(via Ramune Kubilius, Galter Health Sciences Library at Northwestern University)
The Medical Library Association is launching a series of free, live, online conversations, Coping and Caring in the Time of COVID. These weekly conversations for MLA members and the wider health information professional community are designed to help share ideas and to address professional and personal pain points related to the current crisis.
Look for a wide range of sessions, even musical ones (what better for lifting spirits)!
We are experimenting with a new format designed to foster sharing on an ongoing basis, without overloading your e-mail inbox:
- Thirty-minute online gatherings, using Webex, no registration, free to attend, recorded
- Online discussion using a new MLA Slack channel, during and after the gathering; the idea is for you to ask questions, provide support, and share experiences by creating new threads and replying to existing ones
MLA member Rachel Keiko Stark, AHIP, leads the first interactive gathering, How to Be with Others When You Are Alone. Rachel will share tips and engage with participants on how to connect with friends, colleagues, family, and strangers when you are socially isolated.
Day: Tuesday, March 31
Time: 11:00 AM CDT
Audience: Introverts who are reluctant to reach out and extroverts who are eager to reach out but don’t know how!
Immediate action item 1: Click Join the Slack workspace for the Medical Library Association and use your browser or download the Slack application on your phone.
Immediate action item 2: Join the Slack conversation on Covid19-coping-and-caring or select the conversation directly on the Slack browser window or phone application.
On Tuesday, March 31, at the scheduled time: Join the WebEx gathering:
- Password: MLACOVID
- No registration. No cost.
For questions and support, please contact Kate Corcoran.
Next topics:
- Lori Harris on “Librarians Combating COVID and Boosting Morale: Providing N95 Masks”
- When: Tuesday, April 7, Time: 10:00 a.m., pacific time; 11:00 a.m., mountain time; noon, central time; 1:00 p.m., eastern time (an hour later than the March 31 session)
- Other themes under consideration: “Mental Health & COVID”, “Music: Merriment and Motivator”
Spread the word! Share ideas for topics and presenters! Volunteer to present!
One last thought: as we experiment with new formats and ideas (and have no idea how many of you will join), we welcome your feedback and will adjust offerings accordingly.