CONTENTS: 1997 Annual Meeting Review | From the Editor | Have You Renewed Your Membership? | LAC ’98 | Hospital Libraries | MAC/MLA Treasurer’s Report | AHIP FAQs | News from the States | Address Problem? | Next Publication Deadline | Employment Opportunities | Congratulations AHIP Members! | Questions About AHIP Certification? | We Salute You!!! | MAC/MLA Centennial Task Force | Philadelphia “Physic” | MLA Election Results | Chapter Council Sharing Roundtables | MAC Officers, Committee Chairs, Editor, and State Reporters
1997 ANNUAL MEETING REVIEW
What factors influence Annual Meeting attendance? The program and location tied as the main drawing factors, but the meeting dates and registration costs were of lesser importance. Other reasons listed this year were continuing education, networking, professional growth, commitment to MAC, and an alternative to MLA.
Why didn’t 26 of the respondents take a course in 1997? The answers to this question included lack of interest in the offerings, course was filled, attended course recently at MLA, lack of funding, ability to take course locally, and time limitations. Thirty-nine people were interested in attending MAC sponsored continuing education sessions at times and places other than at the Annual Meeting.
Comments regarding vendor-sponsored events were all favorable. An informal poll of the exhibitors at the meeting indicated that they liked being in the plenary room. Vendor participation has always been important to MAC, and we are very pleased to see the list of suggested exhibits for future meetings.
The Web page for the Annual Meeting was seen as either important or very important by 38 of the respondents. As technology continues to dominate our lives, the importance of both will grow. The number of folks who indicated that Internet access was important is up from last year.
This is just the tip of the evaluations! As with any survey, not all of the questions were answered by everyone. If you have questions, comments, or would like to see the full evaluation, please contact me at (919) 966-0952.
FROM THE EDITOR
I leave you in the very capable hands of Barbara L. Kuchan, who will be the new Editor beginning with the May/June issue. Barbara is Network Access Coordinator at the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Southeastern/Atlantic Region and may be reached at (800) 338-7657 or (410) 706-2855; FAX: (410) 706-0099.
Have You Renewed Your Membership?
Virginia Carden
Chair, Membership Committee
One of the greatest strengths of any organization is its members. In order to have an active Chapter, we need lots of members. The more members, the more we can learn from networking with each other. If you have not yet renewed your membership, please take the time to complete the membership form. If you are not sure of your membership status, please check the mailing label on your printed issue of MAC Messages. The two-digit code in the upper right-hand corner of the label should indicate the last year for which your dues were paid. If your label has “98” in the corner, then you have already renewed your membership for the coming year. Dues and forms must be received by March 15, 1998 for your information to be included in the 1998 MAC Membership Directory.
Any questions about your membership status or any address corrections or changes should be directed to the Membership Database Manager, Bridget Loven, Health Sciences Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB#7585, Chapel Hill, NC 27599; (919) 966-8011; FAX; (919) 966-5592.
LAC ’98
Kathryn Chmiel
Co-Chair, Local Arrangements Committee
I hope that you know the location and dates by now! However, in case you have forgotten, the 1998 Annual Meeting will be held on October 4-7 in Pittsburgh, PA. In this article, I’d like to give everyone a sense of the hotel and surroundings. We will be staying in the Sheraton Hotel at Station Square. It is Pittsburgh’s only riverfront hotel and the view is spectacular, especially at night. The hotel has a restaurant, gift shop, fitness room, indoor pool, and whirlpool. The decor is somewhere between the Rosslyn Inn and the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond. So, it isn’t really casual nor is it really fancy. I think it is just right.
Adjacent to the Sheraton are the Shops at Station Square. They are truly unique as they are located in the Former Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad yards. In fact, railroads are a common theme at both the Sheraton and the Shops. Additionally, there are over 50 specialty shops and restaurants in the Shops at Station Square.
Surely there will be something for everyone.
Next time I hope to be able to tempt you all with details on the dine-arounds and entertainment, so stay tuned……
HOSPITAL LIBRARIES
by Patricia Hammond, Director of Library Services,
-
-
- Cape Fear Valley Medical Center
-
-
-
- Using Standards and Indicators to Measure and Improve Performance
- Performance Measurement Systems: Evaluation and Selection
- The IMSystem: Leading the Way to Performance Measurement
- Simplifying Compliance Activities
- The Joint Commission Performance Report
-
The quarterly updates to the manual continually revise and redefine information needed by hospital librarians. In the August 1997 update, two changes were made that impact the area of knowledge-based information (libraries). On page IM-1 (in the Management of Information chapter), the definition of knowledge-based information was expanded to read, “A collection of stored facts, models, and information found in the clinical, scientific, and management literature that can be used for designing and redesigning processes and for problem solving.” On page IM-39, scoring for IM 9.2 (scoring and aggregation for knowledge-based information) was changed to read:
Does the hospital conduct and use a needs assessment that addresses the following information to plan the services, resources, and
systems for knowledge-based information?
- Accessibility and timeliness
- Links with the hospital’s internal information systems
- Links with external databases and information networks
With the JCAHO transitioning away from the 3-year accreditation cycle to the concept of a continuous measurement cycle, hospital librarians are challenged to stay abreast of the evolving requirements for knowledge-based information.
At the 1997 Annual MAC Meeting, Kathryn Chmiel conducted a skills session about MACLend. The most frequently asked question at this session was “When can our library join?” The good news is that plans are being made for an “open enrollment period” during 1998, so watch for details this summer. We do need to resolve one major problem before these plans are completed. Currently, the District of Columbia doesn’t have a coordinator, which is needed in order for libraries in the District to participate. Please contact Pat Hammond at (910) 609-6601 if you are interested in volunteering.
Many thanks to the following State Coordinators for their participation in this project.
| Maryland Ellen Lindenbaum |
North Carolina Pat Hammond |
Virginia Betsy O’Connell |
West Virginia Kathryn Chmiel |
| Balance as of July 1, 1997 | $25,819.54 |
| INCOME | |
| General | |
| Dues | |
|
920.00 |
|
2,950.00 |
|
250.00 |
| $4,120.00 | |
| Interest | |
|
69.49 |
|
601.95 |
| $671.44 | |
| Scholarship Sales | $607.00 |
| General Income Total | $5,398.44 |
| 1997 Meeting | |
|
20,570.00 |
|
5,100.00 |
|
9,540.00 |
|
660.00 |
|
1,300.00 |
|
50.00 |
| $37,220.00 | |
| TOTAL INCOME | $42,618.44 |
| EXPENSES | |
| General | |
|
485.00 |
|
524.94 |
|
495.00 |
|
512.68 |
|
29.70 |
|
225.00 |
|
750.00 |
|
583.76 |
| $3,606.08 | |
| 1997 Meeting | |
|
434.74 |
|
3,164.60 |
|
1,364.27 |
|
4.16 |
|
3,850.00 |
|
1,124.59 |
|
1,090.00 |
|
122.65 |
| $11,155.01 | |
| TOTAL EXPENSES | $14,761.09 |
| Balance as of December 31, 1997 | $53,676.89 |
Please note: This report does not reflect expenses for the 1997 Annual Meeting which were paid after December 31, 1997.
Respectfully submitted,
Beverly Murphy, Treasurer
AHIP FAQs; FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ACADEMY OF HEALTH INFORMATION PROFESSIONALS
Q: Could I claim credit for holding office, chairing a committee, or serving on a committee in a local library association composed of various types of librarians?
A: Yes, you may count any officer/committee work in a state or local library association. Be sure to submit the appropriate documentation, as outlined in the AHIP application packet.Q: I am applying for Provisional Membership, but I’m not entirely clear about the process of documenting points. Does one just save
up this documentation and send it all in at the end of the five years, or should things be submitted annually or as they occur?
A: Provisional members report once a year, around the anniversary date of their initial application.Q: If applicants for a certain level are short by a few points, does the Credentialing Committee inform them so that they can decide whether or not to wait a while and reapply, or does the Committee assign them to a lower level?
A: The reviewers contact the applicant and work with her/him to come up with more points. To circumvent this and avoid a delay in the process, it is suggested that you “pad” your application with five to ten additional points worth of activities.Q: If I have gained enough points in two or three years, is it possible to apply for a higher level of membership without waiting for the five year period to expire?
A: Yes, you may apply for a higher level without waiting the five years. You will have to submit another application fee when you apply.Q: How can I tell what level to apply for?
A: After you assemble your documentation, use the Information for Applicants booklet to determine points for each activity. After
totaling points on the Tally Sheet, it should be clear what level you can apply for. Again, give yourself a comfort zone of five to ten points above the cutoff.Q: I am a librarian working full-time in a public library providing consumer health information and doing searches in MEDLINE. Does this work enable me to become an AHIP member?
A: Yes. Be sure that the job description you submit clearly outlines your professional responsibilities.
Additional questions may be addressed to any of the AHIP counselors listed in this document.
NEWS FROM THE STATES
Brenda Ellis, Head of the Learning Resource Center at the John Umstead Hospital in Butner, NC, has retired after 35 years of
service. She will be replaced by Anita Ramseur, who was formerly the Public Services Librarian at Durham Technical Community College.The History of Medicine Department of the East Carolina University (ECU) Health Sciences Library has been reorganized and renamed the
History Collections Department and will be staffed by Jean Hiebert and Ruth Moskop. Jean, former Head of Reference and Special Projects Librarian, is working on a MAEd in history at ECU. Ruth has a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin in the Cultural History-Medieval Studies Program and was the Curator of the Country Doctor Museum from 1995-1996.VIRGINIA Tompkins-McCaw Library of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond continues its year long Centennial Celebration with a special three-day conference. The conference, “Digital Libraries in the New Millennium: Building on our Past,” will be held March 11-13, 1998 in the Medical Sciences Building on the Medical College of Virginia campus of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Application is being made for Medical Library Association continuing education credits for conference attendance. For further information or to request a registration packet, visit the Library’s Centennial Celebration Web page at http://www.library.vcu.edu/tml/centennial.html or contact Lynne Turman, Tompkins-McCaw Library, Box 980582, Richmond, VA 23298-0582; (804) 828-0638; FAX: (804) 828-6089; luturman@vcu.edu.
The online catalog of the National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health is now available on its Website at http://www.ncemch.org (click on the databases icon and select the bibliographic database).
Connie Runyon, formerly of INOVA HealthSource, is now the librarian at the Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute. Connie is currently in the process of getting the collection out of boxes in the basement, where it was stored at the beginning of this year during the closing/renovation.
On December 1, 1997, in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of World AIDS Day, the Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries activated the new HIV/AIDS Resources for Virginia Website (http://views.vcu.edu/views/hiv). The Website will help to increase understanding of the magnitude of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, by featuring specific information about how Virginia responds to needs for information, clinical care, social services, prevention and control, advocacy, and research. For more information about the Website, contact Lorraine Sitler at (804) 828-3152.
WEST VIRGINIA Judy Lesso has been appointed Acting Head of Information Services at the West Virginia University Health Sciences Library. Judy has served the Health Sciences Library since July 1990 and continues in her role as GPO, Web, and Reference Librarian.
ADDRESS PROBLEM?
Is your copy of MAC Messages going where you want it? The address labels that are used to mail the newsletters are generated from the Membership Committee. Bridget Loven is the current committee member who is managing the membership database. Any address corrections or changes should be sent to Bridget and not the newsletter editor.
Bridget Loven
Health Sciences Library
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
CB # 7585
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7585
PUBLICATION DEADLINE
Items to be published in the March/April issue of MAC Messages may be submitted to the editor up until March 15, 1998.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
(This position replaces the earlier posting for the Electronic Services Coordinator)
Major Responsibilities: Responsible for all services and activities provided by the Information Services Department, including supervision of professional and support staff. Programs include public access to online databases, educational services, consultations, and reference. Identifies new services and user groups. Monitors trends and new developments in the field and recommends new programs. Oversees departmental staff planning and implementation of programs. Serves as a member of the Public Services Division management team and reports to the Associate Director for Public Services. Contributes to the profession through publication or service.
Required: ALA-accredited MLS; two years experience working in a health sciences library environment, preferably providing information and instructional services. Demonstrated experience using online systems and databases applicable to health sciences users. Experience developing and managing technology-based services for library users. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Commitment to service and teamwork.
Preferred: Management and supervisory experience highly desirable. Ability to instruct classes and develop instructional programs and classes. Membership in the Medical Library Association’s Academy of Health Information Professionals is desirable.
Salary and Benefits: Salary minimum: $40,000. General faculty rank (non-tenure); 22 vacation days and 11 holidays annually; health, dental, and disability insurance; retirement contribution to TIAA/CREF or other programs. Generous moving, professional development benefits. Position available immediately.
Applications will be accepted until a suitable candidate is found, although preference will be given to applications received by April 17, 1998. Send letter of application, resume, and the names, addresses and phone numbers of three professional references to: Gretchen Arnold, Search Committee Chair, Claude Moore Health Sciences Library #234, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville, VA 22908. Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
Harrison Medical Library, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.
Permanent, full-time with occasional evening/weekend hours.
Newly-created position.
Major Responsibilities:
Provides extensive training and consultation on the use of print and electronic health-related resources.
Provides general reference services and performs mediated searches.
Helps maintain and troubleshoot library workstations.
Identifies changing information needs due to changes in technology, organizational direction, and the health care field.
Designs and prepares user documentation.
Participates in Web development.
Requirements:
MLS from an ALA-accredited program. Two years of library reference, instructional, or consultation service experience. Experience with MEDLINE and other biomedical databases, Internet, and other electronic resources. Familiarity with office desktop applications.
Desirable:
Familiarity with HTML coding and editing, Web design, bibliographic management software, networked resources.
Qualities:
Commitment to service excellence. Excellent communication skills. Flexibility. Commitment to continued professional development.
Environment:
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center is a 700-bed, full service, community teaching hospital, and is a member of the Johns Hopkins Health System. The Harrison Medical Library supports patient care, education, research, and health care management through its service to medical staff, housestaff, hospital staff,
students, and researchers. The Library currently has 4.5 FTE. The Harrison Library coordinates some services with the Welch Medical Library, Johns Hopkins University.
Salary: Starting range $29,000 – $35,000, commensurate with experience; benefits.
To apply: Send resume, letter of application, and 3 references to:
Julie Noren, Director of Library Services, Harrison Medical
Library, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, 4940 Eastern Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21224
Academy of Health Information Professionals
The following Chapter members were not included in the AHIP membership list published in the November/December issue of MAC Messages. We apologize for this omission and offer our most sincere congratulations.
Richard Barry – Washington, DC
Andrew Eisan – Durham, NC
Kristine Markovich – Bethesda, MD
Lynne Morris – Chapel Hill, NC
Hattie Vines – Durham, NC
We Salute You!!!
* New Member
Senior
* Richard Barry
Member
* Andrew Eisan
* Hattie Vines
Provisional
* Kristine Markovich
MAC/MLA Centennial Task Force
The EXECUTIVE PLAZA SOUTH LIBRARY, DCPC and DCEG, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, began in the 1970’s as two small collections of journals in two divisions of the National Cancer Institute. In the mid-1980’s, the collections were pulled together in the new Executive Plaza South (EPS) Building in Rockville, MD, but were still known as the DCPC (Division of Cancer Prevention and Control) and DCEG (Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics) libraries, after the names of the two divisions. The two divisions have been reorganized, and in 1997, the name was changed to match our location (EPS), rather than the division names (DCPC or DCEG). The collection contains over 400 journal titles, some of which are ordered and some being sporadic donations. The focus is on medicine, statistics, epidemiology of cancer, diet and nutrition, health, and the genetics of cancer. A book collection is being built using duplicate books from other libraries. (Submitted by current library director, Gloria Rasband)
The GEORGE AND LEE GRIFFITH RESOURCES LIBRARY, Bethesda, Maryland, began in October, 1977, in the Heart House, the national headquarters of the American College of Cardiology. The College, a professional medical association of cardiovascular specialists, was founded in 1949 in New York. In 1965, the College moved to Bethesda, MD, and into new offices in 1977. As a part of the American College of Cardiology and the Heart House Learning Center, the Library was developed to provide educational support for the continuing medical education programs held at Heart House. Although the Library had few holdings in 1977, staff secured materials from the National Library of Medicine for use during the Learning Center Programs. Later, through the recommendations of
Library Committee Chairman, B.L. Martz, M.D., and his committee, the Library established a core collection of books. This collection has now grown to over 1200 monographs, 150 journal titles, and 250 audiovisuals. The Library’s first professional librarian was Martha Bosch. (Submitted by current library director, Gwen Pigman)
The COY C. CARPENTER LIBRARY, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, began when the School of Medical Sciences of Wake Forest College was established in September, 1902. The first curator was William Gaston Simmons, followed by Rev. E.P. Ellington. The first trained librarian, Louise Heims, headed the Library from 1911 to 1915. From 1915 to 1939, the Library was collectively known as the Pennell Memorial Medical Library and staffed by librarian Ethel Crittenden. In 1941, the School of Medical Sciences moved to Winston-Salem, where it was renamed the Bowman Gray School of Medicine and expanded to a four-year program. The Library, initially on the first floor of the Medical School Building, moved into a larger space on the ground floor in 1951-52, and to the James A. Gray Building during 1958-59, with additional renovation in 1960-62. In 1983, the Library was named for Coy C. Carpenter, a pathologist and Medical School Dean who was responsible for relocating the Medical School to Winston-Salem. Since 1939, the librarians have been: 1939-43 Eleanor Mayes (Smith); 1944-45 Mary Ament; 1945-63 Nell Benton (Fuller); 1963-68 Elizabeth Ann (Betty) Withrow; 1968-72 Erika Love; and 1972-present Mike Doss Sprinkle. The Library’s holdings have increased from less than 2,500 volumes in 1941 to 299,220 in 1997. In 1974, the Bowman Gray School of Medicine accepted responsibility for an AHEC program in Northwest North Carolina, and over the years, Library services have been extended to 17 counties and expanded into a more autonomous, cooperative, library information network called LINK. (Submitted by Marilyn Summers)
The Coastal Area Health Education Center’s ROBERT M. FALES HEALTH SCIENCES LIBRARY, Wilmington, North Carolina, began as a small room designated as the hospital library when the New Hanover Regional Medical Center was built in the late 1960’s. The Library contained a small collection of books, journals, and audiovisuals and was staffed by a part-time librarian. When the Coastal Area Health Education Center (AHEC) building was constructed in 1975, a larger space was dedicated for the Library. Staffing was also increased to a full-time librarian, and the collection was significantly increased. The Library became a major component of AHEC and its services expanded to include all hospitals and public health departments in the five county area. The first librarian was Jack Perten, followed by Penny Sexton, Steve Owen, and currently Donna Flake, who became director in 1992. (Submitted by Donna Flake)
Philadelphia “Physic: Facts, Firsts, and Fascinating Facilities”
(Refer to your Preliminary Conference Program for sign-up information.)
Philadelphia has many other notable libraries to visit. They include the Free Library of Philadelphia (modeled after the Hotel Crillon on the Place de la Concorde in Paris) and the Rosenbach Museum and Library, which houses more than 30,000 rare books. You could easily spend a month touring some of the more than 800 libraries in the Greater Philadelphia region. We invite you to do so! See you soon at MLA ’98!
MLA 1998/99 Election Results
Ballots for the 1998/99 MLA election were counted on January 12,
1998. The following is the outcome of the election:
President-Elect
Frieda Weise
Board of Directors
Suzanne Grefsheim
Rosalind Dudden
M.J. Tooey – Chapter Council Liaison
(following the 1998 Annual Meeting)
Nominating Committee
Janet Fisher
Jacqueline Picciano
Christine Bell
Logan Ludwig
Rick Forsman
Sherrilynne Fuller
Connie Schardt
Betsy Humphreys
Mary Horres
CHAPTER COUNCIL SHARING ROUNDTABLES
This year’s Chapter Council Sharing Roundtables will be held from noon until 2 pm on Sunday, May 24, 1998 in Philadelphia. If you are not familiar with this annual event, it is a time for Chapter members to meet informally and share experiences and expertise on a variety of topics. Chapter officers, committee members, and newsletter editors are especially encouraged to attend, but all MLA members are invited. Persons interested in attending must register in advance on the MLA Annual Conference Registration Form. Please see the Preliminary Program for details. For highlights from the 1997 Roundtables, refer to the October 1997 MLA News.
For more information contact Karen Zundel, 1998 Roundtables Co-Chair, McKeesport Hospital, McKeesport, PA; (412) 664-2363; FAX: (412) 664-2581.
MID-ATLANTIC CHAPTER of the MEDICAL LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
| Officers | Committee Chairs | MAC Messages |
|---|---|---|
| Chair Julia Shaw-Kokot Health Sciences Library UNC – Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7585 (919) 962-0700 FAX: (919) 966-1537 Chair-Elect Secretary Treasurer Chapter Council Representatives Ginny DuPont (Alternate) Immediate Past-Chair |
Local Arrangements, 1998 Meeting Kathryn Chmiel Hupp Medical Library Ohio Valley Medical Center Wheeling, WV 26003 (304) 234-8771 FAX: (304) 234-8330 Publications Committee Governmental Relations Committee Professional Development Committee Membership Committee Honors and Awards Committee Nominee to MLA Nominating Committee |
Published 6 times a year by the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Medical Library Association.
Editor: Beverly Murphy |
District of Columbia Maryland North Carolina Virginia West Virginia |
Editor: Beverly Murphy
Duke University Medical Center Library
Box 3702 Duke University Medical Center
Durham, North Carolina 27710