John P. McGovern Lecture

The John P. McGovern Lecture is one of MLA’s most distinguished and anticipated plenary sessions. It is an annual tradition that brings a nationally or internationally recognized leader to address issues of critical importance to health information professionals. Established in honor of John P. McGovern, MD, a noted physician, educator, author, and medical historian, the lectureship highlights perspectives that challenge, inspire, and advance the future of health sciences librarianship. The MLA ’26 John P. McGovern Lecture will be presented by Gabriel T. Bosslet, MD.

Gabriel T. Bosslet, MD

Gabriel Bosslet is Professor of Clinical Medicine in the Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Occupational Medicine and is Assistant Dean for Faculty Affairs and Professional Development at Indiana University School of Medicine. He is the former Fellowship Director for Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. He sees patients in the ICU at University and Eskenazi Hospitals and in his neuromuscular pulmonary diseases clinic in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Gabe received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and his MD from The Ohio State University. He completed his residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at The Ohio State University/Columbus Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Gabe completed his fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Indiana University, where he completed a Clinical Ethics Fellowship at the Charles Warren Fairbanks Center for Medical Ethics and a Master of Arts in Philosophy and Bioethics. Gabe is the past president of the Good Trouble Coalition, a grassroots coalition of Hoosier healthcare and public health stakeholders who collaborate to educate, empower, and facilitate political advocacy to improve life in Indiana in the areas of patient-centered care, public health, and health equity. He is also one of the cohosts of Hoosier Health Matters, a podcast about public health policy in Indiana.

Janet Doe Lecture

The Janet Doe Lecture is one of MLA’s most enduring and prestigious awards. The Janet Doe Lecture is an annual award recognizing individuals who offer unique, field‑advancing perspectives on the history or philosophy of medical librarianship. Established in honor of Janet Doe, past president of MLA and a pioneering historical scholar and editor whose leadership helped shape the foundations of modern medical librarianship, the lecture continues the mission of sparking reflection, dialogue, and inspiration across the profession. The lecture has historically explored themes such as leadership, professional identity, diversity, the evolution of scholarship, and the expanding role of librarians in advancing health information access and equity. This year, the Janet Doe Lecture will be presented by Shannon D. Jones, EdD, MEd, MLS, AHIP, FMLA.

Shannon D. Jones, EdD, MEd, MLS, AHIP, FMLA

Shannon D. Jones is the director of Libraries and serves as chair of the Academic Affairs Faculty for the Medical University of South Carolina. She is also the director for Region 2 of the Network of the National Library of Medicine. Before she arrived at MUSC, she worked as the Associate Director for Research and Education for Virginia Commonwealth University’s Health Sciences Library in Richmond.

A long-time volunteer of the Medical Library Association, Jones has served the Association in many capacities, including the 2022-2023 MLA President. During her term as MLA President, she established the Be Well MLA initiative to encourage MLA members to prioritize their wellness and well-being. In 2018, she co-founded the MLA Reads Virtual Book Discussion Club to provide a forum where participants engage in critical conversations related to their work as information professionals and in their personal lives. She is the coeditor of Diversity and Inclusion in Libraries: A Call to Action and
Strategies for Success and Cultural Humility in Libraries. She focuses her research on staff recruitment
and retention, belonging in libraries, wellness and wellbeing for information professionals, and
leadership in academic health sciences libraries.