Editoriais MLA SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM A Guest Editorial The awarding of scholarships by professional college graduate with a B.S. degree who was well associations to insure that new recruits continue motivated to become a medical librarian. Further to enter the field is a well-established tradition. requirements were an appropriate undergraduate The Medical Library Association has pursued a background and prior acceptance by an acscholarship program since the mid-forties. As the credited library school. During the next decade as profession has evolved over the past thirty years, many as three of these awards were made in one the scholarship program has passed through three year, depending on funding. Essentially the same major stages of development to keep pace with criteria are being applied to the scholarships being awarded today. changing needs. But a new challenge appeared in the 1970s that Following World War II an expansion of medical schools and medical care facilities in the prompted a third major change in the program. United States and Canada produced a demand for Affirmative-action requirements in medical lia kind of specially trained librarian that hardly braries everywhere revealed that the profession existed at that time. In 1946 the Medical Library had failed to attract more than a very small Association's individual membership stood at 223. number of recruits from disadvantaged minorities, Most members were self-educated in medical li- a group from which job applicants were eagerly brarianship; although many were professional li- sought. The board established in 1972 a $1,500 brarians, they had come, as a rule, from diverse minority scholarship and made this an annual settings, seldom with formal education in bio- award in 1976. logical or medical sciences. During the same years, new graduates with Columbia University was the first graduate li- medical library credentials were beginning to pour brary school to offer courses in medical bib- into the marketplace. The number of universities liography and was the earliest source of graduates offering graduate courses in medical librarianship to expand the small cadre of formally educated had increased from one in 1945 to thirty-eight in medical librarians. the United States and Canada in 1975. Where it The MLA scholarship program, in its first stage had once been difficult to attract two or three of development, supported two members attend- qualified applicants for an entry-level or assistant ing the six-week summer course in medical li- position, it became commonplace for dozens, even brarianship given at Columbia each year. These a hundred, to apply in some desirable locations. By 1976 the scholarship committee and the were usually people already working in medical libraries who sought to upgrade their professional board began to receive critical questions about the skills. This and similar courses became the cri- scholarship program from individual members and regional groups. There was obvious concern terion for MLA Grade I certification. The early scholarship awards were modest, only expressed about a program designed to attract $150 each, enough then to cover tuition and room. more graduates to a field already crowded, except The funding came from generous pharmaceutical by the still under-represented minorities. Concurrently, however, the National Library of houses, memorial funds, and general membership Medicine, responding to appeals from institutions contributions. By 1957 eight scholarships were being awarded seeking medical library directors, found it necannually as courses were established at other essary to initiate a traineeship program deuniversities, and this pattern continued into the signed to move experienced managers into posi1960s. The high-water mark was nine awards tions that were standing vacant for lack of qualimade in 1962/1963. fied candidates. The need now was shifting from a By 1963 the need had lessened for these ac- scarcity of entry-level manpower to a scarcity of celerated training programs and the second stage professionals with sophisticated skills and began. The MLA Board of Directors voted to experience. In the fall of 1977, the scholarship committee, change the purpose of the scholarship program and direct it towards one candidate per year, a concerned by these developments, conducted an CHANGES

Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 66(3)July 1978

IN THE

353

EDITORIALS

informal poll. Returns indicated that the membership wanted some kind of change in the scholarship program to meet changing needs. The problem clearly will require more study, more membership input, and possibly a year or two of experimentation before there is a final decision. The committee needs to know whether the program should be channeled once more toward mid-career development, toward support of advanced degrees, toward encouragement of needed research in our field, or toward all three. We know that we want to keep our profession growing but we should determine how and where growth should occur. Should that growth be in the num-

bers of our ranks or in the quality of professional competence of each member? Or both? To find the answers, the committee is now doing three things: studying the outcomes of past scholarship awards, investigating the programs and experience of other organizations with similar programs, and asking advice of our membership. Your ideas and opinions are needed. Please forward them to the chairman of the scholarship committee, Ms. Caryl L. Scheuer. PRISCILLA MAYDEN BOARD OF DIRECTORS,

1975/78

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION UPDATE A Guest Editorial During the past five years, organizations of This projects a federation of health sciences limedical or health sciences librarians have brary associations. The implementation of such a emerged in several countries. They have provided plan will require further negotiation between the opportunities for sharing technical information committee, the board, and the interested parties. and have improved communication among We all have much to gain from active and members. The impetus for such developments has constructive collaboration. been various, but the organizations have provided The administration of the Eileen R. Cuna structure and a basis for improving information ningham Fellowship for overseas librarians services to health professionals. In most instances continues to be an important function of the comthe organizations have been concerned with stan- mittee. Susan Flegg from Rhodesia and Maria dards, both in the development of resources and Dulcineia Nunes from Portugal are the 1977/1978 services and in raising the level of qualifications recipients, and applications for 1978/1979 are for individuals working in health sciences libraries. under review. Approximately $9,500 is expended This process takes enormous effort and the annually on the program, and at this rate the fund cooperation of libraries at many different levels. will be exhausted in three years. Other sources of The lack of national direction and support in most income are not available, although the committee areas is recognized, and in Australia and Canada is exploring the possibility of seeking bequests some progress has been made toward obtaining a from MLA members. Ursula Poland is conductnational commitment. ing a survey of former fellows to determine the The International Cooperation Committee effectiveness of the program. We know very little (ICC) is aware of new organizations in Australia, about the subsequent careers of fellows. This inCanada, South Africa, Scotland, Nigeria, and formation should be useful in the screening West Germany. There are undoubtedly others process and in planning the educational and and we welcome information about their structure practical experience offered to recipients. and activities. The committee has attempted to C. K. Huang, chairman of the committee, has establish a mechanism for sharing and exchanging developed a roster of health sciences libraries in information among such groups. At the MLA North America where work-study opportunities Board meeting in Seattle in June 1977, it was will be available for overseas librarians. This list moved that affiliation with MLA by overseas can be expanded and Mr. Huang welcomes addigroups would be encouraged and "that an organi- tional participants. Many visiting librarians are zation must be a formally organized and chartered from small libraries and would prefer an ophealth science library organization of the country portunity to visit, study, or work in a comparable or multi-national region which it represents. An situation. affiliation does not change the existing It appears that the Fourth International mechanisms by which individuals and institutions Congress of Medical Librarianship will be held in in other countries obtain membership in MLA." Yugoslavia in 1980, not in 1979 as reported The ICC will receive all applications for affiliation. earlier. Mrs. Ines Tanascovic of Belgrade is

354

Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 66(3)July 1978