About the Medical Library Association
Strategic Plan
MLA's Vision
The Medical Library Association (MLA) believes that quality information is essential for improved health. To that end, MLA aspires to be the association of the most visible, valued, and trusted health information experts, fostering excellence in the professional achievement and leadership of health sciences library and information professionals to enhance the quality of healthcare, education and research throughout the world.
MLA's Core Values
On behalf of the profession, MLA will:
- improve the knowledge and skills of health information
professionals
- advocate new directions and roles for the profession
that respond to needs in society
- advance health information research and evidence-based
practice
- uphold and promote the Code of Ethics for Health Sciences
Librarians
On behalf of society, MLA will:
- advance the role of health information professionals
in providing the best health information to all who work in healthcare,
health education and research
- promote the use of scientific evidence in making healthcare
decisions
- improve the public's awareness and use of quality
health information
- promote a sense of community and collaboration with
similar organizations to ensure that the best health information is
available to all
MLA Goals and Objectives
1) Recruitment, Membership, and Leadership in the
Profession
MLA will recruit and retain talented individuals from
diverse backgrounds to become health information professionals, serve
them through the association, and foster their leadership roles in the
association and the profession. The Association will:
a. aggressively promote health sciences librarianship
and other health information careers to individuals from diverse backgrounds,
including members of related health and information professions, high
school and college students, and others;
b. promote exploration of new health information professional roles, knowledge
and skills to better serve society;
c. promote mentorship and leadership opportunities to support the development
and flourishing of 21st century health information professionals.
2) Life Long Learning
MLA will be the leading education provider and facilitator
for life long learning opportunities in health information and knowledge
management. The Association will:
a. extend the range of education programs available for
health sciences librarians and other providers of health information;
b. expand the market for its education programs to include other librarians,
students, health professionals, and the public to promote access and use
of quality health information;
c. enhance its health information education programs' content and delivery
methods to meet the needs of expanded audiences wherever they are;
d. offer credentialing programs that recognize special expertise to promote
the value of life long learning;
e. seek partnerships with other organizations and institutions such as
graduate schools of library and information science to encourage the provision
of education opportunities for health information professionals.
3) Advocacy
MLA will demonstrate to the healthcare, education, and
research communities, and the public the value of quality health information
to society and the role that health information professionals play in
producing and managing that information. The Association will:
a. be a leading advocate for professional concerns of
health information experts in our society;
b. aggressively promote and communicate the value of health sciences librarians
and information professionals to society, especially to those in the healthcare
setting;
c. help its members advocate on their own behalf their value to their
institutions;
d. serve as a leading advocate for unrestricted, affordable, and permanent
access for all to quality health information and scientific communication
that improves health.
4) Creating and Communicating our Knowledge
MLA will develop and manage a knowledge base of health
information research and practice to demonstrate the value of health information
for improved health, improve professional practice, and support life long
learning. The provision of quality health information will be linked to
improved healthcare and advances in biomedical research. The Association
will:
a. promote and support health information research and
evidence-based librarianship;
b. support the collection and use of data for assessment and quality improvement
for health sciences libraries and information services, and for promoting
the value of health information expertise;
c. use, and support members' use of, advanced information technologies
to manage and disseminate health information.
5) Building a Network of Partners
MLA will actively serve every person working in health
care and provide health information to the public through a global network
of members and partners who share expertise and resources. The Association
will:
a. seek local, regional, national and international partnerships
with others who share its values and goals on information access including
outreach to underserved communities;
b. support the information needs of individuals
engaged in providing health information services to the public;
c. work to develop international connections that support access to quality
information for improved health for all.
For further information, contact Carla Funk, funk@mlahq.org.