Federal Libraries Section
Business Meeting
Medical Library Association Meeting, Monday, May 21, 2012
7:15am- 8:55am
Call to Order: Chair-Elect Diane Cooper (filling in for Chair Mabel Trafford) called the meeting to order at
7:15 am and asked attendees to introduce themselves.
Approval of Minutes: 2011 minutes, prepared by Diane Kunichika, were approved (moved: Alice Hadley, seconded: Cilia Stevenson)
Treasurer’s Report: Diane Cooper presented the financial report on behalf of Joanna Lin, though the report was incomplete. As of March 2, the Section’s balance was $8,107.81. A full report is pending.
Nominating Committee Report: The new officers for 2012-2013:
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Chair: Diane Cooper
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Chair Elect/Program Planner: Jane Pellegrino
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Secretary: Phyllis Whiteside
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Treasurer: Diana Lin
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Immediate Past Chair: Mabel Trafford
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MLA Nominating Committee (Nominee): Terrie Wheeler
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2013 Program Planners: Priscilla Stephenson, Terrie Wheeler, Mabel Trafford
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Section Council Representative: Ann Russell Potter
Bylaws Committee: Motion to modify bylaws to allow for electronic voting was presented for discussion and a vote. Moved: Alice Hadley, seconded: Mary Virginia Taylor. Motion passed.
Program Committee:
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Jane Pellegrino spoke about the program for 2013. Deadlines were much earlier this year because 2013 is an international meeting, so most reviewing work will be done by mid-June.
There were 27 submissions to the EBM program, and 3 to the EB policy program. Committee is open to the idea of moving papers from the EBM session to the policy session, or asking or a second session slot.
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There was a 125% increase in submission participation – the committees want to encourage participation, so different options (such as offering acceptance as posters instead of papers) will be explored once the initial reviewing shakes out.
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Diane Cooper spoke about the 2012 program. The Section is hosting two sessions – Emerging
Roles for Librarians, and a session on Careers in Federal Libraries.
Section Council:
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Ysabel Bertolucci (Chair of Section Council):

o Congratulated the Section on submitting a research project (value study of federal libraries) for Research Project of the Year – the project narrowly lost, but the Section should consider submitting it again next year. o MLA Board – there are some structural things changing, but no major issues. MLA is approaching 3500 members, with 350 new members. o Congratulated section on having a successful Rising Stars application, which is a sign of the strength of the Section.
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Terrie Wheeler gave the Section Council report: o Section webpage has been updated with new officers – important to keep this up to date, sine this is where MLA harvests section information from. o Dixie Jones – new president-elect, will focus on fostering leaders o Goals for Section Council:
 Google Hangouts as virtual space
 Collection Development list serve
 Increase focus on those who can’t attend MLA annual meeting – video vignettes of elevator speeches on what people get from attending MLA
 MLA Academy of Teaching Excellence – not credentials, but a space for people to share ideas. Currently in the formative stages.
 Web portals are available for sections to use.
 AHIP credentialing applications are now online.
 Virtual CEs and virtual leaders orientation
 Disaster Information specialty o JMLA celebrating its 100 th anniversary o MLA financial position is looking better o To notify about any deceased members ,contact Mary Langman at MLA HQ o Jane Blumenthal will be focusing on “Positive Energy” during her presidential year – continue doing what we do well, support the emerging leaders task force. Question to sections – how can we shape our future?
 If members of the section have ideas for “positive energy” that are not quite big enough for MLA, we can use them to shape the Section.
Presentation of MLA Awardees: The section recognized Section affiliates who were recipients of MLA awards in 2012.
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Mary Virginia Taylor, the Lois Ann Colaianni Award for Excellence and Achievement in
Hospital Librarianship
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Alice E. Hadley, AHIP, the T. Mark Hodges International Service Award, in recognition of her efforts establishing 9 hospital libraries in the US-affiliated Pacific islands.
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Elizabeth V. Fine, MLA Rising Star Award, who will be working on a project with Diane
Cooper in the coming year to evaluate the Section’s website and determine needs of members in order to recommend changes to the website.
FEDLINK Update: Blane Dessey, Executive Director of FEDLINK, gave the update.
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Published a new directory of federal libraries, the first in approximately 15 years, on the
FEDLINK website. Directory will be updated every two years.

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Currently working on a research project on whether a MLS should be required for the
GS 1410 series. The Office of Personnel Management does not require it and will not, but individual agencies can. Sense that this is best determined at the agency level.
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Information marketplace in the federal government – researching what the federal government pays for data. In FY11 paid $645 million, will pay $700 million next year.
Reports on the FEDLINK website are updated quarterly from the Federal Procurement
Data System – not a fantastic way to do it, but better than nothing.
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New five year business plan is in the works.
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New contracts for data analytics have been awarded.
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Have posted a Request for Information on mobile applications.
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Discussed shared collections in medical libraries and interest in shared remote storage and consortial collections.
EBSCO’s Discovery Service and Serials Solutions Summons: Janet Klieman presented on her experience with EBSCO’s discover service at Evans Army Hospital, and Joan Bares presented on her experience with
Serial Solutions Summons at Fort Sam Houston.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:55 am.
Respectfully submitted,
Elizabeth Fine Weinfurter
Incoming MLA Rising Star/FLS (for Phyllis Whiteside, Secretary)