Medical Library Association
Section Council
Mid-year Report 2002

This report covers the period of May 2002 - December 20, 2002

Goal 1: Professional Development

d. develops and promulgates standards and educational policies for health sciences library and information professionals, such as Platform for Change

The Standards Committee is polling Sections which have not completed standards to offer assistance and are in contact with the Section Council webmaster with the intent to post a resources list for developing standards on the Section Council website.

The Standards Committee is working with the Veterinary Librarians Section in preparing standards.

Goal 2: Advocacy

d. recruits qualified individuals into the profession

The Communications Committee chair is also the Section Council liaison to the Core MLA Membership Committee and has guided this committee to focus on ways to recruit and retain members of Sections (and concurrently, members of MLA). This committee has made the motion that each new individual member of MLA be permitted to join one Section free of charge.

The previous chair of this committee has transferred the Section Council quilt and Section quilt squares to the current chair. In addition, 500 additional bookmarks with a listing of all Section names have been printed and will be distributed to all new members and others at the Section Council booth in San Diego. Section membership stickers of all Sections having a quilt square have also been printed and will be distributed from the Section Council booth.

Discussions have begun with the Medical Education Section regarding the possible formation and mentoring of a Student SIG.

Goal 3: Organization

a. maintains a continuous strategic planning process that conveys the purpose and vision of the profession

The Council Chair traveled to the Greater Philadelphia Chapter meeting to obtain member comments on the proposed MLA Strategic Plan and produced a report on those activities.

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

The Council Chair has distributed one electronic mailing with reminders about deadlines for Section activities, communications instructions, and copies of Council meeting and MLA Board meeting minutes.

The Council Chair reminded sections to continue to develop by-laws and be aware that this is the year the sections are reviewed for compliance.

The Council Chair has participated in the planning group for the mentoring symposium to be presented as a joint Section Council / Chapter Council program in San Diego.

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

The section programming for the 2003 Annual Meeting has been identified and submitted for publication on MLANET and will be featured in articles in the MLA News

Communications with sections regarding the creation of a SIG and presenting motions on fundraising has taken place.

The Council listserv members have been updated, as have the Council membership mailing lists.

Goal 6: Information Technology

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

The Council website committee is reviewing all files for accuracy and currency. Electronic mailing #1 from the Council Chair included a request for sections to identify information that they would like to see posted or linked to the Section Council website.

The Council Website Committee chair has asked to be included in the group that will examine the feasibility and cost of having MLA Headquarters host Section websites at no cost to Sections.

The Council Website Committee is researching ways to make the Council website "printer friendly" to make file submission easier.

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

Norma Field Funkhouser
Section Council Chair
December 20, 2002