Call for Nominations: T. Mark Hodges Award & Honorary Membership Award

It’s Honors and Awards season, and SC/MLA would like to recognize our exceptional members! The first two awards up are the T. Mark Hodges Award and the Honorary Membership Award. The deadline for both of these awards is April 10. Please consider applying or nominating someone for these exceptional awards!

The T. Mark Hodges Outstanding Service Award was created in 2006 to honor the memory of T. Mark Hodges, and to recognize a chapter member whose service to the chapter and profession have been exceptional and of lasting importance. Nominees must have been a member of SC/MLA for at least 10 years and be well know within the Southern Chapter membership for dedicated and continuing service to the chapter. For more information, please see the T. Mark Hodges award website, found here.

The Honorary Membership Award recognizes a retired member for significant and consistent contributions to the Southern Chapter or to the profession. Significant contributions to the chapter may be defined as serving in elected or appointed offices, on chapter committees, or in developing chapter meetings. The nominee must hold a current membership in the Chapter at the time of retirement. For more information, please see the Honorary Membership award website, found here. 

For both awards, please submit recommendations to Becca Billings, the Chair of the Honors and Awards Committee at beccarb@uab.edu. The deadline for both awards is April 10! 

Job Opportunity: Clinical Information Librarian (Augusta University)

The Robert B. Greenblatt, M.D. Library of Augusta University invites applications for the position of Clinical Information Librarian. The primary focus of this non-tenure track faculty position is to support Augusta University’s clinical and educational mission through planning, development, delivery and evaluation of quality health information and instruction. The Clinical Information Librarian serves as the embedded librarian to the Augusta University Health System and the Medical College of Georgia. The Clinical Information Librarian provides library education and information services for clinical and educational clientele in a technically sophisticated environment.  This includes: Development of goals and priorities based upon the strategic plan of the Library, Hospital System, and University; development of new programs; continuing assessment of programs; proactive quality service to clientele; and keeping informed of library, campus and university system‑wide issues.

Candidates must have experience in a health sciences library or other health sciences environment as well as advanced knowledge and experience with current resources, vocabularies and research techniques in the biomedical sciences, specifically Evidence-Based Medicine tenets and teaching methodologies. Additionally, they should demonstrate strong customer service skills and abilities, especially an outgoing, entrepreneurial, client-centered focus along with collaborative planning and problem solving abilities and ability to implement and manage programs and projects. A master’s degree in library science from an ALA accredited institution is required.

Review of applications is ongoing and will continue until the position is filled.  More information, including the application procedures is available in the complete position description.

Job Opportunity: Director for Digital Strategies and Innovation (MUSC Library)

The Medical University of South Carolina Libraries in Charleston invites applications for the position of Director for Digital Strategies and Innovation.

The MUSC Libraries seeks a service-oriented, innovative, creative, and forward-thinking individual to join our leadership team as the Director of Digital Strategies and Innovation.  Reporting to the Director of Libraries, the Director of Digital Strategies and Innovation will assume leadership for the development and implementation of digital strategies and innovation for the Libraries. He/she will be responsible for the overall administration of systems in support of library operations, maintaining the stability and integrity of a broad range of systems, sets the direction of the library's technology environment, and develops strategic goals and objectives that align with the library's vision of anticipating and exceeding the needs of MUSC and beyond through innovative services, spaces, and information. He/she will be responsible for reshaping the Libraries' IT infrastructure and services to advance the teaching, learning, research, and clinical missions of the Medical University of South Carolina. Candidates must understand the broad landscape of trends in information technology and libraries, and must have a demonstrated track record of successful project management and implementation of technologies and services. An ALA-accredited master’s degree in Library (MLS)/Information Science (MIS) or an Advanced degree in Information Technology or Computer Science is required.

Review of applications will begin February 16, 2018 and will continue until the position is filled. Required and Preferred qualifications, application procedures, and other information are available in the complete position description.

The Medical University of South Carolina is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Job Opportunities: Preston Medical Library, Knoxville, TN

The Preston Medical Library at the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine in Knoxville, Tennessee, is seeking applicants for a Clinical and Research Services Librarian. Rank shall be commensurate with experience and qualifications.

This is a faculty position which provides medical reference services in the library and clinical setting. Working with assigned departments, the librarian determines information requirements, and plans the delivery of services to support evidence-based practice. This may include attending rounds, department meetings or other forums. This position will represent the library on a Magnet nursing shared governance council by attending meetings and offering other support to nursing staff. Expert searching of the medical and nursing literature using a variety of sources is done as part of general reference services and as part of a systematic review service that will be developed by this position. The systematic review service will offer consultation, literature searching and authoring of the methods sections of manuscripts. Other reference services provided include staffing the reference desk, developing and teaching education programs, developing research guides, using reference software, maintaining reference statistic, outreach to the community and providing information for the Consumer and Patient Health Information Service. This position initiates and participates in research and scholarly activities and will participate in medical library professional organizations locally, regionally and nationally. Other library duties may be required as need is determined.

Job Opportunities: UNC Chapel Hill (2 Positions)

The Health Sciences Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is recruiting for two positions that will strategically expand and enhance services to the campus community, to North Carolina citizens, and to UNC-CH faculty working at global sites world-wide.  The Health Sciences
Librarian for Collections and Instruction is a revamped position that now includes developing and providing effective and innovative client-centered education in client settings, in the library, and virtually.  The Community Outreach and Global Health Librarian is a new position that brings consumer health resources and health literacy training to rural and underserved communities in North Carolina, and partners with UNC global health projects to support global health research, teaching, and service.

To learn more about these exciting opportunities, please visit these position postings:

• Health Sciences Librarian for Collections and Instruction (review of applications begins Nov 20)
• Community Outreach and Global Health Librarian (review of applications begins Nov 23) 

Reflections on the SC/MLA CE Course, "Systematic Reviews: The Role of the Librarian"

By Christine Willis, MLIS, AHIP, Noble Learning Resource Center, Shepherd Center

Systematic reviews have been daunting to me in theory and practice, so for a challenge and an opportunity to expand my understanding of them I signed up for the SC/MLA CE class, Systematic Reviews: The Role of the Librarian. The instructor, Margaret Foster, MS, MPH, AHIP, from Texas A&M University provided many pointers from her 500+ systematic reviews she has participated in with students, faculty, and staff. Defining the question to be answered with the proposed systematic review was key. It didn’t hurt that in her slides she presented many of the phrases that people think are systematic reviews along with an image from The Princess Bride. She shared how to conduct the reference interview for a review article. She provided tools to help establish that the project framework is well designed before jumping into searching databases. Reminders on the recognized protocols was helpful as well.

There were several resources for organization and writing that were intriguing to me and I have added them to my own toolbox to share. They include: PRISMA Flow Diagram Generator, Rayyan, and a book titled, An Introduction to Systematic Reviews by David Gough, Sandy Oliver, and James Thomas. The course was well organized and the time flew by with activities and lecture. I can say with confidence that I am no longer daunted by the thought of working on a systematic review. After this course, I feel much more equipped in knowledge and resources for such a project.

MIA/MLA Career Development Grant: Apply by December 1

The MLA Medical Informatics Section (MIS) awards up to $1,500 to support a career development

activity that will contribute to the advancement of the field of medical informatics.  If you’ve been wanting to take a course or attend a conference related to medical informatics but haven’t had the funds, then this is an opportunity worth exploring! MIS membership is a preferred qualification, so as a member you already have a step up on the competition!

The deadline to apply is December 1, 2017. For further information or to apply, please visit the MIS/MLA grant information page.