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January - March 1998 Volume 19 Number 1
Letter from the Chair
Maryanne Blake blakema@u.washington.edu
What's your excuse? No support from your administration? You can't even keep up with what you have to do at work? You get no funding to go to meetings outside your local area? You volunteered five years ago - it's someone else's turn? You would like to have a life outside of work? Time? Money? Energy? My excuse was that too much was happening at work and I had no time or energy at home to write this "Message from the Chair". So I delayed and procrastinated. A firm, but kind, nudge from the Northwest Notes Editor reminded me that I had made a commitment, as Chair, to write this message. And, if I didn't get it done the space under "Message from the Chair" would read "Has Not Been Heard From". What motivates you? Obviously guilt is what pushes my button!
Lately I have noticed that some of our fellow medical library organizations
are having trouble getting people to participate in the life of the association.
The Pittsburgh Chapter of MLA, a small chapter with only 82 members, found
itself charting an uncertain future as they did a
survey of their members, saying: "Each year it becomes more difficult
to recruit officer candidates and keep members active with the pressures
of managed care and multiple mergers in our city. We have recently learned
that our issues are not unique. Membership is shifting, members are not
willing to commit their time and energy as they have done in the past...".
WMLA, the Washington Medical Librarians Association, weathered just such
a storm and, happily, will continue to exist. These organizations are not
alone. PNC/MLA is facing the same kinds of challenges. We have a relatively
small membership spread out over a large geographic area. We all have too
little time and too much to do. We must rely on our members to volunteer
not just once, but many times, in order to accomplish the work of PNC/MLA.
Our meetings are sometimes in far-flung places making travel costly both
in money and time. Our recent membership survey showed that the majority
of our members are of the age that remembers Howdy Doody - and watched him
on the small screen! TIME! MONEY! ENERGY!
You know why you want PNC/MLA to continue as an organization. A chance
to
network with colleagues. Continuing education in the region. Mentoring by
colleagues. Interesting meetings held in our region.. And the relationships
we build as we work and learn together. I know it may sound hokey - but
remember how you look forward to seeing friends again at the annual PNC/MLA
meeting.
PNC/MLA is changing as a group. For this year my challenge, AND YOURS, is to think about how we can participate and still have time for the rest of what happens in our lives. A chance to network with colleagues. How can I get you to join me in making this organization work? Tell me, what motivates you?
Now, let's see. I think the updating of the responsibility manual needs...
Note from the Editor
This issue of the newsletter was created by Loretta Andress. Many thanks!