representatives immediately (no representative-elect or training period) and will serve for three years. During the spring of the second term (e.g., 2002) the section will elect representatives-elect who will start their first term after the annual meeting.

By the year 2002, all sections will be holding elections every two years for representatives-elect who will become full representatives at the end of their first term. The sections will be split so that approximately half of the sections will hold elections one year, and the other half will hold elections the following year.

References
1. Medical Library Association. Bylaws of the Medical Library Association, Incorporated. In: Directory 1998/99. Chicago, IL: The Association:45–49.

* The “Adjustment of Election Schedule” will be attached as a proviso to the Bylaws to provide for a smooth transition to the representative-elect model.

The Cochrane Collaboration

Edited by Melissa L. Just

Submitted by Carol Scherrer, AHIP, Head of Information Services, Library of the Health Sciences, University of Illinois–Chicago; Jo Dorsch, AHIP, Assistant Health Sciences Librarian, Library of the Health Sciences–Peoria; and Jean Sullivant, AHIP, Assistant Director for Information Services, Levy Library, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Cochrane Collaboration?
The Cochrane Collaboration is a worldwide voluntary group of health care providers, scientists, and consumers engaged in the collaborative effort of preparing, maintaining, and disseminating up-to-date systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials.

What Is a Systematic Review?
A systematic review identifies all possible relevant evidence, both published and unpublished; selects studies using explicit inclusion criteria; synthesizes the results of multiple primary investigations; and interprets the clinical implications of the findings. If the data are statistically combined, the review is called a quantitative review or meta-analysis.

What Is the Cochrane Library?
The Cochrane Library is the Cochrane Collaboration’s primary vehicle to assist the practitioner in translating research into practice. Cochrane Library databases include:

• The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR)—full-text collection of regularly updated systematic reviews of the effects of health care. Contributors to the Cochrane Collaboration produce and maintain these reviews.
• The Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE)—structured abstracts of non-Cochrane-compiled systematic reviews. Quality filtering of these reviews includes the same standards and criteria used by Cochrane.
• The Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CCTR)—bibliography of controlled trials included in the world’s journals; created as an unbiased source of data for systematic reviews. It includes conference proceedings and other sources not included in MEDLINE.
• The Cochrane Review Methodology Database is a bibliography of articles and books on scientific research and critical appraisal.
• Some versions of the library also include additional data sources, such as Cochrane Collaboration Handbook, glossary, Internet links, or directories.

Why Use the Cochrane Library?
The library gathers systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials into one resource, providing convenient access in a synthesized format to the highest level of scientific evidence. This tool helps the clinician to circumvent some of the barriers to implementing evidence-based practice: the immensity of the medical literature, lack of precise MEDLINE indexing for systematic reviews, multiplicity of studies and results on the same clinical question, difficulty in locating unpublished trials, and lack of time to read and appraise the literature critically.

How Can I Obtain the Cochrane Library?
The Cochrane Library is available in CD-ROM and Internet versions—for single or multiple users or networks. Prices begin at $225. It is produced and distributed by Update Software, 760/727-6792 or www.update-software.com. It is also available through additional “distribution partners,” including the American College of Physicians and SWETS Subscription Service. Be sure to ask your vendor for a trial subscription.

Is the Cochrane Library Interface User-Friendly?
The Web-based and CD-ROM versions both have interfaces that can be searched via free text or MeSH. Each accommodates simple and more sophisticated searching.

Aren’t there “Free” Versions of the Cochrane Library?
There are no “free” versions of the entire library. Full text of reviews and protocols are only available if you have fee-based access to the Cochrane Library. However, abstracts from the CDSR are available at no cost through hiru.mcmaster.ca/cochrane/cochrane/revabstr/abidx.htm. CDSR abstracts will be available in MEDLINE with the April 1999 upload.

Abstracts from CDSR are available through subscriptions to the CINAHL database and Ovid’s EBMR database. EBMR also provides full text of reviews and protocols; CINAHL provides document delivery service for full text.

More Information?
To learn more about the Cochrane Collaboration or its products, consult the Cochrane Collaboration Website.