This report covers the period between
December 2004 and April 2005.
Goal 1: Recruitment, Membership and Leadership in the Profession
Recruitment: Membership did not decrease any further. We conducted an analysis of our membership to determine the locations of members’ workplaces and what types of institutions they represent. The purpose was to help with meeting planning in order to maximize attendance and to target potential members. In the ten years since we last drew up a profile of the Chapter, librarians who work in hospital or academic libraries still represent the preponderance of our membership with the majority working in the City of Philadelphia.
The Chapter put a three-year membership option into effect. The Board is pursuing the idea of increasing Chapter dues and will ask the membership to vote. The last time dues were raised was in 1991 and the Philadelphia chapter’s are among the lowest in the country.
In our ongoing effort to recruit more student members, the Chapter contacted faculty in the Drexel University Information Science and Technology school to investigate ways to interest students. As a first step, representatives of MLA attended a professional evening on April 12th designed to acquaint students with various career paths, including medical librarianship.
Goal 2: Lifelong Learning
Programs: An interesting and informative program called “Improving Your Speaking Skills” was held on March 1st. Tom Guggino, a public speaking coach and lecturer, offered tips on how to become an effective public speaker.
On April 6, the Chapter presented a Mini-Public Health forum. This interactive day-long program offered MLA CE credit. Presenters included: Marla Gold, MD, Dean of the School of Public Health at Drexel University spoke on infectious diseases; Trevor Hadley PhD, the Director for Mental Health Policy and Services Research in the Psychiatry Department at the University of Pennsylvania, covered public health and mental health issues and Kristine Alpi, Library Manager at the Public Health Library of New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene dealt with the topic from the perspective of an information professional. Attendees reported lively group discussion.
Goal 4: Creating and Communicating our Knowledge
The Chapter newsletter, The Chronicle, continues to serve as a freely available resource for the dissemination of information about health sciences librarianship.
This report is informational and requires no action from MLA.
Respectfully submitted,
Lenore Hardy, Chair
Daniel Kipnis, Chair Elect
Bradley Long, Past Chair
Melanie Cedrone, Secretary
Stephanie Ferretti, Treasurer
Susan Couch, Council Representative
Marion Chayes, Council Alternate
There are 142 Chapter members.
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