Lister Hill Letter
Newsletter of the Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences at UAB

July/August 2000

NEW LHL FRIENDS GROUP MEETS

     The Steering Committee for the new LHL Friends group, an outside support and "think tank" committee envisioned as a  mechanism whereby ideas can be exchanged and developed about the long-term position of the Library, met on May 31.  Director Scott Plutchak opened this inaugural event with an overview of the current issues facing the library and the challenges that lay ahead in this rapidly changing information age.  Electronic resources are placing new burdens upon the library's human, financial, and material resources, and at the same time offering new opportunities.  The group's initial charge is to develop a set of topics of primary importance in positioning the library to meet these challenges effectively and efficiently.  Examples might include issues of intellectual property in the electronic age, medical Web sites, or electronic journals.
     The library is indeed fortunate and grateful in having a multi-talented group of Steering Committee members.  Those in attendance were Dr. Mardell Davis (Nursing), Dr. Tim Heaven (Dentistry), Dr. Peter McCann (retired, Pharmacology), Dot Mueller (Assistant Provost, Faculty Affairs), Dr. Jerry Thompson (Human Genetics). Other members of the Steering Committee are Dr. Kirby Bland (Surgery), Dr. Mike Wyss (Cell Biology), Dr. Holly Richter (OB/Gyn), Louise Thibodaux (Occupational Therapy), Steve Smith (Medical Student Services), and Dr. Mary Umlauf (Nursing). LHL staff also attending the meeting included Director Scott Plutchak, Nancy Clemmons, and Mike Flannery and representatives from other library units.  The group will meet again in the fall.