John P. McGovern Lecturership
Established with a donation from the John P. McGovern Foundation

Andrew Zolli
Sunday, May 18, 10:30 a.m.–noon

Sponsored by Ebsco Information Services

Like the world around us, health sciences librarianship is constantly changing. As a profession, we need to understand and master the new technologies in wide use around us, while still maintaining the core values and contributions of our profession. We need to connect to our users to the underserved in our communities, to a younger generation, to diverse cultures, to each other, and to new fields of knowledge and new ways of working. Join Andrew Zolli as he outlines the trends shaping our future and provides insight to help us bridge the gaps.

A brilliant, globally connected author, forecaster, and design strategist, Zolli is a dynamic leader of today’s new generation of young futurists. He has a gift for seeing patterns and strategic opportunities at the intersections of demographics, creativity, innovation, design, and technology and has been the futurist-in-residence for American Demographics, Popular Science, National Geographic, and National Public Radio’s Marketplace. Head of Z + Partners, he is the editor of The Catalog of Tomorrow, a visiting fellow of the Woodrow Wilson Foundation, Fidelity Fellow for Business and Society of the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, and the designer of Pop!Tech, an annual conference on the impact of technology on people. He was named an Emerging Explorer in 2004 by the National Geographic Society and has collaborated with the society on a number of forward-looking projects. He was named one of the Fast 50 for 2005 by FastCompany and one of 20 Outstanding Entrepreneurs Under 35 by Red Herring.

Janet Doe Lectureship

Thomas G. Basler, FMLA
Monday, May 19, 9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m.

"There Are No More Giants: Changing Leadership for Changing Times "

The Janet Doe lecturer is an individual chosen for his or her unique perspective on the history or philosophy of medical librarianship. Thomas G. Basler, FMLA, has a long track record of leadership and innovation in the profession. In his current position as director of libraries and learning resource centers and chair of the department of library science and informatics at the Medical University of South Carolina, he has significantly improved outreach to underserved and minority populations.

Basler previously served as the director of libraries and professor at the Medical College of Georgia, where he established the first state-of-the-art computer lab in a medical library in the Southeast, and at the New York Academy of Medicine, where he was associated with Janet Doe herself. His libraries have often been cited as cutting-edge centers of innovation.

His service leadership positions have included two terms as chair of the National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health Biomedical Library Review Committee, terms on the MLA National Program Committee and the Journal of the Medical Library Association Editorial Board, and two terms as the chair of the Nominating Committee for the Southern Chapter of MLA. He has informally mentored many of his colleagues, providing them with guidance and direction in their careers and reaching out to those just starting in their careers.

He is known as an entertaining and sometimes provocative speaker and has addressed conferences throughout the United States, including several presentations associated with the National Library of Medicine. He has also been extensively published, most recently in Reference Services Review. His professional and educational achievements led to his being named an MLA Fellow in 2004.

Web 2.0 Tools for Librarians: Description, Demonstration, Discussion, and Debate
Wednesday, May 21, 9:00 a.m.–noon
This session will be available as a live webcast.

The proliferation of web 2.0 tools in libraries of all types has been rapid, unrelenting, and unsurprising. The potential of these tools to improve communication between librarians and their patrons was recognized almost immediately. From that time on, librarians have creatively adapted web 2.0 applications in a largely successful effort to realize this potential.

Perhaps the most appealing feature of web 2.0, and the reason librarians and educators were so quick to adopt it, is that it facilitates the creation of online communities and social networks. Individuals who share common interests, such as librarians and their patrons, can now be brought together in an interactive space highly conducive to collaboration, cooperation, and creativity.

“Web 2.0 Tools for Libraries: Description, Demonstration, Discussion, and Debate” will explore how librarians can use social networking applications to create these communities. The session will feature demonstrations of the principal web 2.0 tools, suggestions for their use in libraries, and a panel discussion, moderated by MLA President Mark E. Funk, AHIP, in which leading proponents of social networking software explore the present status and possible future directions of web 2.0.

Presenters and panelists include:

• Amanda Etches-Johnson, User Experience Librarian, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
• Bart Ragon, Assistant Director for Library Technology and Development, Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, University of Virginia–Charlottesville
• Melissa Rethlefsen, Assistant Professor of Medical Education and Education Technology Librarian, Learning Resource Center, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN
• David Rothman, Information Services Specialist, Community General Hospital Medical Library, Syracuse, NY, and author www.davidrothman.net, which informs readers of the latest web tools and technologies relevant to health information needs and medical libraries
• Aaron Schmidt, Director, North Plains Public Library, North Plains, OR, and author, www.WalkingPaper.org

Moderator: Mark E. Funk, Head, Collection Development, Samuel J. Wood Library, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY