All:
It’s hard to believe that we have almost reached the end of another calendar year. I think this is a good time to reflect on what HSLI has accomplished in 2022 and what we have planned for 2023.
This is my first “President’s Message”, and I plan to post one quarterly. I want to start off by saying that it is truly an honor having the opportunity to lead this organization. Any library organization, especially a relatively small one such as HSLI, is ultimately member-driven, and I can honestly say that our members are our strongest asset. I know that all of you are participating in HSLI in addition to your regular job responsibilities, including working as a solo librarian in some cases, and many of you also have other professional obligations. Your willingness to help HSLI succeed and grow as an organization speaks volumes to your level of commitment, and I thank you for your time and effort.
As I have transitioned into the President’s role, I have received valuable guidance from Past President Cynthia Reynolds, and I would like to thank her again for her efforts as President, including organizing and leading the first two virtual conferences in HSLI’s history. I would also like to commend former Treasurer Laura Wimmer for her indefatigable work to help HSLI regain its tax-exempt status. Current Treasurer Jonna Peterson is capably continuing Laura Wimmer’s efforts to ensure that HSLI has all of its financial affairs in order.
The Conference Planning Committee for 2023 is meeting for the first time this week. We will discuss what format the 2023 Annual Conference should take–virtual again, or in-person if it is safe and feasible to meet face-to-face, with a possibility of meeting in conjunction with another organization’s event. The Committee might seek input from the membership. Please watch for additional updates soon.
The Journal Club will hold its next meeting on Thursday, February 16, and it is working to finalize the article for discussion at that meeting. Please watch for an announcement soon. Thank you to Peggy Carey for her efforts spearheading the Journal Club.
All of the committees for HSLI perform outstanding work keeping the organization running, but I would like to give a special shout-out to Holly Hudson and the Helen Knoll Jira Scholarship Endowment Committee. Due to the past issues with HSLI’s tax-exempt status, the Committee had been inactive for several years. With the tax-exempt issues resolved now, however, the Committee is moving forward with planning how best to use the Endowment’s funds to support graduate-level education in librarianship and possibly related fields. Please check for updates on the Committee’s work, including opportunities to apply for the Scholarship, as they become available.
I have put out several calls for programs and initiatives outside of the Annual Conference that would be of interest to HSLI and its members. I would like to thank everyone who has provided ideas. Please watch for a poll in the coming weeks to identify specific ideas that it would be worthwhile for HSLI to pursue further. As an example of the types of programming HSLI can offer outside of the Annual Conference, Lena Bohman and Dani LaPreze gave an online presentation titled “Preparing Librarians and Researchers for the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy”, open to HSLI members and other interested librarians, on November 9.
Again, I look forward to working with everyone to help HSLI meet its mission and serve its members and the broader community of Illinois health sciences and medical librarians. If you have any questions, ideas, or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me, at eedwards@ilsos.gov. My “virtual door” is always open when I am in the office.
Eric Edwards
2022-24 HSLI President