MAC Messages Number 101:
September/October/November/December 2003

Message from the Outgoing Chair
By Russet Hambrick, 2002/03 MAC Chair

I love the fall! The air begins to cool, the kids are back in school and the MAC Annual Meeting is just around the corner! I look forward to seeing many MAC Colleagues in Philadelphia for Collaborations, Partnerships, and Solutions: The QuintEssential Conference. MAC will hold its annual business meeting and honors and awards ceremony on Tuesday, October 28^th at 8:30 to 10:00am. I encourage everyone to attend. Breakfast will be provided, so don't miss out on the opportunity to hear updates on chapter business and honor our fellow MAC members for a job well done.

The MAC Executive Board held its fall meeting on Friday September 5^th at the Duke University Medical Center Library. A full report of board and committee actions will be available at the annual business meeting, but let me touch on a few key items from the meeting:

• MAC will modify the charge for the Membership Committee to include recruitment and retention of health information professionals. This is in response to the formation of the MLA Professional Recruitment and Retention Committee
  
  
• MAC will recruit a chapter liaison to the MLA Recruitment and Retention Committee for a three-year term
  
  
• The Professional Development Committee will actively support and promote mentoring activities in response to the initiatives coming from MLA
  
  
• The Membership Committee reported that MAC currently has 210 members - 23 of which are new members
  
  
• The Professional Development Committee is in the process of recruiting for the MAC student internship.
  
  
• The Publications Committee has recommended a new model for the editing and publishing of MAC Messages - stay tuned for more information on this
  
  
• The Publications Committee will undertake a major revision of the MAC Policy and Procedure Manual during the coming year
  
  
• A new MAC membership brochure will soon be available
  
  
• The Strategic Planning Task Force reported on its activities and recommended that the task force continue its work in the coming year. The Board approved this recommendation.
  
  
• The 2004 Annual Meeting will be held in Raleigh, North Carolina on October 13th through 16th.
  
  
• A small task force will be appointed to develop a policy and procedure manual for the Local Arrangements Committee
  
  
• The Board voted to increase the maximum reimbursement amount for travel assistance for committee and board meetings from $50.00 to $100.00 with an effective date of January 2004.

I also want to encourage members living in the Washington, D.C. area to attend an event that is being co-sponsored by MAC and the DC Chapter of SLA. This event is a tour of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), followed by a discussion and demonstration of ToxSeek, the next generation in advanced meta-searching. The one-hour tour of NLM, the world's largest medical library, will feature a 12-minute HDTV presentation, "Expanding the Medical Universe," an overview of NLM programs and services, demonstrations of the Library's databases, and a walking tour of the computer room, reading room and stacks. The tour will also visit "Changing the Face of Medicine," a multimedia exhibition celebrating the achievements of women in medicine, past and present. The exhibit tells their inspiring stories with artifacts, interactive displays and a career resource center. Full information regarding this event is available at: http://www.sla.org/chapter/cdc/events_files/nov1203.html.

Finally, I want to thank Merle Colglazier for his service to MAC as the Benchmarking Chapter Educator. Merle has resigned his position in order to focus his energies on another project he has undertaken. Merle has assisted me in recruiting a new Benchmarking Chapter Educator. Susan Craft, Assistant Director of Information and Outreach Services, Laupus Library, East Carolina University has agreed to serve in this role. I want to thank Susan for stepping in to take on this function for MAC.

I hope to see all of you in Philly!!

Russet Hambrick
MAC Chair, 2002-2003

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