A Message from the RML Director: Winter 2008
Season’s Greetings to the GMR membership!
Our character-building Midwestern winter began in earnest in November this year, bringing an abrupt end to favorite fall activities. The economic conditions, however, in which our institutions operate were anything but moderate during the past weeks.
Rescissions, hiring freezes, layoffs, furloughs, subscription and license cancellations, moratoria on travel, and deferred maintenance deferred longer still comprise the challenges that most, if not all, of our institutions are addressing now. The new austerity also affects the GMR. Our budget for the Year 4 contract is approximately 3% less than the amount budgeted for Year 3. We will be looking at ways to reduce expenses and enhance focus on regional priorities.
One way that we plan to accomplish these goals is to incorporate the feedback that we gathered in our NLM site visit on August 12, 2008. In addition to assessments obtained in the GMR region-wide membership survey, we also have advice from a broadly representational focus group and the team of site visitors themselves. The report emphasized the strengths of the region - personnel, programs, facilities, and administration - as a durable foundation from which to address the region’s challenges. Among the recommendations set forth by the site visit team are to: prioritize program initiatives and systematically track outcomes; reassess the outreach program in terms of audience, funding, and communications; investigate and enhance consortium buying, distance learning, advocacy initiatives; and engage the Regional Advisory Council (RAC) in developing and improving programs. For more details, see NN/LM Greater Midwest Region (GMR) Site Visit Report.
The GMR RAC met in Chicago on November 11-12, 2008. They reviewed the results of the NLM site visit, recommending that assessment strategies distinguish priorities vs. needs and focus on value and return on investment. Much of the time at this productive meeting was devoted to working group breakout sessions and reporting. The Emergency Preparedness (EP) and Advocacy working groups also described their specific initiatives, including an EP poster presentation at MC/MLA and an advocacy letter sent to hospital administrators. The E-licensing Working Group is planning to conduct a survey of consortia that might provide resources and services to unaffiliated health care professionals and institutions.
I truly enjoyed the opportunity to meet with you at MC/MLA in Troy, Michigan. The programming was outstanding, matched only by the hospitality shown by the Michigan Health Science Librarians. It was a wonderful educational experience.
Happy Holidays to all!
Kate Carpenter
Director, Greater Midwest Regional Medical Library Network
