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

July/August 1999

On the Lighter Side.

The Director's Journal Tells All
A behind-the-page look at MLA 1999

As many of you know, in May I accompanied (virtually, of course) LHL's Director, Scott Plutchak, to the annual meeting of the Medical Library Association in Chicago.  Let me tell you he was one busy person.  As a member of the National Program Committee, this meeting was the culmination of years of planning, emails, meetings, and conference calls.  To compound matters, he is the in-coming chair of the Medical School Libraries Section and very involved in the Medical Informatics Section.  Let me outline for you what this was like.

Before he could even leave town, he had a meeting.  I sometimes think that if Scott does not have a meeting he is not happy, but I could be wrong.  Fly to airport, fly to Chicago, eat, sleep.  Sounds about right.

Next day final meeting with the National Program Committee.  Review last minute details and make sure that everybody has their assignments.  On with the show.   He took a break and went to the Art Institute before the New Officer Orientation meeting.  (I tell you, this guy know how to meet!)

Sunday, Day 2.  This day was a killer.  At the crack of dawn (actually 7:30 in the blessed AM when I desperately need my beauty rest), he takes over as Chair of the Medical School Libraries Section.  I am barely awake when they launch into a discussion of what the focus of the section should be and do they need to change the name.  Thank goodness for tape recorders because at this hour I sure can't keep up.  The group decides that their focus should be on management and administration and, yes, they will recommend that the name of the section be changed.                         .

This guy even has meetings during lunch.  (If this keeps up I want a faster processor and more memory.)  This group are the panel members for the Medical Informatics program this PM.  When I realize that Scott is not actually on the panel, I start planning a little siesta for this time.  BUT NO.  Scott will be in the audience with the responsibility of asking the first question to get a discussion going between the panel and the audience.  There goes my nap.  This guy is killing me.

I hope you won't be surprised that after lunch he goes to another meeting.  This one is an MLA business meeting. The big issue is a move to a single slate for the office of president.  After much discussion, a motion was made and passed to recommend a bylaws change to the membership.  An increase in member dues was also discussed and passed.

To end the day on a perfect note, Scott went to another meeting.  The was the Medical Informatics panel with Scott as the audience "ringer".  All went well.  The major issue was better service to the patron - what resources do they really need and how do we make sure that the right things are getting to them.  By now I have had it.  Scott goes to dinner and I go to sleep.

If I thought 7:30 was early yesterday, He really gets to me today be attending a meeting at 7:00AM.  (I really must train him better.)  He is the liaison from the Medical Informatics Section to the Legislative Development Committee, so I know there will be another meeting in my future.  The members are updated on the lobbying activities that have taken place and discuss the proposal from NIH to develop an electronic journal server.

I knew it was coming.  The Medical Informatics Section business meeting was later that day.  Scott reported on the Legislative Development Committee meeting and led a discusssion on the Section's possible involvement with the International Congress of Medical Librarianship meeting (Iknew he couldn't resist) in London next Summer.  The section had been invited to develop part of the program and Scott coordinated the effort.

Finally some fun.  Scott attended the President's reception at Symphony Hall, I collapsed.

The next two days were a lot less hectic.  Listening to presentations, attending the closing dinner at the Navy Pier.  The only event Wednesday was an invited presentation by Clifford Lynch, Director of the Coalition of Networked Information.

At last, not a meeting in sight.  Just a final "We Made It" party with the other members of the Program Committee.  Then to pack and come home.  I need the break.  I'm exhausted!