Committees
Committee service is one of the most important volunteer roles in MLA. Committee volunteers study special topics for the association; manage plans, goals, strategies, programs, and projects; and select recipients for funding and awards.
About MLA Committees
- The word “committee” includes standing committees, subcommittees, ad hoc committees, juries, editorial boards, task forces, committees of the Board of Directors, and elected committees.
- Standing committees have annual responsibilities for furthering MLA’s plans, goals, strategies, programs, and projects.
- Juries recommend recipients of awards, grants, scholarships, and fellowships.
Editorial boards are appointed to serve as peer-review and evaluation boards for MLA’s publications. - Ad hoc committees are appointed for a special purpose and are discharged when their tasks are completed.
- Task forces are appointed for a specific study or activity.
- The Executive Committee is part of the MLA Board of Directors; the Nominating Committees is elected and chooses the annual election slate.
- Other committees have special tasks and advise the board of directors or the appointed officers. Full descriptions of all committee activities appear in annual activity reports.
Member volunteerism, skills, and expertise are essential to help move MLA forward! Apply annually to serve on an MLA committee:
- all MLA members are eligible to serve
- only Voting Members may be selected as committee chairs
- your background and skills as well as the needs of the committees are considered for appointments
- active participation in committee work on the local, regional, or national level improves your appointment options
- applications are reviewed by current committee chairs, board members, and program staff
- The president-elect makes final committee selections.
- Some committees require a combination of skills and knowledge not all members possess; it is sometimes necessary to recruit certain members with unique experience and expertise to serve on specific committees.
- November/December: members submit applications
- January: applications reviewed and applicants recommended, based on member preferences, experience, and skills.
- January/February: MLA’s president-elect reviews all recommendations, reconciles duplications, and makes final appointments.
- March: Staff contacts tentative committee members with “willing to serve” agreements; appointees return agreements to MLA headquarters.
- March to early April: Staff liaisons inform committee chairs of final appointments; chairs invite new committee members to next meeting (annual meeting or virtual committee meeting as appropriate).
- MLA provides incoming leader support with online orientation materials, plus a face-to-face virtual orientation
- Committee chairs may also have a manual of established policies and procedures
- The charge of each committee should be specific enough to guide the chair and committee members in a definition of their goals, while being broad enough to allow for the varied tasks each committee undertakes.
- A member of the board of directors serves as liaison to each committee, and headquarters staff members provide additional support.
All Committees
View Committee charges through the links below. Individuals who serve in each area will be posted shortly.
- 2024 Collection Development Group - Assembles quality program for the MLA Annual Conference specialty track.
- 2024 Contributed Content Working Group - Reviews submissions and assembles the presentations for the Annual Conference contributed content sessions.
- 2024 Data Management and Services Group - Assembles quality program for the MLA Annual Conference specialty track.
- 2024 Leadership and Management Group - Assembles quality program for the MLA Annual Conference specialty track.
- 2024 Local Assistance Committee - Organizes the local hospitality arrangements for the Annual Conference.
- 2024 National Program Committee - Assembles the overall program for the MLA Annual Conference, including keynotes, contributed content and specialty tracks.
- 2024 Virtual Assistance Committee - Assists individuals attending the MLA Annual Conference online.
- 2025 Collection Development Group - Assembles quality program for the MLA Annual Conference specialty track.
- 2025 Contributed Content Working Group - Reviews submissions and assembles the presentations for the Annual Conference contributed content sessions.
- 2025 Data Management & Services Planning Group - Assembles quality program for the MLA Annual Conference specialty track.
- 2025 Leadership & Management Planning Group - Assembles quality program for the MLA Annual Conference specialty track.
- 2025 Local Assistance Committee (LAC) - Organizes the local hospitality arrangements for the Annual Conference
- 2025 National Program Committee - Assembles the overall program for the MLA Annual Conference, including keynotes, contributed content and specialty tracks.
- 2026 National Program Committee - Assembles the overall program for the MLA Annual Conference, including keynotes, contributed content and specialty tracks.
- AI Imperative Task Force - Leads the efforts of the AI Imperative MLA strategic goal.
- Awards Committee - Administers the MLA awards program.
- Awards Committee and Jury Chairs - Workgroup consisting of the chairs of all juries and representative of the Awards Committee.
- Be Well MLA Planning Committee - Plans and organizes the activities of the Be Well MLA Initiative.
- Board of Directors - The governing body of MLA, elected by MLA members.
- Books Panel - Manages the MLA books program by solliciting and reviewing book submissions in collaboration with the MLA publisher.
- Bylaws Committee - Reviews and updates the bylaws of the association, and provides guidance to MLA chapters on compliance.
- Community Finance Request Review Workgroup - Reviews funding requests from for MLA Caucus initiatives.
- Credentialing Committee - Manages the Academy of Health Information Professional (AHIP) program.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee - Coordinating and advisory body that evaluates and seeks to improve MLA practices and programs as they relate to diversity, equity and inclusion
- Education Steering Committee - The oversight and coordinating body for MLA education.
- Education: Curriculum Committee (combined) - Identifies and solicits educational offerings, including webinar, self-paced, instructor-led and other courses.
- Education: Data Services Specialization - Establishes and maintains the Data Services Specialization
- Education: New HSL Librarian Curriculum Project - Establishes and maintains the MLA curricula for librarians new to the profession of health sciences librarianship.
- Education: Systematic Review Services Specialization - Establishes and maintains the Systematic Review Services Specialization.
- Executive Committee - Appointed by the MLA board among its members to support the management of the association.
- Finance Committee - Reviews the MLA annual budget, monitors the financial performance of MLA and MLA investments.
- Grants and Scholarships Committee - Administers the MLA grants and scholarship program.
- History Committee - Coordinates the multifaceted efforts of MLA members and their communities in retaining and preserving the history of MLA
- Joint MLA/AAHSL Legislation Committee - Develops and promotes a joint MLA/AAHSL legislative agenda that supports a consistent position on information policy issues relevant to medical libraries and librarianship.
- Membership Committee - Contributes to the promotion of membership in the association.
- MLA/AAHSL Education Taskforce - Joint MLA/AAHSL taksforce on research/assessment for health sciences librarians.
- MLA/NLM Leiter Lecture Committee - Representatives of MLA and the National Library of Medicine select a keynote speaker related tobiomedical communications.
- MLA/RTI Value Studies Working Group - leads efforts to broaden access to research studies that show the impact of health sciences libraries.
- Nominating Committee - Prepares the annual slate of at least two nominees for President-Elect, for each Director elected by the membership at large whose term expires, and for the following year's Nominating Committee.
- Professional Recruitment & Retention Committee - Manages initiatives to attract and retain individuals from diverse populations into the health sciences librarianship field.