[Sigmed-l] FYI: why not propose a paper for for MLA 06 in Phoenix?

[Ellen Detlefsen]

Are you doing something professionally or 
personally transformative/relevant/socially useful?

Why not consider writing it up and submitting it for the MLA Relevant 
Issues Section program for MLA's 06 annual meeting in Phoenix?

The Section program is entitled "Transformation Begins with a Single 
Step....Or, If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the 
problem...."

We plan a contributed papers session that takes a "swap'n'shop" or 
"show'n'tell" approach to showcase how medical information professionals 
and medical libraries promote (or provide services around) relevant 
issues---a review of "best practices".

We invite contributed paper proposals describing front line or real world 
responses to contemporary problems of access, social justice, etc.

Descriptions of activities that involve the power of information 
technologies and/or digital information are most welcome!

Examples of the kinds of papers we seek include (but are not limited to)

 	* Library support for Doctors Without Borders or similar groups
 	* Top Ten (or twenty) titles for a diversity collection
 	* Designing an exhibition of health issues related to disasters
 	* Building a website on cultural competency concerns
 	* Library services for Latino/a or First Peoples populations
 	* Developing specialized CHI services for disabled vets
 	* Health information outreach to refugee populations
 	* Information services for LGBTQ health professions communities
 	* Providing "just-in-time" information resources re breaking news
 	   [Schiavo case; tsunami/hurricane/earthquake; war; flu; etc]
 	* Building a tolerance/diversity toolkit
 	* Designing diverse recruitment strategies for the next generation
 	     of information specialists
 	* Strategies for LIS education for diversity/cultural competence
 		* Etc., etc., etc.

Please submit your MLA '06 paper abstracts by November 7. You could be selected 
to present a paper in Phoenix, May 19-24, during MLA '06. Submission 
guidelines, FAQs, and program themes are available on MLANET at 
http://www.mlanet.org/am/am2006/index.html  And, yes, non-MLA members can 
submit proposals, present papers, and attend the meetings; members of AMIA 
and SLA may register for the MLA member rate.

Questions?  Email me at ellen at mail.sis.pitt.edu

peace, paz, pax, paix, pace, pokoj, fred, friede, vrede, mir, heiwa, uxolo!

Ellen

Ellen Detlefsen
Relevant Issues Section, Program Chair, MLA 2006

Associate Professor, Department of Library & Information Science,
         School of Information Sciences
Core Faculty, Center for Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine
University of Pittsburgh
135 N. Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15260

email: ellen at mail.sis.pitt.edu OR detlefseneg at upmc.edu
website: http://www2.sis.pitt.edu/~ellen/
phone messages to:  412-624-9444  -  Departmental FAX: 412-648-7001