Contact Us | Donate | Advertise Follow us on TwitterFollow us on facebookFollow us on LinkedIn

Chapter Council

Chapter Council History: A Timeline

  • 1898 - Medical Library Association meets for the first time in Philadelphia.
  • 1943-45 - World War II forces the cancellation of the Annual Meeting of the Medical Library Association.
  • 1947 - The first meeting of the Northern California & Nevada Medical Library Group is held on November 12
  • 1948 - MLA celebrates its 50th Anniversary in Philadelphia. Eileen Cunningham's Presidental Address looks forward to the next 50 years..
  • 1948 - Medical Library Group of Southern California (later Medical Library Group of Southern California & Arizona) is formed.
  • 1949 - The first New York Regional Meeting (later the New York/New Jersey Chapter) is held on March 9.
  • 1950 - Midwestern Chapter meets on January 27th.
  • 1950 - Janet Doe writes an editorial encouraging the development of Regional Groups.
  • 1951 - The first meeting of the Southern Regional Group is held.
  • 1951 - The first official meeting of the Philadelphia Chapter is held on November 16.
  • 1952 - The Washington, D.C. Area Group (later The Mid-Atlantic Chapter) is formed.
  • 1953 - The Pacific Northwest Regional Group is formed.
  • 1958 - The North Atlantic Health Sciences Libraries Group is formed.
  • 1961 - Pittsburgh Chapter meets on May 11.
  • 1964 - Upstate New York/Ontario Chapter is formed.
  • 1965 - Alfred Brandon writes an editorial on the importance of Regional Groups.
  • 1969 - Hawaii Chapter is formed.
  • 1969 - After questions regarding nominating procedures are brought to the floor, the Ad Hoc Committee to Review the Goals and Structure of MLAis organized.
  • 1970 - After heated discussion, bylaws are amended to permit Regional Groups to present a candidate for consideration to the MLA Nominating Committee.
  • 1971 - Washington DC Area Group of MLA becomes the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of MLA on October 16.
  • 1972 - In the second report of the Ad Hoc Committee to Review the Goals and Structure of MLA, Chair Erich Meyerhoff encourages regional participation in MLA.
  • 1972 - States of Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas secede from the Southern Regional Group to form the South Central Regional Group. Louisiana also joins this new group, but retains its association with the Southern Regional Group.
  • 1973 - South Central Regional Group holds it organizational meeting on April 26.
  • 1974 - MLA appoints The Ad Hoc Committee to Study MLA Group Structure in October.
  • 1978 - Membership agrees to the structure recommended by the Ad Hoc Committee to Study MLA Group Structure. The Ad Hoc Committee on MLA Group Structure Implementation is named.
  • 1979 - The Ad Hoc Committe on MLA Group Structure Implementation, chaired by Ursula Poland, presents its report.
  • 1980 - The Midcontinental Regional Group meets on October 4th.
  • 1980 - Bylaws are passed which create The Chapter Council..
  • 1981 - Chapter Council meets for the first time on 2 June 1981 - Joan Ash is elected Chairperson of Chapter Council.
  • 1981 - Following implementation of the new MLA Group Structure, all existing and recognized Regional Groups become Chapters.
  • 1981 - Forced by the new Group Structure to choose between the Southern Chapter and the South Central Chapter, Louisiana opts for the latter.
  • 1981 - In November, Chapter Council selects nominees for the MLA Nominating Committee for the first time.
  • 1981 - Chapters are represented at the Executive Board meeting in December for the first time, when Joan Ash attends as Chapter Council Chair.
  • 1983 - Chapters are asked to submit Annual Objectives to Chapter Council.
  • 1984 - Madeleine Taylor becomes Chair of Chapter Council.
  • 1984 - Chapter Council begins work on its Procedure Manual.
  • 1985 - Chapter Chairs meet at the Annual Meeting.
  • 1986 - Roseanne Labree becomes Chair of Chapter Council.
  • 1986 - Chapter Council Alternates becoming fully working members of the Council, including participation on Council Committees.
  • 1986 - MLA begins a major Strategic Planning effort.
  • 1986 - The enthusiastic response to the Chapter Chair meetings makes it an annual event.
  • 1987 - The Chapters and Chapter Council work together in Strategic Planning Sessions.
  • 1987 - Chapter Council sets up a display table in the Exhibit Area during the Annual Meeting.
  • 1989 - Julia Sollenberger becomes Chair of Chapter Council.
  • 1989 - Chapter Council sends a liaison to the MLA CE Committee.
  • 1990 - A Chapter "Event" (later the Chapter Sharing Roundtable) is held at the Annual Meeting on 22 May. With 125 attendees, the Event is deemed a success.
  • 1990 - A monthly Chapter News Column is added to MLA News.
  • 1991 - The Chapter "Event" becomes the Chapter Sharing Roundtable.
  • 1992 - Chapter Council appoints a liaison to the Continuing Education Committee. Tom Flemming is appointed to this position.
  • 1993 - Ada Seltzer becomes Chair of Chapter Council.
  • 1993 - The first meeting of Chapter CE Chairs is held at the MLA Annual Meeting.
  • 1993 - Chapter Council members receive email addresses from MLA through LIFENET.
  • 1993 - North Atlantic Chapter changes its geographic boundaries, excluding Eastern Canada.
  • 1994 - Chapters vote to incorporate; Chapter Council works to coordinate the effort.
  • 1994 - Chapter Council appoints a Centennial Work Group.
  • 1994 - A listserve for Chapter Council is hosted at Stanford, by Council member Mary Buttner.
  • 1995 - Cindy Goldstein becomes Chair of Chapter Council.
  • 1995 - The Chapter Council Listserve moves to MLANet.
  • 1996 - The Chapter Council Home Page is developed.
  • 1996 - The first Majors/MLA Chapter Project Award is presented to the Southern Chapter.
  • 1998 - M.J. Tooey becomes Chair of Chapter Council.
  • 2001 - Linda Garr Markwell becomes Chair of Chapter Council.
  • 2003 - Section and Chapter Councils collaborate on their first joint programming plenary session for the MLA annual meeting. The program was titled Mentoring: Sharing Experiences for Professional Growth.
  • 2004 - Sarah Gable becomes Chair of Chapter Council.
  • 2006 - Chapter Council web pages redesigned and updated. The new Chapter Council logo is designed.
  • 2007 -Joint Chapter and Section Council plenary session:  Health Information Literacy: eEvolution in Roles.
  • 2007 - Paula Raimondo becomes Chair of Chapter Council.
  • 2009 – Chapters’ Continuing Education Wiki established.
  • 2009 – The Pittsburgh Chapter merges into the Mid-Atlantic Chapter
  • 2010 – Julia Shaw-Kokot becomes Chair of Chapter Council.
  • 2010 – Karen Hanus, a member of the first cohort of MLA Rising Stars, works with Chapter Council and develops a communication plan for the group.
  • 2012 – First virtual meeting attendee via Skype.
  • 2012 – Heather Brown, a member of the second cohort of MLA Rising Stars, works with Chapter Council to update and redesign the website.
  • 2013 – The updated Chapter Council website moves to MLA’s Drupal installation.
  • 2013 – Joint Chapter and Section Council plenary session:  Working Together toward Global Health.
  • 2013 – Angela Dixon becomes Chair of Chapter Council.
  • 2014 –April Schweikhard, a member of the third cohort of MLA Rising Stars, worked with Chapter Council to survey MLA members and make recommendations on Chapter Council Presents Sharing Roundtables.
  • 2015 – Chapter Council and Section Council hold first joint meeting at the MLA Annual Conference.
  • 2016 – Chapter Council website moves onto new MLA platform.
  • 2016 – Melissa Ratajeski becomes Chair of Chapter Council.