MLA committee membership: retrospect and prospect

MLA committee membership by category (medical school, society and hospital) for the past three years is examined revealing a heavy reliance upon medical school librarians for committee members. A ten-year examination of committee membership and turnover in individual committee membership rosters points out those committees whose rate of turnover is greatest. Opportunities for service by new MLA members is examined as is committee tenure as experienced during the last decade. Turnover, tenure, and frequency of leadership is examined for the ten-year period. Pointing out that only 360 individuals have served MLA in committee positions listed in the Bulletin, the Ad Hoc Committee to Review the Goals and Structure of the Medical Library Association is urged to more actively seek the opinions of the membership and to consider the service patterns of the past in recommending a course for the future.     

MLA certification: its present problems and future development

The certification program is reviewed and questions as to the validity of the existing three grades of certification are raised. Large institutions which employ many medical librarians do not officially recognize the certificates. The three types of certificates should be replaced with one certificate or diploma. Problems of meaningful examinations, lack of training facilities, and revision of the curriculum require attention. A program is proposed for the improvement of education for medical librarianship. Public identification of medical librarianship is presently difficult.     

Retrospective conversion: a survey of UNYOC/MLA members

The Upstate New York and Ontario MLA surveyed its members to determine which libraries are conducting retrospective conversion projects and their reasons and methods. All academic and medical school libraries that responded are converting, but only 16 of 39 hospital libraries and 14 of 23 other libraries have such plans. The majority of respondents intend to do the work themselves instead of contracting with a vendor. They highly recommend that a written plan be drawn up before proceeding with retrospective conversion.     

MLA certification: the certification program and education for medical librarianship

The certification program was formally adopted by the Medical Library Association in 1948 in an attempt to establish standards for medical librarians. The program is reviewed, and some of its effects on education for medical librarians are discussed. At the time of its adoption the program defined the kind of education librarians in the field thought necessary for work in medical libraries. New techniques and a shortage of personnel demand consideration of new educational programs, and the Medical Library Assistance Act will provide the means for their establishment. The Association should assume leadership in determining what and where these programs should be and should evaluate its certification and standards programs as often as current needs require.     

Postage--boon or bane: an evaluation of one library's MLA exchange transactions

An analysis of MLA Exchange material shipped as well as received is presented. It was found that, of 10,382 items shipped during a twelve-month period to 588 libraries, 332 of these mailings, or 56 percent, were sent for ten cents or less, at a total of $24.80 for postage, an average of $6.20 per exchange list. Similarly, a six-month log of items received by the library shows that 55 percent of these mailings was sent to the library for ten cents or less. The results of this study suggest that the waiving of small fees could eliminate more than half of the donor library's record keeping on postal reimbursements and that it could cut the receiving library's actual reimbursement cost, which is shown to reach 250 percent.     

Going the Extra Mile: Supporting Distance Education at University of Alaska Fairbanks

ABSTRACT

The Elmer E. Rasmuson Library at the University of Alaska Fairbanks has a long history of supporting distance education through state-of-the-art, remote access services. Harsh climate conditions (heavy snowfall and icing, high winds, and extreme temperatures), rugged terrain, limited road and telephone systems, and permafrost that prevents the installation of communications networks, all contribute to the challenge of delivering distance education. This article describes and explains the library's services while discussing the challenges of providing information access to a diverse student population living in an area covering over 500,000 square miles.