Section Council Goals and Objectives

Objective 1: Establish a timetable for the revision of the Directory of
Sections’ Standards Activities and the updating of the directory
if needed.

Who, Expertise Needed: Standards Committee.

Time Needed: Between July and May.

Resources Required: None.

Product Outcome: Continued development and maintenance of a referral resource to assist in answering questions related to standards.

Evaluation: None .

Objective 2: Review and recommend changes in the document
Process for Developing Standards for Sections.

Who, Expertise Needed: Standards Committee, Liaison-MLANET.

Time Needed: Between July and May.

Resources Required: None.

Product Outcome: Improved communication regarding standards activities between Sections and with MLA Headquarters.

Evaluation: None.

Objective 3: Develop a plan for heightened awareness of the Sections and their central place, and that of the Section Council, in the Medical Library Association. The Section Council table at the annual meeting is a natural venue for information about Sections, and efforts this year will focus on making the table more interesting and dynamic.

Who, Expertise Needed: Communications Committee, Council membership.

Time Needed: June to May.

Resources Required: None.

Product Outcome: Increased membership for MLA and Sections.

Evaluation: Number of new MLA members and new Section members.

Objective 4: Work collaboratively with the MLA Membership Committee through Section liaisons to develop a comprehensive plan for the recruitment and retention of MLA members. in Develop a plan for heightened awareness of the Sections and their central place, and that of the Section Council, in the Medical Library Association. The Section Council table at the annual meeting is a natural venue for information about Sections, and efforts this year will focus on making the table more interesting and dynamic.

Who, Expertise Needed: MLA Membership Committee, Section liaisons.

Time Needed: June to May.

Resources Required: None.

Product Outcome: Increased membership for MLA and Sections.

Objective 5: Facilitate the continuing transition of Council to the new
structure. Collaborate with the MLA Bylaws Committee and
coordinate the implementation of changes to the Council and
Section bylaws. Coordinate section elections under the new
rotation schedule.

Who, Expertise Needed: Council, Council members, and MLA Bylaws Committee

Time Needed: Between September and May

Resources Required: None

Product Outcome: Streamlined governance resulting in improved efficiency in carrying out the consultative mission to the MLA Board.

Evaluation: Feedback from Section Council members, Section Council Chairs,
MLA Board and MLA Headquarters.

Objective 6: Annual review and revision of the Section Council and Section Chairs' procedure manuals and the completion of updates to the Web versions.

Who, Expertise Needed: Chair, Vice Chair, Webmaster and Communications Committee.

Time Needed: Between July and April

Resources Required: Printing and postage for distribution of manuals; $300 for printing, postage is included in objective 9.

Product Outcome: Continue to reduce the number of procedural questions at
orientation sessions by addressing frequently asked
questions in the manuals available in a variety of formats.

Evaluation: Maintain archives of email questions, list of
questions asked at the Orientation Sessions and
throughout the year to determine effectiveness of manuals
as a reference tool.

Objective 7: Provide information and advice to groups involved in seeking

Section or SIG status. Review, establish, revise and monitor Criteria for the establishment of new Sections or SIGS and submit recommendations to Council as appropriate:

-formation of the Internet SIG

Who, Expertise Needed: Chair, Section/SIG Review Committee, and MLA Headquarters.

Time Needed: Between July and May

Resources Required: None.

Product Outcome: Networking of professionals through the continued development of relevant shared interest groups.

Evaluation: Ongoing communication with groups and feedback on improving methodology to expedite governance processes.

Objective 8: Coordinate the marketing and distribution of the SIG’s Procedure Manual developed by the SIG Review Committee.

Who, Expertise Needed: Section/SIG Review Committee, Communications Committee,
MLA Headquarters, MLA News Section Editor.
Time Needed: Between July and April

Resources Required: Printing and postage for distribution of manuals; $200 for printing, postage is included in mailings in objective 11.

Product Outcome: The establishment of guidelines to assist SIG conveners in planning their activities and working collaboratively within the MLA Association governance structure.

Evaluation: Communication with SIGS regarding the effectiveness of the procedure manual in the clarification, explanation and interpretation of MLA policy issues.

Objective 9: Coordinates Section programming identifies papers for general sessions, and schedule business meetings for the Annual Meeting.

Who, Expertise Needed: Chair, NPC liaisons and paper reviewers

Time Needed: Between September and May.

Resources Required: None.

Product Outcome: Continuing expansion of membership options to participate in MLA and professional development.

Evaluation: Program evaluations at annual meeting. Percentage of contributed papers accepted for the annual meeting.

Objective 10: Collaborate with the National Program Committee to explore and make appropriate recommendations regarding issues associated with Section Programming at the Annual MLA Meetings.

Who, Expertise Needed: Section Program Planners Issues Committee, Section Program
Planners, National Program Committee Liaison, National Program Committee.

Time Needed: Between July and April.

Resources Required: None

Product Outcome: Articulation of the issues surrounding annual program planning and the incorporation of a methodology to promote communication, collaboration and effective programming at the annual meetings.

Evaluation: Annual Meeting evaluations completed by the MLA membership.

Objective 11: Maintain consistent communication with Council members, Section Chairs and Board members through listservs, fax and the distribution of two Council informational mailings each year.

Who, Expertise Needed: Chair with assistance from the Communications Committee.

Time Needed: August and April.

Resources Required: Postage, printing and supplies; $1500.

Product Outcome: Communicate, clarify and interpret the goals and functioning of Section Council to appropriate internal and external constituencies.

Evaluation: The level of professional involvement and timely responsiveness to action items, deadlines and issues associated with Section Council functioning in its' mission as a representative body of the membership to the MLA Board.

Objective 12: Provide for the continuing development and maintenance of the Section Council web pages to build the MLA virtual association, a vision articulated in the MLA Priorities for 2000-2001. Coordinate the relocation of the SC web files to MLA Headquarters for loading on the MLANet server. Issues to be addressed include a timetable for the complete transition, the negotiation of a contract, the renaming of URL’s and paths, and the revision of Web page statements of responsibility, including contact information.

Who, Expertise Needed: Chair, Communication and Web Committees, Webmaster

Time Needed: June to May

Resources Required: Storage space MLA server.

Product Outcome: Transition of the Council web files with minimal disruption of service to the membership.

Evaluation: Feedback from the membership on MLANet server response time to queries.

Objective 13: Develop policies and procedures, in coordination with MLA Headquarters staff, for the maintenance and updating of SC content on the MLANet server. Issues to be addressed include SC Webmaster access to the MLANet server, and procedures for the periodic review and updating of content.responsibility, including contact information.

Who, Expertise Needed: Chair, Communication and Web Committees, Webmaster, MLA Headquarters staff.

Time Needed: June to May

Resources Required: None.

Objective 14: Provide for the collaborative development of MLANET and MLA Section Council Web pages as a means of promoting MLA membership access to effective, organized web page information resources and services.

Who, Expertise Needed: Chair, MLANET Liaison, MLA Headquarters staff and
Webmasters

Time Needed: June to May

Resources Required: None

Product Outcome: Improved communication between Council and MLA Headquarters, among the membership and promotion of the MLA Association in the national and international communities.

Evaluation: Ongoing membership evaluation through surveys and statistics on web page access.

Objective 15: Explore the costs involved in proposing that MLA server space be made available to host Section web pages at no cost. Continue to work with MLANet and MLA Headquarters on the creation of guidelines/standards for Section web pages

Who, Expertise Needed: Chair, MLANET Liaison, Communications Committee, Council Web Committee, MLA Headquarters staff and Webmasters

Time Needed: June to May

Resources Required: Unknown

Product Outcome: Enhanced networked environment fostering improved communication between Council and MLA Headquarters, among the membership and promotion of the MLA Association in the national and international communities.

Evaluation: The number of Section requests for web space and the migration of existing Section web pages to the MLA server if a proposal is approved by Council and the MLA Board.

Send comments or questions to Webmaster Melissa De Santis at desantis@uthscsa.edu

Last updated on: September 9, 2000.