Benchmarking Program

submitted by Robin Braun, Sept. 14, 2000

I was appointed PNC/MLA Benchmarking Chapter Educator (BCE) at the MLA 2000 Annual Meeting in Vancouver, B.C. There I attended the Benchmarking Chapter Educator Training Session on 5/8/00. I also attended the Best Practices Through Benchmarking Open Forum and the Benchmarking Initiative: One More Opportunity for Questions and Answers. Bob Pringle, Vicki Croft, and I participated in a poster presentation, detailing the benchmarking experience of INWHSL (our local consortium) as we used the Canadian Health Libraries Association Benchmarking Tool Kit (7/98). That experience has been written up and submitted for publication in the new Journal of Hospital Librarianship.

I participate on the mla-bce listserv.

I wrote a brief article entitled "Benchmarking" for Northwest Notes, v. 21 (1-2): 9-10, Jan.-June, 2000. Although a personal, not an institutional MLA member, I have been working on submitting a Benchmarking profile for Empire Health Services. We qualify as a System Library. I have discussed my experience and frustrations with Kate Corcoran at MLA Headquarters. Some of her answers and responses have been shared with attendees at this meeting.

At PNC/MLA 2000, I presented a Benchmarking Session. Attendees reviewed every question on the Benchmarking Data Worksheets and received copies of the Definitions MLA are using for the Benchmarking Network. I shared my institution's responses and the sources of my data. I answered those questions I could and carefully noted those I will have to refer to MLA. I asked for feedback on questions that MLA has shared with me.

Although only 2 members from PNC, both institutional members, have submitted data to the Benchmarking Network. I want to encourage more participation. Please contact me directly about any Benchmarking question.

Respectfully submitted,

Robin Braun, Medical Library, Empire Health Services, Spokane, WA

 

2000 Report - PNC/MLA Bylaws Committee

 

submitted 9-30-00 by Jan Schueller, Chair

During 2000 there were no reviews or additions to the PNC Bylaws, which were extensively revised in 1998-99, and reviewed and approved by MLA in 1999. The Chair did participate in the Chapter Sharing Roundtables at MLA 2000 in Vancouver, BC, facilitating the Bylaws discussion. It was reported there by the MLA Bylaws Committee Chair, Barb Lucas, and the resource person, Lucretia McClure, that new Model Bylaws for chapters and Sections will be
available in Fall of 2000. When these are distributed, the PNC Committee will review our bylaws for any mandated or advisable changes. The Committee will at that time also consult with the PNC Board to see if there are any other issues to be considered, besides a change in date for completion of the budget, raised in Spring of this year and postponed due to the anticipated Model Bylaws revision.

Committee Members: Robin Braun, Donna Hudson, Doreen Smith, Jan Schueller

Jan Schueller
schuelle@battelle.org