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MLA '04

Section Programming

MLA '04 Logo

MLA '04
May 21-26, Washington, DC

Organized by Kristine Alpi, Section Chair-Elect, kalpi@att.net

Power Surge Session: Iraq Libraries and Health

Monday, May 24, 5 to 6:30 pm - Hemisphere Room

Mary-Jane Deeb, Ph.D., an Arab World Area Specialist for the Library of Congress, led the Library of Congress's fact-finding mission to Iraq in the fall of 2003. Her team's report, which includes recommendations regarding development of a new building for a national library and ways to improve preservation of library materials, is available at the Library of Congress web site: http://www.loc.gov/rr/amed/iraqreport/iraqreport.html. Dr. Deeb will speak about "The Library of Congress Mission to Iraq: an Update."

Alexander Garza, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, just returned from Iraq after one year as the Public Health Team Chief for the 418th Civil Affairs Battalion, a branch of the US Army Special Operations, attached to the 4th Infantry Division -- Task Force Ironhorse, on a mission to assess, coordinate, and facilitate the return of a running society. He has coordinated book donations to Tikrit University. Dr. Garza reported the mission and efforts in Iraq to rebuild the medical library in the November/December 2003 International News column (MLA News #361, page 8). Dr. Garza will talk about “Iraqi Medical Education and Healthcare System; Anatomy of Neglect.” He will also talk about the condition of the medical libraries.

Mr. David Keddle is the Medical Librarian and CME coordinator for Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas. In response to a call for books from Dr. Garza, he coordinated the shipment of 100 pounds of material to Iraq. Read more about these efforts at: http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=wsj:2004:01:18:317869:LOCAL/WISCONSIN. Mr. Keddle will discuss “Medical Library Helps Support Rebuilding of Iraqi Health Care.”

Mr. Biddanda (Suresh) Ponnappa is the Assistant Dean for Learning Resources and Director of the library for the Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University.  Mr. Ponnappa recently visited three medical schools in the Kurdish portion of Iraq and trained personnel at each location in the use of information resources.  Mr. Ponnappa will discuss “Health Care Partnership: Library Assistance for Northern Iraq” during the Power Surge event.

For more information, please contact Marcus Banks, mab76@georgetown.edu, or Jie Li, jli@jaguar1.usouthal.edu.

Co-Sponsors: PH/HA and International Cooperation

Mining Data for Knowledge Generation: Collecting, Using and Promoting Data Sets

Sunday, May 23, 2 to 3:30 pm - Monroe West

Developing standards in public heath data collection allow national and international data sets to be mined by researchers and practitioners. This session will explore the value of standards in organizing data, efforts to identify and promote data repositories, and how data sets are processed to generate new knowledge. Contributed papers on roles for information professionals in supporting access to and use of data sets are sought.

Lead Sponsor: PH/HA

The Power of National and International Health Initiatives

Tuesday, May 25, 2:30 to 4 pm - Monroe West

Significant initiatives have been undertaken to support the global public health infrastructure to more effectively meet the challenges to the public's health at the community, state, and national level and to reduce disparities in health. National health initiatives, such as Healthy People (HP) and the Turning Point projects, provide opportunities for libraries to act as partners in health promotion and disease prevention efforts. This session will offer one invited perspective on the development of HP 2010 objectives; contributed papers are sought from information professionals playing a role in a local, state, national or international health initiatives.

Lead Sponsor: PH/HA, Co-Sponsor: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Health Science Librarians SIG

Eco-Power: Taking Back the Environment

Monday, May 24, 3:30 to 5 pm - Hemisphere Room

The relationship between the environment and the health of individuals and communities is well-established. The most familiar aspects of it include the health of at-risk populations, environmental justice, and programs such as the CDC's ACES (Active Community Environments Initiative). But that relationship between a healthy environment and environmental health is also being impacted by geo-political decisions, including the potential for eco-terrorism. Presenters will examine the role health information professionals play in the new environmentalism. Format: Invited (NLM) and contributed papers. Contact Person: Marcia Thomas (marcia@cleveland.edu or 816-501-0142)

Lead Sponsor: Chiropractic Libraries, Co-Sponsors: PH/HA and NLM (Specialized Information Services)

Emerging Infectious and Zoonotic Diseases : The Power of Disease on Society

Tuesday, May 25, 2:30 to 4 pm - Military Room

As the media reports on existing or potential disease pandemics-smallpox, anthrax, plague, malaria, antibiotic-resistant pathogens, and influenza, for example-health information professionals are faced with the necessity of locating and disseminating information on their potential global effects. The diseases themselves may not be new, but their effect on a more global society is a reality, and, sometimes, pertinent information regarding a disease and its treatments are located in historical materials. This program will examine the role of health professionals in libraries containing unique historical and current collections in gathering and disseminating pandemic disease information that has current implications.

Lead sponsor: History of the Health Sciences, Co-sponsors: PH/HA; Veterinary Libraries; International Cooperation; Health Association Libraries

Educating the 21st Century Health Professional

Sunday, May 23, 2 to 3:30 pm - Jefferson East

The digital library environment presents new challenges and opportunities for educating worldwide health professionals about locating and managing information. The clinician, researcher, public health worker, and student have access to a complex set of information resources in the digital library environment. By its nature, the digital library requires new technical strategies for delivering instruction. Papers will address strategies for providing instruction to users when and where they need it in the global digital library environment. Please submit your case studies, program descriptions, and outcomes research in the area of teaching and technology. (Contributed)

Lead Sponsor: Educational Media & Technologies Section, contact Gail Persily, persily@library.ucsf.edu, Co-sponsors: PH/HA, Medical Informatics, International Cooperation

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