MCMLA Library Advocacy Task Force is sponsoring a contest for “High Altitudes and New Attitudes on Library Marketing and Promotion!”

Here is your chance to show off your marketing project or promotional activities that you have used to improve or expand services in your library or for your users. MCR members are encouraged to submit materials to Marketing and Promotion Categories: you may enter one or both categories.

Prizes for the best entry scoring above 80 points will be awarded. Entries will be evaluated on Design, Presentation and Evaluation Criteria. Categories for entry are Hospital Libraries, Academic Libraries and Other Libraries. Entries should be submitted to Barb Jones (jonesbarb@health.missouri.edu) by September 1, 2009. Judges for the contest will be members of the MCMLA Library Advocacy Task Force. All entries are encouraged to display their projects and promotional materials at the Marketing Booth at MCMLA. The winners will be announced at MCMLA 2009 in Breckenridge, Colorado. (bbj)

The MCR has announced the availability of funding through its Continuity of Health Information Award. If you’ve started writing your proposal or are considering writing a proposal, attend a technical session to gain clarification of what is expected and consults on your project ideas. Claire Hamasu will review the request for proposal (RFP) explaining the different sections. You’ll then have the opportunity to describe your project to a liaison and receive feedback on what you should emphasize and other issues you may need to consider, and get advice on how to make your proposal fundable.

No registration is required. To attend you’ll need an Internet connection and a telephone. Sessions will be held at https://webmeeting.nih.gov/nnlmmcr. Sign in as a guest with your first and last name. Instructions will then follow about the phone connection. /ch

August Sessions (Additional sessions are being planned):

Wednesday Aug 5 - 2pm MT, 3pm CT

Tuesday Aug 11 - 3pm MT, 4pm CT

The MLA Board of Directors has approved the joint MLA/AAHSL statement, Health Sciences Librarians and Health Care Reform, which highlights the role of information and information services provided by health sciences librarians to support informed decision making to lower costs and reduce waste, improve health care quality and reduce medical errors, and enhance consumer choice. The statement will be distributed to congressional committees with jurisdiction for health care reform legislation. Watch for future announcements about grassroots advocacy initiatives as Congress moves forward with legislation. (bbj)

The American Library Association’s (ALA) Public Information Office (PIO) has developed tools to help librarians publicize the surge in visits in their communities. This toolkit contains information that can be used or adapted by all types of libraries including hospital, academic, special or public libraries. You too can build positive public perception and support using the information provided regarding press releases, talking points. A FAQ sheet is also available at ALA PIO’s “Advocating in a Tough Economy Toolkit” site (http://http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/advocacy/advocacyuniversity/toolkit/index.cfm). (bbj)

The MCR has announced the availability of funding through its Continuity of Health Information Award. If you’ve started writing your proposal or are considering writing a proposal, technical sessions will start next week to provide clarification of what is expected and consults on your project ideas. Claire Hamasu will review the request for proposal (RFP) explaining the different sections. You’ll then have the opportunity to describe your project and receive feedback on what you should emphasize and other issues you may need to consider, and get advice on how to make your proposal fundable.

No registration is required. To attend you’ll need an Internet connection and a telephone. Sessions will be held at https://webmeeting.nih.gov/nnlmmcr. Sign in as a guest with your first and last names. Instructions will then follow about the phone connection. Additional sessions will be held in August. /ch

The schedule for July is:

Tuesday July 28 2pm MT, 3pm CT

Thursday July 30 2:30 pm MT, 3:30 pm CT

Friday July 31 2pm MT, 3pm CT

MCR’s own stimulus funding is available again. We are now accepting applications for projects focussed on health information literacy, hospital library advocacy, or emergency planning.

Network members in the MidContinental Region are eligible to apply for up to $15,000 and take up to 18 months to complete the project. Deadline for proposals is December 31, 2009. We expect to fund approximately 8 projects. For the Continuity of Health Information Request for Proposal go to http://nnlm.gov/mcr/funding/Continuity.html

We will review applications as they are received and awards will be announced as they are approved. Do not wait till December to apply; we may have run out of funds by that time. RML liaisons are ready to answer your questions. Technical sessions will be scheduled starting in July. During these sessions the request for proposal will be reviewed, questions on writing proposals will be answered, and advice provided on your project ideas. /ch

New selections and a new brochure are now available on our NetLibrary collection of e-books focused on library administration and technical topics. The collection is available at: http://nnlm.gov/mcr/education/netlibrary.html. Click on “access NetLibrary directly,” or download the list of more than 90 books by clicking on “view a list of books available for download” or print out the latest trifold brochure highlighting our new selections by clicking on “NetLibrary brochure.” You’re sure to find something relevant to your job today!

The Medical Library Association is busy working for health science librarians by advocating for healthcare reform legislation. MLA is currently working on a policy statement which should be released in approximately one month. Watch for publication in the next MLA Focus, which will also include suggestions of actions librarians can take. MLA’s “Three Principles for Meaningful Healthcare Reform” can be found at http://www.mlanet.org/government/gov_pdf/2009-jan_hlth%20rfrm%20princ.pdf (bbj)

The Krafty Librarian speaks out on the state of hospital libraries in the current economic environment. To read the article go to http://kraftylibrarian.com/?p=53. (bbj)

The Joint Commission is proposing requirements for the Hospital Accreditation Program to advance effective communication, cultural competence, and patient-centered care. Your feedback regarding the value of the proposed requirements and the ability of hospitals to implement them is important. At the earliest, any implementation of the proposed requirements would occur in January 2011. To review and comment on the proposed requirements, please click on the link provided, or copy and paste the link into the address bar of your browser: http://www.JointCommission.org/Standards/FieldReviews/field_ecccpc (bbj)