Clarivate Analytics/MLA Doctoral Fellowship

Clarivate Analytics sponsors a fellowship to foster and encourage superior students to conduct doctoral work in an area of health sciences librarianship or information sciences and to provide support to individuals who have been admitted to candidacy. The award supports research or travel applicable to the candidate's study within a twelve-month period. The award may not be used for tuition. The application form and more information about the fellowship, including more detail about application components, can be accessed under Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships.


Applications are due by December 1, 2019 by 11:59 pm (CDT) and must include the following components:

• Completed application, including signed statement of terms and conditions.
• Transcripts of graduate work submitted directly from the institution to MLA or proof of enrollment in the graduate program and a list of courses completed.
• Name and contact information of doctoral advisor.
• Updated MLA profile. 
• Two letters of reference, submitted by the reference directly to MLA (awards@mail.mlahq.org), one from applicant's advisor. References must include the following information:
• Applicant's name, position/status, institution, and project summary.
• Reference name, position, institution, and location.
• How long and in what capacity the reference has known the applicant?
• Would reference like their comments held in confidence?
• An assessment of:
• the professional merits of the applicant’s proposal, especially its significance and feasibility;
• the depth of applicant’s knowledge in the professional area of the proposal;
• the applicant’s research competence; and
• the applicant’s personal traits, including the ability to work with colleague.

Don't Forget to Nominate! Beatty MLA Volunteer Service Award

The Beatty MLA Volunteer Service Award recognizes a medical librarian who has demonstrated outstanding, sustained service to the Medical Library Association (MLA) and the health sciences library profession.

Criteria:

• Current member of MLA and for the last 10 years
• Nominee should have made exceptional contributions to furthering the mission, goals, and objectives of MLA and the profession as demonstrated by outstanding and significant service in the association’s leadership, publications, research, special projects, or combination of these four elements
• Nominee must not have served on the MLA Board of Directors or received a national MLA award prior to the time of nomination.

Nominate a colleague! Nominate yourself! (Don’t be shy.)  Due November 1, 11:59 p.m. (CDT). Find out more here.

Call for nominations: T. Mark Hodges Award

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. Deadline for nominations is April 10th, 2018.

Selection Criteria:

• Nominees must have been a member of the Southern Chapter and the Medical Library Association for at least 10 years.
• Nominees must be well known within the Southern Chapter membership for dedicated and continuing service to the chapter and must have served the chapter with distinction in several different capacities, such as:
• Serving in elected or appointed office
• Serving as committee chairman or active committee member
• Representing the chapter on national or regional organizations
• Actively participating in annual meetings by presenting papers or posters, chairing concurrent paper or poster sessions, organizing special sessions, or otherwise sharing his or her professional knowledge and values

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! 

Students: Apply for the MLA Scholarship!

A scholarship of up to $5,000 will be granted to a student entering an ALA-accredited library school or with at least one-half of the requirements of the program to finish when the scholarship is awarded in March. The award will be given to a student who shows excellence in scholarship and potential for accomplishment in health sciences librarianship. The scholarship is announced at the annual meeting of the association, where the recipient will also receive a one-year student membership in the Medical Library Association and free inclusive student registration at the association’s annual meeting.

The application deadline is December 1, 2017. Please see the MLA website for details on how to apply.

Janet Doe Lectureship Call for Nominations

Nominations for the 2019 Janet Doe Lectureship are now being accepted! The 2019 Doe Lectureship will be delivered during the MLA annual meeting in Chicago, IL.

The Janet Doe Lectureship was established to support a lecture in honor of Janet Doe. The Doe Lectureship offers both significant recognition and the opportunity to present a major plenary session lecture at the annual meeting of the Medical Library Association. The lecturer receives a certificate at the annual meeting, a $500 honorarium, and up to $1,700 to reimburse out-of-pocket expenses for travel, one day hotel and per diem, conference registration, guest ticket(s) for non-MLA members, and expenses related to research and/or preparation of the presentation.

Nominations are due to the MLA Headquarters by November 1, 2017, and should be submitted by members of the Association. Self-nominations are accepted. General information, criteria, and the nomination form can be found at the following link: http://www.mlanet.org/p/cm/ld/fid=243.

For more information, please contact the Doe Jury Chair, Elizabeth Hinton (ehinton@umc.edu).

Apply for the Sewell Travel Award to Attend the 2017 APHA Annual Meeting

Is your position related to public health or a public health related field? Would you like an opportunity to immerse yourself in the public health field for a few days?  Then you need to apply for the Sewell Travel Award for Public Health and attend the 2017 American Public Health Association Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA in early November.  We anticipate funding approximately 8 non-local librarians ($1,235) and 2 local librarians ($730).  The award will reimburse you for the cost of APHA membership and early bird conference registration. Non-local librarians receive additional funds to help offset the cost associated with travel.

Deadline for submission is July 17, 2017 at Midnight (Eastern).

Martha C. Watkins Memorial Scholarship

Nominations and self-nominations are now being accepted for the Martha C. Watkins Memorial Scholarship! Please consider nominating a colleague, or yourself, for this award! 

The Martha C. Watkins Memorial Scholarship was established in 1996 to honor Martha Watkins, who was not only a founding member of the Southeastern Conference of Hospital Librarians (SCHL), but also a friend and mentor to a generation of hospital and other health sciences librarians in the South.

She spent many years educating hospital library managers, instructing student and staff users of library services, and providing information to rural and underserved healthcare personnel. The scholarship was begun with SCHL's treasury after the organization disbanded in 1995. 

Application and procedures and qualifications for the scholarship are as follows:

• Applicants must be current Southern Chapter members, who work in a hospital library and who want to take a course or workshop at the Southern Chapter annual meeting. 
• The amount awarded will not exceed $500.00, and can be used to defray any expenses necessary for the fulfillment of the course (tuition, travel, etc).

The goals for this award are as follows: 

• To help Southern Chapter members gain skills and knowledge needed to improve their roles in providing optimum patient care.
• To support participation in professional opportunities which might not otherwise be available because of lack of funds.
• To enhance the role of hospital librarians in maintaining their cutting-edge managerial skills in the face of changing social forces which affect hospitals.
• To promote the sharing of knowledge gained with other hospital librarians in consortia or other cooperative relationships.

To apply for this award, see here.

Please apply by July 15, 2017.

Deadline Extended!

Please note that the deadline has been extended to July 1 for the First-Time Attendee Scholarship!

This award allows for a current member of the SC/MLA, who has never been to an SC/MLA annual meeting, to attend with funding. Funding is designed to pay for registration, travel, accommodation, meals, and one (1) CE course.

The applicant must:

• Be a current SC/MLA member in good standing (non-student)
• Answer the question: "What do you expect to gain professionally and/or personally by attending the SC/MLA annual meeting?"
• Attach a letter of support from an administrator demonstrating a genuine need for financial aid due to lack of institutional travel support or adequate salary support
• Register for and complete one (1) CE course
• Attend all sessions of the SC/MLA Annual Meeting, including the business meeting
• After the meeting, submit a brief (250-300 word) report about the meeting which will be published in Southern Expressions
• Attach a final expense report to the above-mentioned report. Conference registration and CE registration for one course will be waived. The expense report should include receipts for travel, accommodation, and meals.

Scholarships will be limited to one person per institution per year.

The Honors & Awards Committee will have the responsibility for deciding whether applicants meet the criteria and for awarding the scholarships.

If you have any further questions, please contact the Chair of the Honors & Awards Committee.

Remember, the deadline has been extended to July 1! Please send applications to the Chair of the Honors & Awards Committee.

Now Accepting Applications for the Library Information & Science Student Award!

The SC/MLA Honors and Awards Committee is accepting nominations/applications for the Library Information & Science Student Award. This $250 award is designed to encourage LIS students to attend the annual SC/MLA meeting by helping to offset registration and travel costs. Two awards will be granted per year.

Applicants must be currently enrolled in an ALA-accredited library school within the region and must be a current member of SC/MLA.

In order to apply, please send the following:

• A letter of recommendation (on institutional letterhead) from a LIS instructor 
• A brief paragraph essay answering the question:  “What do you expect to gain professionally and/or personally by attending the SC/MLA annual meeting?" 
• The following application, which can be found here. 

Please send all of the above to the Chair of the Honors & Awards Committee by September 1, 2017.

$250 will be awarded to each recipient after the close of the SC/MLA Annual Meeting.
After the meeting, a brief (250-300 word) report about the meeting will be submitted by the successful applicant(s) and published in the SC/MLA’s newsletter, Southern Expressions.

Good luck! 

Help Find the Hospital Librarian of the Year!

Do you know an amazing hospital librarian that you think should be recognized for their significant contributions? If so, nominate them for the Hospital Librarian of the Year Award! This award was established to recognize a hospital librarian who has made significant contributions to the profession, including:

• overall distinction,
• leadership in hospital library administration or service, 
• production of a definitive publication related to hospital librarianship, teaching, research, or advocacy, OR
• the development or application of innovative technology to hospital librarianship.

The nominee must be a member of SC/MLA, but does not have to be a member of MLA. Please remember that nominees must be hospital librarians at the time of the award and must have worked in a hospital library for at least 3 years immediately preceding the award.

 All nominations must be received no later than July 14, 2017.

The application can be downloaded here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ndkfvk8ghxcvuia/Hospital%20Librarian%20of%20the%20Year%20Application%202017.pdf?dl=0.

Academic Librarian of the Year Award

The Academic Librarian of the Year Award is a great way to recognize someone for their hard work and dedication. This would be a great time to nominate that co-worker that demonstrates excellence in everything they do. Maybe there is a colleague whom you've worked closely with that does in outstanding job in leadership, publications, or research. Consider nominating that colleague or co-worker who has made outstanding contributions to academic health sciences librarianship.

The nominee must be a member of both SC/MLA and MLA. They must in "mid-career" at the time of the award, which is defined as someone working at least 5 and not more than 15 years in an academic health sciences library. Please remember the nominee may not be a library director. For more information, please see here.

The winner of the award will be announced at the Annual Meeting of SC/MLA and they will also be presented with a plaque along with a check for $250.

The deadline to nominate is June 1. Please submit nominations to the Chair of the Honors & Awards Committee.

First Time Attendee(s) Scholarship

Never attended an annual meeting of SC/MLA? Are you wanting to attend for the first time, but are in need of some funding? Then apply for the First Time Attendee Scholarship! Funding is designed to pay for registration, travel, accommodation, meals, and one (1) CE course. 

The applicant must be in good standing and may not be a student. To apply, please answer the question: "What do you expect to gain professionally and/or personally by attending the SC/MLA annual meeting?" In addition, applicants must attach a letter of support from an administrator demonstrating a genuine need for financial aid. For more information, please see here.

The 2017 SC/MLA annual meeting will be hosted in Knoxville, TN. The conference hotel is downtown and surrounded by restaurants and entertainment, with the Smoky Mountains close by. Come meet new colleagues as you learn about new trends, discuss current issues, and share new ideas! 

The deadline to apply is June 1. Please sent applications to the Chair of the Honors & Awards Committee. 

Photo Credit-Gary Heatherly Photography

Apply Now for the Academic Librarian of the Year Award!

Do you know someone who has made outstanding regional, national, or international contributions to academic health sciences librarianship? Is there a colleague who has shown the potential for leadership and demonstrated excellence in performance, publications, research, and/or service? If so, then you should nominate them for the Academic Librarian of the Year Award!

The nominee must be a member of both SC/MLA and MLA as well as be in "mid-career," meaning working at least 5 years and not more than 15 years in an academic health sciences library. Please keep in mind the nominee may not be a library director.

If you would like to nominate, please include:

• A precise description of the nominee's achievements.
• A current resume or CV.
• Any additional information which may assist the committee in evaluation (i.e. AHIP membership).
• Up to three letters of support may be attached and is optional. 

Please submit the required information by June 1. Recommendations should be submitted to the Chair of the Honors and Awards Committee. 

Deadline for T. Mark Hodges and Honorary Membership Awards Extended!

There is still time to apply or nominate someone for the T. Mark Hodges and Honorary Membership Awards! Applications and nominations are now due April 17.

The T. Mark Hodges Outstanding Service Award recognizes a chapter member whose service to the chapter and profession have been exceptional and of lasting importance. Please remember nominees must have been a member of SC/MLA for at least 10 years and must have served the chapter with distinction. For more information, please see the T. Mark Hodges Outstanding Service Award website.

The Honorary Membership Award is for any member who, upon retirement from active service, has made significant and consistent contributions to the SC/MLA professional. Significant contributions can include serving in elected or appointed offices, on chapter committees, or developing chapter meetings. For more information, please see the Honorary Membership Award website.

And remember, the deadline for applications/nominations has been extended to April 17!

Reminder: 2017 Health Literacy Summit and Scholarships!

The 2017 Health Literacy Summit is for anyone interested in health literacy and how the health care system can be changed to accommodate low health literacy patients. Speakers include: Dr. Cynthia Baur, Co-Author of the Ten Attributes of Health Literate Health Care Organizations and Dr. Rima Rudd, Co-Author of Health Literacy Environment of Hospitals and Health Centers. The Summit will also look at how we used the Health Literacy Environment of Hospitals and Health Centers to assess the University of Tennessee Medical Center’s health literacy attributes.

Are you interested in attending, but worried about cost? Scholarships are available! 

Scholarships to the 2017 Health Literacy Summit will be awarded to up to 5 librarians to cover the cost of registration (will not cover travel or housing). Preference will be given to:

• Librarians in a hospital setting.
• Librarians who are engaged in improving health literacy.
• Librarians who are serving the public through consumer & patient health information services.

To apply, submit a short 500 word essay describing the impact of low health literacy on patients and the role of medical librarian in reducing barriers to health information for people with low health literacy. Please send completed essays to Sandy Oelschlegel at SOelschl@utmck.edu by March 14, 2017.

Each recipient will be required to complete a short survey about their experience and what they learned from the Summit.

“Developed resources reported in this resource are supported by the National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH) under cooperative agreement number UG4LM012342 with the University of Maryland, Health Sciences and Human Services Library. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.”

Honorary Membership Award

It’s Honors and Awards season again and here’s another great award to consider nominating someone for! A couple of weeks ago, a call went out for applications/nominations for the T. Mark Hodges Award. Please consider applying or nominating someone for this award! The next award to consider is Honorary Membership, which recognizes a retired member.

Honorary Membership is for any member who, upon retirement from active service, has made significant and consistent contributions to SC/MLA or the profession. They must hold a current membership in the Chapter at the time of retirement. Significant contributions can include serving in elected or appointed offices, on chapter committees, or developing chapter meetings. They can also include publications, presentations, mentoring, and more. For more information, please see here.

Applications or nominations are due April 10.

Please submit the completed nomination/application with supporting documentation to Justin Robertson, Chair Honor & Awards Committee. 

JoVE Librarian Travel Award

Are you interested in attending the MLA 2017 meeting, but concerned about financial costs? There are funding sources available that can help support attendance costs, one of which is the JoVE Librarian Travel Award.

The JoVE Librarian Travel Award provides funding for 3 librarians to attend MLA ’17. This award is for librarians who are taking leadership roles to raise awareness about Scientific Research Reproducibility in their communities. Each librarian will be reimbursed up to $1,500 for conference related expenses. Applicants must be currently employed in an academic, medical, or research institution. 

To apply, please go to the JoVE Librarian Travel Award page located here. A one-page essay is required. This essay looks at the librarian's initiative to raise awareness on the reproducibility crisis. The deadline for applications is February 24, 2017. 

T. Mark Hodges Award: Now Accepting Nominations!

The SC/MLA Honors and Awards Committee is accepting nominations/application for the T. Mark Hodges Outstanding Service Award.

Criteria for the award are:

• Nominees must have been a member of the Southern Chapter and the Medical Library Association for at least 10 years.
• Nominees must be well known within the Southern Chapter membership for dedicated and continuing service to the chapter and must have served the chapter with distinction in several different capacities, such as
• serving in elected or appointed office
• serving as committee chairman or active committee member
• representing the chapter on national or regional organizations
• actively participating in annual meetings by presenting papers or posters, chairing concurrent paper or poster sessions, organizing special sessions, or otherwise sharing his or her professional knowledge and values.

The nomination/application must be accompanied by a detailed description of the nominee’s qualifications, a curriculum vitae, and two supporting letters from chapter members.

The completed nomination/application with supporting documentation may be sent to: Justin Robertson, Chair Honor & Awards Committee. 

Deadline for submissions is April 10, 2017.

For more information go to: http://www.scmla.org/home/hodges_award. 

Scholarships Available for the 2017 Health Literacy Summit

Interested in attending the Second Annual Health Literacy Summit in June in Knoxville, TN? Scholarships are available!

Scholarships to the 2017 Health Literacy Summit will be awarded to up to 5 librarians to cover the cost of registration (will not cover travel or housing). Preference will be given to:

• Librarians in a hospital setting.
• Librarians who are engaged in improving health literacy.
• Librarians who are serving the public through consumer & patient health information services.

To apply, submit a short 500 word essay describing the impact of low health literacy on patients and the role of medical librarian in reducing barriers to health information for people with low health literacy. Please send completed essays to Sandy Oelschlegel at SOelschl@utmck.edu by March 14, 2017.

Each recipient will be required to complete a short survey about their experience and what they learned from the Summit.

“Developed resources reported in this resource are supported by the National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH) under cooperative agreement number UG4LM012342 with the University of Maryland, Health Sciences and Human Services Library. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.”