Editorials HOSPITALS: You AND THE MLA A Revisit in 1977 A Guest Editorial Almost three years have passed since the Town Hall Meeting "Librarians in hospitals: you and the MLA" in San Antonio on June 5, 1974. One of the areas on which discussion focused was the organizational structure: how hospital librarians might increase their representation in the governance of MLA and in its activities. The specific ways most often mentioned were: representation on the board, participation on committees, organizing the Hospital Libraries Group, strengthening ties with regional and local medical library groups, and allowing institutional representatives to hold office and to serve as chairpersons of committees. What has happened during the past three years? 1. Representation on the board. In June 1974 two hospital librarians had just been elected to office in MLA-one as president-elect and one to the Board of Directors. Although some board members have been hospital librarians, out of the nine candidates who have been nominated for the board between June 1974 and June 1976, only one was currently employed as a hospital librarian. In that same period none of the nominees for the office of president have been hospital librarians. In all fairness to the Nominating Committees it should be mentioned that both time and financial pressures on the president make it difficult for most hospital librarians to undertake this office. 2. Participation on committees. Hospital librarians have served on MLA committees long and well. Since June 1975 there has been at least one hospital librarian on every committee. MLA has made a concerted effort to inform its membership of how to apply for committee membership and to select interested and able people to serve. It can be estimated from Ann Kerker's editorial [1] that yearly there are only about fifty committee positions to be filled. Thus much participation must be indirect, through writing to committee chairpersons and board members, including the president and president-elect, and headquarters staff; and attending committee meetings.
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Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 65(1)January 1977
Alternate ways must be sought to enable any substantial increase in participation. One way is through increased involvement in regional groups. In fact, it may be advisable when making appointments to national MLA committees to give preference to individuals who have been substantially involved in regional groups. Much can be done to further hospital librarianship on a regional basis and strengthen one's ability to be an effective committee member. A second way is developing through the organization of the Hospital Libraries Group. 3. Organizing the Hospital Libraries Group. For many years the members of this group have met, broken bread together, and conducted a program. The little activity throughout the year has been directed toward next year's program. In June 1976, because of the hard work of a group of hospital librarians, the Hospital Libraries Group became the first special interest group to adopt bylaws. The officers of the newly formed Hospital Libraries Interest Group (HLIG) have been busy developing charges and making appointments for ten committees. These and additional committees as deemed necessary should provide an opportunity for the increased participation of fifty to one hundred hospital librarians. This year the board referred the task of developing job descriptions for health science library personnel in hospitals to the HLIG. In this area progress since 1974 has been steady. Continued progress will depend on the willingness of hospital librarians to work. 4. Relation with regional groups. In 1974 the Ad Hoc Committee to Study MLA Group Structure was appointed. Preliminary reports suggest (1) a strengthening of ties between MLA and both special interest groups and regional medical library groups; and (2) a reorganization of MLA's governing body. In this area the organizational machinery is in motion with prospects for the future. 5. Allowing institutional representatives to hold office and serve as chairpersons of committees. As of the proposed Bylaws revision of 1976, no alteration in this policy is seen. Hospital librarians desirous of being officers or chairpersons of commit-
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tees should maintain personal memberships in MLA. MLA is trying to be responsive. The increased participation of hospital librarians in the association's activities over the past three years can be documented. Additional progress can be seen on the horizon, for organizations do not often produce instantaneous change. Future progress rests in the hands of the hospital librarians themselves, who must take the initiative and demonstrate their ability to assume leadership roles in MLA. Lois ANN COLAIANNI BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT, HOSPITAL LIBRARIES INTEREST GROUP
between technical or research-oriented studies and more practical discussions. In short, an ideal Bulletin issue should contain papers of interest to every segment of the MLA membership. The editors are painfully aware that we have a long way to go to achieve this ideal, but we are optimistic about several trends. The Brief Communications section of the Bulletin first appeared under its own masthead in July 1974 with the express purpose of attracting short practical or "new idea" papers that would serve to improve balance in the contents of the Bulletin. Of the sixteen brief communications published in 1976, six were written by hospital librarians or covered topics of direct concern to them. (I hasten to add that the editors are not biased against full-length papers submitted by hospital librarians. However, until now, the number of such papers has been exceed-
REFERENCE 1. KERKER, ANN. MLA committees; a guest editorial. ingly small.) The nub of the issue concerning Bulletin content Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 64: 61 62, Jan. 1976. revolves around one fundamental fact: the editors can only publish manuscripts submitted for consideration. True, the editors can encourage ARE THE EDITORS BIASED? potential authors to contribute to the Bulletin, but The Editorial Committee for the Bulletin, meet- we are not personally acquainted with a large ing in Minneapolis last June with the editors, percentage of the entire membership. Stated in enjoyed a livelier meeting than usual, thanks to other terms, Bulletin content reflects the interests the presence of several concerned MLA members of those members who are either willing to comwho attended as observers. The observers raised mit their thoughts to paper or to encourage their pertinent and valid questions (about which we've colleagues who have something to say to do so in heard rumblings for some time) concerning the writing. What the editors and the editorial content of the Bulletin. As hospital librarians they consultants do insist upon is a reasonable standard felt that the majority of Bulletin articles were of quality with attention to organization and overly technical and research-oriented with a clarity of expression. dearth of papers on practical issues directly apThe editors left the Minneapolis meeting of the plicable to the health science librarian working in Editorial Committee for the Bulletin with a feeling a hospital environment. "Are the editors biased of accomplishment. Committee members and obagainst papers from hospital librarians?" we were servers resolved to return home and encourage asked. Our answer was an emphatic no. their colleagues who were involved in innovative The issue of Bulletin content is not as simple as programs to share their ideas and findings through it might appear at first glance. If the editors had the Bulletin. What is needed now is for everyone their druthers, they'd ideally prefer to send an to spread the word. issue to press which contained high quality papers GLORIA WERNER on a wide variety of topics with a healthy balance Associate Editor
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Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 65(1)January 1977
LIBRARIANS
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Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 65(1)January 1977
Alternate ways must be sought to enable any substantial increase in participation. One way is through increased involvement in regional groups. In fact, it may be advisable when making appointments to national MLA committees to give preference to individuals who have been substantially involved in regional groups. Much can be done to further hospital librarianship on a regional basis and strengthen one's ability to be an effective committee member. A second way is developing through the organization of the Hospital Libraries Group. 3. Organizing the Hospital Libraries Group. For many years the members of this group have met, broken bread together, and conducted a program. The little activity throughout the year has been directed toward next year's program. In June 1976, because of the hard work of a group of hospital librarians, the Hospital Libraries Group became the first special interest group to adopt bylaws. The officers of the newly formed Hospital Libraries Interest Group (HLIG) have been busy developing charges and making appointments for ten committees. These and additional committees as deemed necessary should provide an opportunity for the increased participation of fifty to one hundred hospital librarians. This year the board referred the task of developing job descriptions for health science library personnel in hospitals to the HLIG. In this area progress since 1974 has been steady. Continued progress will depend on the willingness of hospital librarians to work. 4. Relation with regional groups. In 1974 the Ad Hoc Committee to Study MLA Group Structure was appointed. Preliminary reports suggest (1) a strengthening of ties between MLA and both special interest groups and regional medical library groups; and (2) a reorganization of MLA's governing body. In this area the organizational machinery is in motion with prospects for the future. 5. Allowing institutional representatives to hold office and serve as chairpersons of committees. As of the proposed Bylaws revision of 1976, no alteration in this policy is seen. Hospital librarians desirous of being officers or chairpersons of commit-
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EDITORIALS
tees should maintain personal memberships in MLA. MLA is trying to be responsive. The increased participation of hospital librarians in the association's activities over the past three years can be documented. Additional progress can be seen on the horizon, for organizations do not often produce instantaneous change. Future progress rests in the hands of the hospital librarians themselves, who must take the initiative and demonstrate their ability to assume leadership roles in MLA. Lois ANN COLAIANNI BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT, HOSPITAL LIBRARIES INTEREST GROUP
between technical or research-oriented studies and more practical discussions. In short, an ideal Bulletin issue should contain papers of interest to every segment of the MLA membership. The editors are painfully aware that we have a long way to go to achieve this ideal, but we are optimistic about several trends. The Brief Communications section of the Bulletin first appeared under its own masthead in July 1974 with the express purpose of attracting short practical or "new idea" papers that would serve to improve balance in the contents of the Bulletin. Of the sixteen brief communications published in 1976, six were written by hospital librarians or covered topics of direct concern to them. (I hasten to add that the editors are not biased against full-length papers submitted by hospital librarians. However, until now, the number of such papers has been exceed-
REFERENCE 1. KERKER, ANN. MLA committees; a guest editorial. ingly small.) The nub of the issue concerning Bulletin content Bull. Med. Libr. Assoc. 64: 61 62, Jan. 1976. revolves around one fundamental fact: the editors can only publish manuscripts submitted for consideration. True, the editors can encourage ARE THE EDITORS BIASED? potential authors to contribute to the Bulletin, but The Editorial Committee for the Bulletin, meet- we are not personally acquainted with a large ing in Minneapolis last June with the editors, percentage of the entire membership. Stated in enjoyed a livelier meeting than usual, thanks to other terms, Bulletin content reflects the interests the presence of several concerned MLA members of those members who are either willing to comwho attended as observers. The observers raised mit their thoughts to paper or to encourage their pertinent and valid questions (about which we've colleagues who have something to say to do so in heard rumblings for some time) concerning the writing. What the editors and the editorial content of the Bulletin. As hospital librarians they consultants do insist upon is a reasonable standard felt that the majority of Bulletin articles were of quality with attention to organization and overly technical and research-oriented with a clarity of expression. dearth of papers on practical issues directly apThe editors left the Minneapolis meeting of the plicable to the health science librarian working in Editorial Committee for the Bulletin with a feeling a hospital environment. "Are the editors biased of accomplishment. Committee members and obagainst papers from hospital librarians?" we were servers resolved to return home and encourage asked. Our answer was an emphatic no. their colleagues who were involved in innovative The issue of Bulletin content is not as simple as programs to share their ideas and findings through it might appear at first glance. If the editors had the Bulletin. What is needed now is for everyone their druthers, they'd ideally prefer to send an to spread the word. issue to press which contained high quality papers GLORIA WERNER on a wide variety of topics with a healthy balance Associate Editor
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