MLANET Policy Manual
Introduction
The MLANET Editorial Board (MEB) created the first edition of the MLANET Policy and Procedure Manual as a working document to detail applicable policies, workflows and responsibilities for MLANET content, services and procedures. The Manual is to be applied in conjunction with the MLA Style Manual and the Health Summit Working Group's Criteria for Evaluating the Quality of Health Information on the Internet. Among the Web style and design references which the MEB recommends are the Yale [Web] Style Manual, and Jakob Nielsen's useit.com site.
The policies established herein are intended to support the provision of accurate and timely, high-quality information about MLA, its units, and affiliated groups, to the association's membership and non-members, via MLANET.
The MEB will continually develop this document over time, as MLANET and the technologies and member-provided content driving it, grow and evolve.
The MLANET Editorial Board (MEB)
The main goals of the MEB and this Manual and
companion works are twofold:
- to maintain MLANET as a vital and mission-critical
communications medium and digital library by and for the MLA membership,
as well as the communities our members serve;
- to maintain MLANET as a "best practice"
example to the MLA membership and other associations and groups, built
upon rigorous standards of consistent excellence.
Due to the thorough representation on the MEB from across
the association, as well as ex-officio relationships between the MLANET
Editor and other groups, the MEB will work with all of its constituencies
to ensure MLANET's overall quality.
The MLANET Editor invites questions, comments, and suggestions
pertaining to this Manual.
Content Solicitation and Submission
Solicitation
The MEB invites and encourages current and prospective
(i.e. student) voting MLA members to electronically submit materials for
placement within MLANET. In addition, the MEB will consider submissions
from members of other library and like associations and organizations.
As new MLANET content and content areas (i.e. subjects
or types of information) are identified by the MEB and individual members,
the MEB will target content solicitation to certain units within, and
affiliates of, the association, including sections, SIGs, committees,
and chapters.
Submission
Original content and suggestions for links to and quotations
from non-MLA published content (including proper attribution) should be
submitted directly to the MLANET Editor, electronically. The MLANET Editor
will accept virus-free digital content whether marked up in HTML, or not.
Other acceptable formats include Microsoft Word, Rich Text Format (RTF),
or plain text. Portable Document Format (PDF) files will not be accepted,
as content may require editing prior to MLANET placement. Authors should
be aware that any necessary encoding for presentation on MLANET may cause
their content to be rendered differently than intended, depending on the
browser used for viewing. Authors are encouraged to include desired rendering
intent information (e.g. text color and size) in their submissions.
Content Placement and Evaluation
Placement
There are two MLANET content classes, each with its own
physical location. Central content is located within MLANET's main site
architecture (http://www.mlanet.org/*.*) on MLA headquarters' primary
public access Web server (www.mlanet.org). Global content is located within
the site architecture of any MLA unit (section, SIG, committee, task force,
etc.) or affiliated chapter or other group (e.g. http://www2.mc.duke.edu/mlacds/),
on any Web server (e.g. www2.mc.duke.edu). It may include documents and
resources produced by and for organizations that are completely separate
from MLA (i.e. as linked from MLA-affiliated or allied sites).
The MEB believes that any content, regardless of class,
is of potential use to the association at large (and/or other MLANET user
populations such as health care practitioners and the general public),
and will make its class decision based on the content's subject matter
and existing content areas. Links will be provided from central to global
content, primarily by means of a subject list.
The MEB urges authors and contributors to review MLANET's
current content areas prior to submission, and suggest any desired location(s),
or need for new content areas, for submitted materials. The MEB will make
careful and thoughtful deliberations, and reserves the final decision
regarding where MLANET content will be placed.
All content identified as central that is produced by
anyone affiliated with MLA is subject to the MLANET Editorial Board's
policies and procedures and must be reviewed by the MLANET Editor prior
to placement. The MEB will decide whether central content will be available
to the public or members only, using criteria such as:
- is the content related to a member-benefit (i.e. is
it included in the benefits of paid MLA membership)?
- is the content related to a vote or other internal
action needed by the association or any portion thereof?
- does the content evaluate or endorse a specific product,
vendor, and/or service (i.e. would MLA appear to have bias)?
Please note that well-established procedures already
exist for the submission and review of information intended for the Bulletin
of the Medical Library Association, the MLA News, BibKits/DocKits, the
Annual Meeting and continuing education opportunities. Unit or affiliate
representatives with questions about where to direct submissions related
to any of these areas should consult the MEB for assistance. The MLANET
Editor will work with other MLA editors to identify published content
that should be reproduced within MLANET.
Global content produced by and for individual MLA sections,
chapters, and SIGs is not necessarily subject to the MLANET editorial
process (though it is subject to any applicable standards that MLA espouses;
see the first paragraph of section 3.2 below). It should generally be
submitted to the appropriate Web site editor, either directly or through
the MEB member most closely connected to the author by unit affiliation.
Evaluation
Documents and other resources delivered through the central
or global MLANET represent not only the author/creator, but also MLA,
and are thus subject to the same restrictions, liabilities, and quality
standards as are uniformly applied to association publications. Material
should be coherent, well-written, logically presented, properly linked
from and to other related documents, and should inspire confidence in,
and respect for, MLA. MLANET is an official MLA communications medium.
All content is expected to meet established standards for accuracy and
presentation as outlined in the sources mentioned in the introduction
to this document (especially the MLA Style Manual).
All Web servers presenting MLA information, including
information about MLA or for MLA clients, customers, and corporate partners,
are functionally part of MLANET. All MLANET content, whether central or
global, should interconnect and interact as seamlessly as possible. All
content that is perceived as relating to MLANET will be rigorously evaluated
to ensure conformity to applicable MLANET standards for content, organization,
and graphic identity, including
- currency;
- authenticity;
- accuracy;
- ease of use;
- navigation;
- bias; and
- source and attribution.
The MEB encourages authors and contributors to solicit
advice and review from colleagues prior to submitting materials. It is
recommended that units and affiliates individually establish small teams
for content review and vetting prior to any dissemination.
The MEB strongly recommends that anyone creating or recommending
content for any unit or affiliate site consider the Criteria and/or other
resources such as the Health on the Net (HON) Code prior to labeling content
with any reference to the Medical Library Association.
Opinion
Depending on its nature, member-authored content accepted
for MLANET placement may be considered the opinions or views of the author
only, and not of the Medical Library Association. Such content may be
so labeled.
Content Maintenance
Central content automation
Automated technologies, such as server-side includes (SSI)
and cascading style sheets (CSS) will be used where possible to maintain
the appearance of the central MLANET content through design and style
changes. Headquarters staff will index MLANET for searching via the headquarters-maintained
search engine. Link checks will be run and results reviewed by the MLANET
Editor. MLA headquarters staff will maintain links within central MLANET
content.
MLA units and affiliates are encouraged, but not required,
to use Web automation technology for their global content. Consultation
on using automation will be available to units residing on the main MLANET
server. For units using other servers, best practice links and documentation
is available from the technical section
of MLANET.
Global content
All global content residing on the main MLANET server
will be indexed and link-checked as per individual hosting contracts.
The MEB expects global remote content (i.e., hosted elsewhere, not subject
to contract) to be maintained by the responsible party. If the MEB determines
that maintenance has lapsed on such content, it reserves the right to
remove any connections from central content (with notification to the
lapsed content contributor). Lapses in content maintenance may occur due
to content responsibility changing hands, general deprecation, or planned
obsolescence.
Authors and contributors are particularly encouraged
to apply expiration dates to all information that has short-term validity
or utility. The MEB will work with content providers to confirm content
currency, relevance, etc. and will remove from MLANET access to any information
that manifestly fails evaluation testing.
Archiving
MLA will archive all MLANET content stored on its servers
that directly relates to the Medical Library Association and its contracting
units and affiliates. The date range of publicly available materials is
left to the discretion of the MEB, but reasonable effort will be made
to provide complete access to certain published materials (such as BMLA
abstracts) and formerly time-sensitive materials (such as Annual Meeting
Web sites).
MLA staff are empowered to set hosting contract terms
and conditions for archiving materials on behalf of MLA units and affiliated
organizations. MLA may elect to warehouse certain deprecated, obsolete,
or otherwise expired content offline (i.e. removed from public access).
Backups
MLA will perform backups on all MLANET content hosted
at www.mlanet.org. The MEB recommends that global remote content should
be backed up at least once per month by content hosts. Authors and contributors
are advised to keep copies of all MLANET content within their purview
on local storage media (e.g. hard or floppy disk, or network server).
Staging
MLA will operate a staging location to allow the MEB and
other appropriate individuals limited review access to certain content
prior to general public or members-only access.
Copyright and disclaimer
MLA adheres to an official MLANET Disclaimer
and Notice of Copyright policy. All MLA Web authors and contributors
are expected to act in full compliance with all provisions of this policy,
as both central and global MLA-related sites are covered. Authors and
contributors may append a statement such as
© 200x, the Medical Library Association
© 200x, the Public Services Section of the Medical Library Association
to their content; however, the copyright is in effect
regardless of whether a copyright notice is appended.
Authors are reminded to post appropriate disclaimers
regarding copyright control, as well as the potential limitations, and
conditions and/or liability implications for information provided on an
official MLA unit or affiliate site.
Content expiration
Authors and contributors are advised, when submitting
materials, to include a tentative expiration date for their content. The
MEB shall determine expiration dates for documents that do not include
any expiration suggestions.
The MEB will not place any content labeled 'under construction'
on the central MLANET, and recommends against the use of such labels for
any global content (see 3.2 above).
Advertising [and Sponsorships]
The MEB sees 'digital advertising' as a potentially
important source of revenue for MLA and, with headquarters staff and the
Board, is pursuing the sale of ad space on MLANET. In principle, the MEB
also supports allowing MLA's individual units and affiliates to purchase
advertising space for their unit within central MLANET content.
The MEB will consider requests from MLA's individual
units and affiliates to obtain advertising space for their unit within
central MLANET content.
Materials submitted for MLANET placement will generally
be HTML encoded by MLA headquarters staff or member volunteers. The MLANET
Editor will accept already marked-up central content with the understanding
that MLA reserves the right to apply its own standards, templates, and
techniques. Retrofitting of this nature may result in variations in content
rendering.
Design and Technology
Design and architecture
The MEB will work with headquarters staff to maintain
the design (i.e., 'interface', or 'look and feel') of MLANET, including
graphics standards and document layout, as well as site architecture,
including directory structure, labeling, navigation, and description (e.g.
metadata).
Markup standards
All central MLANET content will conform to, and maintain
support for, one version prior to the latest W3C HTML specification. The
MEB recommends that all global MLANET content, whether 'static' or database-driven,
conform to one version prior to the latest W3C markup specification as
well. No adoption of an XML specification for MLANET will occur prior
to 2001.
For indexing and retrieval purposes, all central MLANET
content should include HTML-encoded metadata (e.g. Dublin Core 1.1 ),
e.g. by the end of the association year 2000-2001.
MLA units and affiliates are encouraged, but not required,
to use Dublin Core metadata for their global content. Units residing on
the main MLANET server may consult the MLANET Editor for metadata help.
Browsers
The lowest common denominator Web browser generation to
which MLANET will generally cater is Netscape Navigator 4.7 and Microsoft
Internet Explorer 5.x. Content requiring browser capability exceeding
the 4.x generation will be labeled as such, and may have an alternative
version that is more easily accessible to older browsers.
Client-side technology
MLANET employs some client-side techniques for rendering
interactivity, multimedia, and special document formats. Authors and contributors
should be mindful that parts of their target audience might not have access
to plug-ins, helper applications, and other packages upon which their
content may be dependent. The MEB encourages 'value-added' use of freely
available (i.e. downloadable), rather than proprietary (i.e. available
only for purchase), client-side technologies where possible. No client-side
interactivity that is not compliant with 3.x browsers will be accepted.
Interactivity
Central MLANET content will contain interactivity that
is embedded in HTML (e.g. client-side imagemaps), unless otherwise labeled
from a linked document (e.g. 'you need a Java-capable browser to use this
document'). Javascript, Java applets, and other proprietary standards
and technologies may be used if required to fulfill a specific purpose.
The MEB discourages the use of 'gratuitous' Javascript/Java interactivity,
and may seek justification for such use if the necessity is unclear.
Cookies
Users will be alerted prior to accessing any MLANET content
that relies on cookie technology.
Multimedia
MLANET may contain moving images and sound of the following
formats. To inquire about using a format not listed below, please contact
the MLANET Editor.
- Real (audio/video)
- Windows Media Format
- Shockwave Flash
- GIF 89a (animated GIF)
- Apple QuickTime
Any content requiring RealPlayer, Windows Media Player,
Shockwave, or other browser plug-ins or helper applications will be labeled
as such, along with software acquisition instructions.
Document formats
In addition to HTML, MLANET may contain documents in Adobe's
Portable Document Format (PDF). Due to the spread of computer viruses,
any content submitted in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) formats
will be virus-screened and converted to HTML or PDF for further virus
protection.
Server-side technology
MLA uses a standard set of CGI scripts that can be used
in conjunction with central content. Global content providers residing
on MLA's servers may contact headquarters staff regarding the use of MLA-operated
and other server-side software. MLA headquarters will accept acquisition/purchase
recommendations for CGI software, with the understanding that MLA prefers
freely available open source Perl CGI scripts where available.
Authors and contributors are advised that CGI support
requires staff support and budget funding; MLA is not able to approve
all requests for CGI support. The MEB will entertain individual member/library
offers to host specific CGIs for definite projects for finite periods
of time (e.g. as proof of concept).
Accessibility/Usability
MLANET content will be periodically assessed for its accessibility
and usability (e.g. as defined by the World Wide Web Consortium's Web
Accessibility Initiative ). Every reasonable effort will be made to ensure
that every person who seeks MLANET content is able to retrieve that content
in a useable manner.
MLANET Constituent Relations
The MEB and headquarters staff strive to provide responsive
service to the MLANET needs of the membership. The MEB's Section Council
and Chapter Council liaisons deal most directly with section and chapter
concerns. Section/SIG Web content, whether hosted by the association directly
or linked from central MLANET documents, is subject to the same restrictions,
liabilities and quality standards as are uniformly applied to the entire
MLANET site. While not a requirement, chapters are encouraged to apply
robust quality control measures to their sites as well. It is the MEB's
position that only quality-controlled content is worthy of connection
to MLANET.
MLA sections, chapters, and SIGs are invited to publish
and distribute information pertinent to their missions, goals, and objectives
through the entire range of electronic service options provided through
MLANET.
MLANET services to sections and SIGs include:
- hosting official section/SIG Web sites;
- creating and maintaining links to non-association-hosted
official section/SIG Web sites;
- technical assistance in setting up, designing and
maintaining official Web sites;
- enforcement of compliance with MLA's style and content
quality standards for official communications; and
- help with discussion list communications on behalf
of individual sections and SIGs.
The MEB appreciates the rights and needs of sections
and SIGs to establish unique identities within the association. Its members
will assist sections and SIGs (as well as chapters, should they inquire)
in their compliance with these policies and promote active and ongoing
dialogue in order to ensure high quality MLANET content.
Public vs. member-only access
MLANET includes services intended for members only in
addition to those available to non-member health information professionals
and the general public.
- Web sites: the MLANET central Web site includes areas
designated members-only with all others open to all visitors. Chapter,
section and SIG Web sites not hosted by the association must be accessible
by any member of the association.
- discussion lists: section and SIG discussion list
services are restricted to association members only and are coordinated
by headquarters staff. Section and SIG officers interested in arranging
for the provision of this service should contact Kate Corcoran, at 312/419-9094,
or corcoran@mlahq.org.
- membership information: section and SIG membership
information as listed in the Directory of the Medical Library Association
is housed in the members-only area of MLANET and access is restricted
to association members. Because MLA earns revenue from the sale of member
mailing lists, sections should not make full-address membership rosters
available via their public access Web sites. Sections, SIGs, and chapters
are strongly encouraged to use their Web sites for marketing, recruitment,
and retention purposes. For the protection of section, SIG and chapter
members against email 'spamming' , the MEB recommends that only multi-layer
(i.e. click-through) rosters, or minimal contact information be available
to the general public via unit and affiliate Websites.
Association support
- discussion list services: sections and SIGs may elect
to have the association host official section or SIG-related discussion
lists. Interested section/SIG officers should contact Kate Corcoran
(corcoran@mlahq.org) directly to discuss service options.
- Web services: sections and SIGs may elect to have
the association host official Section or SIG Web sites, pursuant to
established guidelines, policies and fees.
Sections and SIGs are strongly encouraged to take advantage
of MLA's competitive pricing for the provision of hosting services. They
may alternately maintain official Web sites on global servers and provide
the MEB with relevant URLs for appropriate linking. Please note that policies
identified herein or linked from this document are applicable, regardless
of where official section or SIG Web sites are hosted.
Technical support
The MEB works in collaboration with section and SIG (and
chapter, as appropriate) Web authors to provide visitors to the MLANET
Web site with a consistently excellent experience in their use of official
MLA Web-based services. Technical assistance is available to all section
and SIG Web authors whether or not the association provides official Web
site hosting services to the unit. In addition, the MEB is happy to consult
with chapters regarding technical and other issues related to their sites.
Technical services to sections, SIGs, and chapters include:
- access to a library of official MLA graphics, logos,
banners, and badges for use on official MLA-related sites;
- advice and recommendations in the use of HTML editors
and authoring programs;
- advice and recommendations in the set-up and deployment
of official MLA-related sites on non-association servers;
- advice and recommendations in the deployment of software
applications on official MLA-related Web sites, such as the use of open
source or proprietary CGI and/or database technologies such as Perl
scripts, MySQL, Cold Fusion, Oracle, etc.
Web authors may contact the MLANET Editor or the MLA
Director of Research and Information Systems directly for technical
support.
Style requirements and quality standards
As stated above, all MLANET content is expected to meet
established standards for accuracy and presentation as outlined in the
MLA Style Manual.
MLA supports the creative efforts of section, SIG, and
chapter Web authors in their design and deployment of official MLA-related
sites. In order to provide minimal consistency between the various parts
of the aggregate MLANET Web site, however, section and SIG Web authors
are expected, and chapter authors encouraged to comply with the following
guidelines:
- the official name of the MLA unit or affiliate must
be readily identifiable on the main (i.e. home) and each subsequent
page included in the Web site;
- MLA affiliation must be acknowledged on the site's
main page;
- it is strongly urged that the official MLA logo be
used on the main page and preferably displayed in the top right or left
corner position(s);
- authorship and/or accountability for site maintenance
must be readily identifiable on the site main page;
- date of most recent update must be included, minimally
on the site main page;
- it is strongly recommended that sites be updated frequently,
minimally on a quarterly basis, with headquarters notification at each
update;
- unit/affiliate contact information should be easily
located throughout the site;
- links should be provided to at least the MLANET main
page within the MLANET site.
Content review
In addition to the evaluation section,
section, SIG, and chapter authors are strongly urged to ensure that content
is reviewed for accuracy prior to public posting. The MEB reserves the
right to review unit site pages as they are published to ensure that the
above-noted guidelines are adhered to, and that adequate attention has
been given to ensuring reasonable accuracy and timeliness of page content.
The enforcement of guidelines and standards for accuracy and timeliness
is not intended to be punitive but rather to reinforce positive perceptions
of MLANET as a reliable resource for quality information.
In compliance with the global content
section, unit authors will be notified when guideline compliance and/or
accuracy/timeliness problems arise. Authors will be expected to make the
necessary corrections, within a reasonable and negotiated time frame,
or risk suppression of pages or de-linking.
Disclaimers
See copyright and disclaimers above.
Appendix: Criteria for Evaluating the Quality of Health Information
on the Internet
The MEB has adopted the Health Summit Working Group's
policy, available at <http://www.mitretek.org/publications/hiti/criteria.pdf> or here on on MLANET (PDF, 146KB) .
For further information, contact Kate
Corcoran, mlamis@mlahq.org, 312.419.9094 x12.