Andrea Kenyon
I am delighted to tell you about some exciting opportunities for Chapter member involvement and professional growth. Participating in Chapter activities give members the chance to develop and hone library and leadership skills in a supportive environment.
Committee participation is an excellent way to get involved. We would like to engage more members in helping our new Website Chair, Ene Belleh, enhance the Chapter’s webpages. Have ideas for Chapter programs or continuing education? Do you enjoy planning and organizing events? The Program and Continuing Education Committee Chairs would welcome your assistance. Fundraising and membership cultivation are other areas of Chapter involvement that would benefit the Chapter and provide you with valuable development experience. These are just a few examples of rewarding ways to benefit from Chapter membership.
Another way to get involved is through conference planning. I am pleased to announce that our Chapter will be participating in a joint library health information conference with three other MLA chapters to be held in Baltimore, Maryland in the fall of 2012. Conference participation offers our Chapter members a chance to gain experience submitting posters, serving as presenters and moderators and networking with a larger group of health information professionals. Priscilla Stephenson, Chief of Library Service at the VA, has agreed to serve as the Philadelphia Regional Chapter’s representative to the conference planning team. This is a huge undertaking and many volunteers are needed to help plan and implement the conference. With your help we have every expectation that this conference will be a valuable opportunity for networking, collaboration and professional education. Please contact Priscilla and let her know how you might help with the conference.
I want to personally invite each of you to attend the Philadelphia Regional Chapter’s 60th Annual Meeting and Reception on April 6 at Pennsylvania Hospital, starting at 4 p.m. Program Chair Gary Kaplan has invited a speaker to describe The Public Health Management Corporation’s Community Health Database. The Public Health Management Corporation is a leading nonprofit provider of public health resources. The evening promises to be a very special one in a beautiful, historic setting.
In the last Chronicle, I sought your feedback about the Chapter–what you value as a member and the direction you feel the Chapter needs to go in order to help you on your career path. Questions include: How can we engage you in Chapter activities? How can we engage members outside of Philadelphia? Should we merge with another Chapter? I was hoping to initiate a dialogue. So far I have not been overwhelmed with responses. Please take a moment to reflect on what the Chapter means to you and send me an email at alkenyon@verizon.net
Wishing you a productive and happy spring!
Andrea
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