We are looking for speakers for a professional development session on the role of librarians in assisting clinicians/educators/administrators/faculty and students with the assessment, implementation, and usage of AI tools, within the academic and hospital setting. We want to hear about your involvement in AI workshops/classes, awareness campaigns, task forces, policy committees, etc. We are hoping to present this session in April 2025 via zoom.
Please reach out to Allison Piazza (allisonpiazza.nyc@gmail.com) and Jackie Morales (jmorales31@northwell.edu) if you are interested in presenting.
The EDI Committee of the Chapter has been working hard to organize a program for our members to present lightning talks to share any initiatives your libraries have undertaken or plan to support justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging (JEDI-B) in your institutions. Please save the date for Wednesday, May 14th , 12pm – 1pm and mark your calendar for this exciting session, which will take place via Zoom. Participant registrations will open in March. More information will follow.
Are you feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders? Are your joints crying out for relief? Longing for a moment of tranquility amidst the whirlwind of your day?
We invite you to an uplifting experience of Chair Yoga, guided by the talented Helen-Ann Brown Epstein! Join us on Thursday, February 13, 2025, from 12:30 PM to 1 PM, and let us embark together on a journey of rejuvenation.
Using your chair, we will explore the transformative power of seated and balancing poses, awakening your body and spirit.
Join us, and let’s breathe, stretch, and flow into a brighter moment together!
Register now!
Welcome to the Liberty Chapter Newsletter, a quarterly blog post that will highlight chapter initiatives, committee activities and the achievements of our members.
Be on the lookout in your email in late January for your membership renewal reminder for 2025. Membership dues are due on February 1, 2025. To become a new member, please click here.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Trina Keith, the Chair of the Membership Committee, or e-mail us at support@libertymla.org
Thank you for your continued support of the Liberty Chapter!
Marlowe Bogino, EDI Committee Chair
The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion subcommittee was formed in 2022 by members Diana Delgado, Michael Wood, Will Dean, Yingting Zhang, and led by our previous chair Sarah Jewell. Our focus was to bring together Liberty Chapter members on common ground in learning Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion principles through training, education, and shared experiences.
We discussed the importance of creating an environment of acceptance and of the inherent value of each individual viewpoint of all members. This understanding helped us have open discussions during our meetings as we tackled tough conversations such as inequality, racism, injustices, and bias within our society, communities and within our libraries. These conversations helped us create our defining statements, mission statements, and goals.
Proudly, the committee was able to conduct an engagement survey which garnered a 34% response rate, helping lead our efforts to provide training on health equity. From this survey we learned of other areas of interest of our members such as living land acknowledgments, neurodivergence basics, diversity audits, LGBTQIA inclusion, and social determinants of health. Last year we were able, with the support of the Liberty Chapter board, to offer our members training focused on health equity given by the Health Resources in Action training group.
We also discovered that some of our members felt they had reached a point of educational training burnout and needed “a break.” This prompted discussions surrounding wellness as well.
Creating a safe environment where all individuals feel a sense of acceptance and individual value is another aspect of equity, diversity, and inclusion and is known as a sense of belonging within a workspace or working group1.
Today we continue with our belief in diversity, recognizing social injustices currently exist, we continue with our belief in the importance of diversity initiatives and welcome continued discussion and feedback from our all members, partners, and interested parties. The committee is actively planning events for our Liberty Chapter members slated for winter and spring 2025. We look forward to everyone’s participation and our subcommittee’s continued growth.
Defining statements
We believe in diversity in the broadest sense including differences in race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, ability, religious practices, socioeconomic class, citizenship, life experiences, and other important aspects of human life.
We recognize the present social injustices and racism that exist within our nation and embrace the rich perspectives and experiences that arise from our differences.
We welcome discussion and feedback on EDI issues. It is all our responsibility to engage in open and collegial discussions and lean into our discomfort.
We encourage our members to reach out to the EDI Committee Chair, Marlowe Bogino or contact us at support@libertymla.org
The mission
The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion mission statement of the Liberty Chapter of the Medical Library Association is meant to foster a welcoming, safe and inclusive environment for both our members and the communities we serve where differences and similarities are valued and respected.
Dawn D. Bennett-Alexander. “Practical Diversity: Absolutely Necessary for Peace”. Samyukta: A Journal of Gender and Culture, vol. 6, no. 2, July 2021, doi:10.53007/SJGC.2021.V6.I2.24.
Please join us for the EDI Wellness Program on Tuesday, January 21, 2025!
Jaclyn Morales, Chair
The MLA Research Training Institute (RTI) is a comprehensive, year-long advanced research training and support program, tailored for health sciences librarians. It is currently the only research fellowship offered in our field nationwide.
The Liberty Chapter is one of many chapters of MLA who contributes funds towards RTI scholarships. Chapter contributed funds are first allocated to chapter members who are selected to participate in a cohort, and then dispersed to other participants in need. In recent years, with the support from the MLA chapters, every single participant who could not afford full tuition has been awarded a scholarship!
That’s why we are encouraging our members to highly consider this opportunity. Applicationsfor the 2025-26 RTI cohort are now open and are due February 18, 2025. Need help filling out the application? Sign up for open office hours on January 15, 2025 or February 11, 2025.
In addition, the MLA Board recently approved the RTI Research Fellowship, a high-level recognition for RTI alumni. This fellowship allows RTI graduates who have published their research to use the post-nominal letters “RTIF” following their names. At the next MLA Awards Ceremony, 30 RTI Research Fellows will be honored with this distinction, some of which are our very own chapter members!
The RTI has a transformative impact on participants' research skills, confidence, and professional success. To explore its impact, you may find the RTI Assessment Findings and this JMLA article insightful.
Allison Piazza, Chair-Elect
The following information was provided by Jessica Kilham of NNLM Region 7.
Rie Goto, Communications Committee Chair
Welcome to Andrea, the newest member of the Liberty Chapter! She is a first-year student in Pratt's School of Information, pursuing a MLIS.
Why are you interested in becoming a librarian?
“I love reading, research, and teaching. I believe that making medical education accessible can help save lives, and I want to share my passion for medicine with others”
What has been the most interesting project you have worked on?
“I wrote my doctoral dissertation on the Nurses' Health Study, which is an amazing study making invaluable contributions to women's health.”
What’s your hobby outside of work/school?
"I love reading, knitting, and Pilates."
Tell us something about where you live or work, something about your neighborhood, your town, your city, or your state etc.
"I live in Brooklyn with my husband and my cat, Harvey."
Welcome to the Liberty Chapter, Andrea!
If you want to be featured or know someone you want to introduce, please fill out this form!
Congratulations to fellow Chapter Members!
Gary M. Childs, MS, MPA University Libraries West Chester University
Gary Childs was granted tenure at West Chester University on December 23, 2024. He began this process in January 2020. He continues to serve on a variety of departmental, college, and university level committees, including being elected as an at-large member of the executive board of Faculty Senate in 2024.
Sarah Jewell, MLIS Weill Cornell Medicine
The day after she attended the Liberty Chapter Annual Meeting, Sarah Jewell, former Chair of the NY-NJ Chapter of MLA and current member of the Liberty Chapter EDI committee, got married to Lucas Hanft at City Hall in New York City on October 17, 2024. In 2018, they met at a writer’s conference where she won the poetry award, and he won the fiction award.
Matt Bridgeman, MLS, MA Robert Wood Johnson Library of the Health SciencesRutgers University
Congratulations to Matt on the birth of his new daughter, Eloise Olivia Bridgeman, born on April 15, 2024.
Promotions and New Appointments
Lorin Jackson, MA, MI University of Pennsylvania Libraries
Lorin Jackson, MA, MI started September 2024 as Assistant Director of the Holman Biotech Commons, University of Pennsylvania Libraries.
Helen-Ann Brown Epstein, MLS, MS, AHIP-D, FMLA Virtua Health Sciences Library
Helen-Ann Brown Epstein has been accepted as a reviewer of abstracts for the upcoming ANCC Magnet meeting.
Lisa Price, MSLIS Hope Brings Strength Health Sciences Library Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine
Lisa Price, Research Support Librarian at the Hope Brings Strength Health Sciences Library at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine, presented a lightning talk at the 2024 Digital Commons International Conference in Berkeley, CA. In her talk, “Serving a Dual Purpose: How We Adapted the DC Software to Improve Workflow”, she described her collaboration with a staff member from the Department of Research to adapt existing submission software to Rowan’s institutional repository, Rowan Digital Works, to double as a registration form for the annual Rowan-Virtua SOM Research Day. Several conference attendees requested further information, including an Elsevier VP who expressed interest in sharing this model with other clients.
Janice Lester, MLS Long Island Jewish Medical Center
Congratulations to Janice, who, in addition to being promoted to Senior Librarian, has co-authored a total of 10 Systematic reviews and meta-analyses, 4 Practice guidelines, 7 Systematic reviews and 2 scoping reviews. Janice also expressed how fortunate she is to work with the most brilliant, wonderful inspiring team of librarians at Northwell Health.
2025 MLA Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA - Papers/Presentations
Sunny Chung, MLIS, AHIP Stony Brook University
Sunny has 2 paper sessions that were accepted for the 2025 MLA Annual Meeting
Data Dilemma: Evolving Roles and Skills for Medical Librarians Sunny Chung, Nina Exner, Mimi Byun
and a paper with co-author
John Mokonyama, MS, MBA, MSLS, AHIP-D Penn Medicine
Modern Time Capsule: Shaping the Future and Building a Better Tomorrow Sunny Chung, Kay Strahan, Angela Murrell, and John Mokonyama
Bridget Jivanelli, MLIS, AHIP Kim Barrett Memorial Library, Hospital for Special Services
Bridget’s 2025 MLA Immersion Session was accepted
Bridging the Gap for Caregivers: Supporting Those Who Care for Others Elizabeth Hinton, Bridget Jivanelli, Stephanie Roth
Mina Ghajar, MLS Maria Deptula, MLS, MA, AAPC Rutgers University
Mina and Maria co-authored a paper that was accepted for the 2025 MLA Annual Meeting
Connecting the Dots: The Library as a Pathway from Traditional to Innovative Practices in Academic Publishing
Publications
Sunny Chung, MLIS, AHIP Jessica Koos, MLS, MSEd, AHIP Stony Brook University
Sunny and Jessica co-authored an article that was published in December 2024
Chung, S., Koos, J., (2024) Evaluating Large Language Models’ Accuracy and Reliability in Addressing Consumer Health Queries. Journal of Consumer Health on the Internet, https://doi.org/10.1080/15398285.2024.2418777
Travis Nace, MSLIS Ginsburg Health Sciences Library Temple University
Travis co-authored a paper that was published in November 2024
Pfeiffer CF, Magee WL, Fülöp R, Nace TC, Castro C, Iturri A, Franceschi J, Echauri G, Gassull L, Russo MJ. Exploring Music-Based Interventions for Executive Functioning and Emotional Well-Being in Stroke Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review. NeuroSci. 2024; 5(4):565-599. https://doi.org/10.3390/neurosci5040041
Ryan Norman, MI, AHIP Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset
Ryan has written an article that was recently published
Norman, R. (2024). What Happens After the Loss? Review of Early Pregnancy Loss Information and Support Resources from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Women’s Health. Journal of Consumer Health on the Internet, 28(4), 374–381. https://doi.org/10.1080/15398285.2024.2418775
Elaine Wells, MA, MLS, AHIP(D) SUNY College of Optometry
Elaine has written an article that was published in November 2024
Wells, E. (2024). Helping our graduate students SOAR: Promoting scholarship and populating our institutional repository. Journal of Graduate Librarianship, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.59942/2995-9063.1015
Hello Liberty Chapter!
On behalf of the EDI Committee, please join Liberty Chapter members, Allison Piazza and Sarah Jewell, for a 2025 Vision Board Workshop! Manifest your 2025 goals while chatting with other Liberty Chapter members via zoom on Tuesday, January 21, 2025 at 7pm!
Register Today!
Supplies needed: the customary supplies of glue/tape, scissors, pictures/magazines, and a piece of paper, poster board, or card stock OR you can do a digital collage using PowerPoint, Canva, Milanote, or another platform.
Sincerely,
Marlowe Bogino, Chair, EDI Committee
On October 15, 2024, the annual business meeting was held via Zoom, showcasing the unwavering commitment of the chapter board members to foster a financially sound organization that supports its members' professional endeavors and actively preserves its rich history.
A highlight of the meeting was the introduction of Travis Nace as the new chair of the Archives Committee, reflecting the committee’s dedication to preserving the organization's history, as well as the chapter’s active exploration of investment opportunities to enhance its financial stability.
New ways for members to engage with the organization were discussed and opportunities to join specific task forces focused on committees, knowledge management, and policies and procedures were shared.
For those who missed it, a recording of the meeting and committee-specific annual reports are available here.
Thank you for your continued support and engagement!
On October 16, 2024, over 100-chapter members in-person at Rockefeller University and online gathered in New York City for the 2024 Annual Meeting, themed "Delivering Information that Makes an Impact." This year's focus emphasized the critical role of health sciences librarians in strategically aligning with their organizations’ goals to foster collaboration and showcase library strengths.
The event commenced with a warm welcome from our chair, Jaclyn Morales and Rockefeller University's, University Librarian, Matthew Covey. This was followed by an engaging keynote address from Stephanie Fendrick, Executive Vice President, and Chief Strategy Officer at Virtua Health, where attendees actively participated in building a strategic plan alongside their peers.
Stephanie Fendrick
Members then showcased their work during lightning talks, highlighting various librarian-led research and programming initiatives. New to this year’s meeting, was poster presentations with nine submissions, further showcasing the remarkable activities of our chapter members. The posters and lightning talks can be accessed here.
The afternoon session included a thought-provoking case study with Miriam Hoffman, Vice Dean for Academic Affairs at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, and Chris Duffy, Associate Dean, VP Medical Library Services at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. Moderated by the Program Chair Allison Piazza, they discussed the vital role of librarians embedded in undergraduate medical education curriculum and the importance of library champions in fostering these key collaborations.
Chris Duffy & Miriam Hoffman
The meeting concluded with the Liberty Chapter's award ceremony, followed by a post-reception sponsored by VisualDx in the Rockefeller University Library.
To relive the event, check out the pictures here. Thank you to everyone who made this year’s meeting a success!
2024 Awards and Grants
Congratulations to the 2024 Chapter Award and Grant Recipients:
Chair’s Award Travis Nace Stacy Posillico
Outstanding Contribution by a Member Patricia Regenberg Lara Lasner-Frater
Outstanding Contribution by a New Member Elizabeth Blake
Linda Katz Award for first time AHIP application Laurel Scheinfeld
Liberty Chapter Research Grant Daniel Verbit Oliver Chang
Lifetime Achievement Award Barbara Reich
Welcome to the Board
The Chapter would like to Welcome the following new members to the Liberty Chapter Board:
Any Liberty Chapter members are welcome to have local events and get-togethers under the Liberty Chapter (we are calling these events Ad-Hoc Local Events).
If the event is being co-sponsored with another organization, it will be sent to the board for approval. It must not conflict with our 501c3 status as a non-profit organization and should align with the chapter’s values/mission statement. Board approval can be obtained asynchronously.
Guidelines and Policies are as follows:
· Events need to be submitted via the form at least six weeks in advance.
· Events must be marketed/promoted to the entire chapter at least four weeks before the event date. However, events are not required to have a virtual component.
· Events are cost neutral.
· The Liberty Chapter will not cover up-front costs for the event.
· If funds need to be collected, they will only be distributed to the event organizer in a reimbursement capacity after the event is completed. Reimbursement will be organized with the treasurer.
· A budget (Word document, PDF, Excel sheet) needs to be submitted when you propose the event.
· The chapter website can be used for registration of attendees and collection of any event funds. Event set up on the chapter website will be coordinated by the immediate past chair of the Liberty Chapter.
· The primary contact/organizer of the event must be an active Liberty Chapter member.
· Event participants do not need to be restricted to Liberty Chapter members. The organizer can choose to open registration to the public.
· Any leftover funds from the event will remain in the Liberty Chapter account.
· The Liberty Chapter will not reimburse more than the total amount collected for the event.
· Provide summary of the event to the immediate past chair of the Liberty Chapter within 4 weeks after the event date.
Please fill out this form to let us know about the event, so that the Liberty Chapter can assist you with planning and logistics.
Applications and nominations are now being accepted for the Liberty Chapter’s Professional Recognition Awards and Research Grant.
Nominations/Applications and supporting materials, as described in each of the award’s descriptions must be submitted no later than Friday, August 30,2024.
Please consider nominating yourself or recognizing a fellow member. For questions, please email the Helen-Ann Epstein, Chair, Professional Recognition Committee at hepstein@virtua.org.
Please submit your proposal for a lightning talk (8 slides in 8 minutes) or poster for the Fourth Annual Meeting of the MLA Liberty Chapter to be held Oct. 16, 2024.
o 8/11, deadline for submission o 8/16, acceptance announced o 10/11, submit final slides o 10/16, conference
o 8/11, deadline for submission
o 8/16, acceptance announced
o 10/11, submit final slides
o 10/16, conference
Submit your Lightning Talk and/or Poster Proposal Here!
Send comments and questions to Helen-Ann Brown Epstein at habepstein@gmail.com, Lara Lasner Frater at lara.lasner-frater@touro.edu, Gary Kaplan at Gary.Kaplan@jefferson.edu, and Mahnaz Tehrani at mtehrani@nyit.edu.
The Programming Committee is pleased to announce the 4th Annual Liberty Chapter Meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, from 10:00am-4:00pm at The Great Hall at The Rockefeller University; 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065. The meeting will be held in-person and virtually.
The programming committee is actively meeting to create an engaging program for all our attendees. The theme for this year's meeting is “Making an Impact.”
Please join us for this event!
