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Chapter News: Midwest Chapter/MLA 2019 Conference: Post Conference Wrap-Up

2019 Midwest Chapter/MLA meeting attendees
Registration: Mary Ann Reilley, Melinda Orebaugh, and
Deb Knippel (foreground); Janna C. Lawrence, AHIP (background).

The 2019 Midwest Chapter/MLA, Wisconsin Health Science Library Association, and the Southeastern Wisconsin Health Sciences Libraries Consortium meeting is a wrap! Our conference turnout exceeded expectations with 118 attendees, continuing education (CE) instructors, and presenters. Despite the rainy weather on Saturday, guests were able to enjoy the sights and sounds of Milwaukee, the good land. In fact, when conference attendees arrived at the hotel, they were met with the sounds of Oktoberfest: polka bands.

 

 

Presentations

MK Czerwiec
Keynote speaker MK Czerwiec.

Keynote speaker MK Czerwiec (Zurwick), a.k.a. the Comic Nurse, gave an amazing address that highlighted how she got started in comics and how comics can be used to improve patient care, improve medical education, and promote discussions on challenging topics like palliative care and end-of-life goals. She also provided the audience with resources for developing graphic medicine collections in their institutions.

A panel discussion, “Social Determinants of Health: From the Patient to the Community and Beyond,” was held on Monday morning and featured local health care providers, educators, and researchers. The panel gave insight into how the conditions of where one lives, works, learns, and plays can affect health outcomes. Attendees came away with better insight of the unique issues that Milwaukee residents face and resources that librarians and health care providers can access to learn more about the health of their communities.

Finally, Janice Curnes, VA medical librarian, gave an historical overview one of the original 3 “Old Soldiers Homes.” Established in 1867, the Milwaukee VA is in its 152nd year of providing veteran care. Curnes was instrumental in creating the Historic Milwaukee VA walking tour and the internal history website and was well equipped to provided attendees with a virtual tour of the site.

 

Papers & Posters

The conference featured fifteen contributed posters and fourteen contributed papers. Copies of the papers and posters are available on the conference website. Congratulations to the winners of the Midwest Chapter/MLA 2019 Paper & Poster awards!

Research Poster Award Winner

  • Measuring the Impact of a Systematic Review Service
    Authors: Jennifer DeBerg, Heather Healy, Matthew Regan, and Chris Childs, Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, University of Iowa–Iowa City

Research Poster Honorable Mention

  • The Expectations, Priorities, and Preferences of Students with Disabilities When Seeking Accessibility Information on Academic Library Websites
    Author: Amelia Brunskill, Library of the Health Sciences, University of Illinois–Chicago

Research Paper Awards Winner

  • Still Feeling the Effects: A Citation Analysis of the Highly Cited, Retracted Article on MMR Vaccines and Autism
    Authors: Elizabeth Suelzer, AHIP, MCW Libraries, Medical College of Wisconsin–Milwaukee; Jennifer Deal, Resource Center Library, Advocate Aurora, Grafton, WI; Karen L. Hanus, AHIP, MCW Libraries, Medical College of Wisconsin–Milwaukee; Barbara E. Ruggeri, AHIP, Carroll Library, Carroll University, Waukesha, WI; Rita Sieracki, Todd Wehr Library, Medical College of Wisconsin–Milwaukee; and Elizabeth Witkowski, Medical College of Wisconsin Libraries, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

Research Paper Awards Honorable Mention

  • How Are Researchers Documenting Their Day-to-Day Activities?
    Authors: Merle Rosenzweig, Marci Brandenburg, Scott Martin, Leena Lalwani, Mark MacEachern, and Yulia Sefvryugina, Taubman Health Sciences Library, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

 

Social Event

Conference attendees had a chance to channel their inner maverick personas at the Harley-Davidson Museum. Attendees bonded over dinner and drinks and had access to the museum after hours.

2019 Midwest Chapter/MLA attendees at the Harley-Davidson Museum
Left to right: Laura Menard, Erin Diane Foster,
Julia Stumpff (on bike),Gabriel R. Rios, and Hannah Craven.
2019 Midwest Chapter/MLA attendees at the Harley-Davidson Museum
Jennifer Deal and Mini Prasad.

 

New this year

New to the conference this year was a successful Research Retreat, which was held on the Saturday before the conference, and an Exhibitor Showcase, where vendors had a chance to promote new and exciting features of their products.

Thank you again to all those who made this year’s conference a success, especially a big thank you to conference Chairs Karen Hanus and Brenda Fay.

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