Goal 1: Professional Development

d. Develops and promulgates standards and educational policies

for health sciences library and information professionals;

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The Standards Committee has completed work on a survey that includes a question aimed at developing a roster of experts, within sections, to provide editorial advice on standards documents. A distribution list has been developed for the survey. The “Organization of Standards Activities in the Medical Libraries Association” document has been added to the Section Council web site.

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Goal 2: Advocacy

d. recruits qualified individuals into the profession;

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The Council Chair appointed a Section Council representative to the Core MLA Membership Committee.

The Communications Committee has worked on several marketing strategies to promote the value of

Section membership, including the preliminary creation of a Section Council logo to be used on the Council web site, a bookmark to distribute at the New Members Breakfast and to use as a centerpiece in the “Quilt Square Project.” The Communications Chair has contacted the Section Chairs regarding the ongoing “Quilt Square Project” to encourage sections that have not done so, to consider creating a quilt block to add to the project.

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Goal 3: Organization

d. Develops, evaluates, and enhances programs and services responsive to members' needs.

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The Council Chair included the guidelines and information about the rotation schedule for the last phase of the implementation of the new Section Council structure in electronic Mailing #1. Section Chairs have been advised to review the schedule for section elections and forward questions to the Council Chair, well in advance of the March 1 deadline for completion of the election process.

The Council Chair reminded sections that have not yet completed by-laws changes to make this a priority for the upcoming year. Assistance in completing the changes is available from the MLA By-Laws Committee.

The Council Chair made candidate recommendations to represent Council on the MLA Committee to Review the Annual Meeting Fixed Program Schedule.

The Council approved a name change for the Medical Society Libraries Section to the Health Associations Libraries Section and also approved a name change for the Complementary Medicine SIG to the Complementary and Alternative Medicine SIG.

The section programming for the 2002 Annual Meeting has been identified and submitted for the preliminary program by the 2002 NPC Liaison for Section Council. A preliminary draft of the

section business meetings schedule has been approved.

Communication with sections and SIGS regarding the processes required for petitioning Section Council for the approval of a name change have taken place, most recently related to a name change

for the Clinical Librarians SIG.

Discussions regarding the sponsorship of a joint program on mentoring by the Section and Chapter Councils at the 2003 Annual Meeting have been ongoing and a joint committee has been appointed

to develop the programming.

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Goal 3: Organization

e. Fosters effective communication within the association and with external constituencies.

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Communication with Council members, Sections and the MLA Board has been

through listservs, a Council mailing (first electronic mailing) sent out in September and updates to the Section Council web site on a regular basis.

The Section Council Chair and the Chapter Council Chair have consulted with the NPC Chairs for

2003 regarding the sponsorship of joint program on mentoring.

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Goal 6: Information Technology

a. Uses technology to improve communication among members and to enhance remote access to association services and programs:

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The transition of the Section Council Web site management to a newly appointed Webmaster has been completed. The Webmaster has reviewed more than half of the Section Web sites and completed numerous updates to the Council web pages. In addition, a calendar mapping the update processes has been started to serve as a guide for future Webmasters.

The Webmaster serves in a dual appointment role, as both Webmaster and Section Council

Liaison to the MLANet Editorial Board (MEB). The Section Council Liaison to the MEB attended

the MLANet Executive Board Meetings at the MLA 2001 Annual Meeting.

This report is informational and requires no action by the Board of Directors.

Nancy I. Henry

Section Council Chair

December 7, 2001