Welcome to the Liberty Chapter Newsletter, a quarterly blog post that will highlight chapter initiatives, committee activities and the achievements of our members.
This issue has 2 pages!
Page 1
Membership Updates
Liberty Chapter Annual Meeting: Registration is Open!
MLA Conference Highlights
Committee Spotlight: Professional Recognition Committee
NNLM Updates
Advocacy Section: Having Your Voice Be Heard
Member Spotlight: Nicole Williams
Kudos to members
Membership Update
By Trina Keith, Membership Committee Chair
Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!
Many thanks to Liberty Chapter members who have renewed their 2026 membership. However, there are still a few members whose chapter membership has now lapsed.
Please take this moment to check if your membership is up to date. For more information on renewing your membership or becoming a new member, click here.
Members whose renewal has lapsed will soon receive a final email reminder and will be removed from the chapter listserv in early September if membership is not renewed.
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!
Registration Is Now Open for the 2026 Liberty Chapter Annual Meeting!
By Allison Piazza, Liberty Chapter Chair
Registration is officially open for the Liberty Chapter's two-part Annual Meeting! Join colleagues from across the region for two exciting events designed to inform, inspire, and connect. Relive last year’s meeting here!
Scenes from the 2025 Annual Meeting
This year's meeting includes a virtual Business Meeting on Wednesday, October 14, followed by the Annual Meeting on Tuesday, October 20, offered both in person at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA, and virtually.
Liberty Chapter Business Meeting
The Business Meeting is free for all Liberty Chapter members and offers an opportunity to learn about NNLM, MLA, and Liberty chapter activities. In the afternoon, Sam Sena will lead a professional education session entitled: “Practical AI for Project Management.” You can read more about the session here
Register for the Business Meeting
Liberty Chapter Annual Meeting
Whether you attend in person or online, the Annual Meeting promises a full day of learning, networking, and collaboration with colleagues throughout the region. The theme for this year's meeting is: “Honoring the Past, Envisioning the Future.”
The program will begin with a keynote presentation from Lynda Kellam, Director of Research Data & Digital Scholarship at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries: "Libraries, Research, and the Future We Build.” Read more about Lynda and her talk here.
Other activities include interactive “Table Talks” focused on timely topics in health sciences librarianship; member lightning talks and poster presentations (abstract submissions are now being accepted); and sponsor lightning talks showcasing new products and services.
We encourage all Liberty Chapter members to take advantage of these opportunities to learn, share ideas, and strengthen connections within our community.
Register for the Annual Meeting (In-Person attendee)
Note: The last day to register for in-person attendance will be Friday October 9th
Register for the Annual meeting (Online attendee)
We look forward to seeing you in October!
MLA '26 Conference Highlights: Cultured Collaborations
By Jaclyn Morales, Liberty Chapter Immediate Past Chair and Rie Goto, Communications Committee Chair
The 2026 Medical Library Association conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, held May 19-22, focused on the theme "Cultured Collaborations." Artificial intelligence dominated the agenda with over 20 contributed papers, specialized continuing education courses, and immersion sessions—including a competitive AI Prompt-a-thon. Evidence synthesis and systematic reviews ranked as a close second, reflecting urgent demand for librarian expertise in supporting research and advocating for publishers to grant evidence synthesis experts a seat at the peer review table. Leadership and career development sessions addressed burnout, mentorship, and sustainable workload management, while scholarly communication, research impact services, expanded instructional roles, and emerging data management responsibilities rounded out the major themes.
The conference programming reflected a profession in dynamic transition—one embracing innovative technology while maintaining ethical standards. Additionally, over 75 conference attendees participated in the "My Very Own Blanket" local service project, gathering to create 80 blankets that were distributed to foster children in the Milwaukee metro area, each featuring a handwritten message. The Liberty Chapter was well-represented, with over 20 chapter members in attendance who participated in various presentations throughout the week.
With so many sessions and so little time, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement of MLA. But it's just as important to pause and reflect on what we learned, the connections we made, and the milestones we achieved—and even better, to share those experiences with the community.
Today, we're excited to spotlight a heartfelt reflection from MLA '26, shared by John Mokonyama.
Reflections from MLA ’26: The Janet Doe Lecture
Submitted by: John Mokonyama MS, MBA, MSLS, AHIP-D Penn Medicine, Chester County Hospital
At the MLA ’26 conference in Milwaukee, I had the opportunity to hear Dr. Shannon D. Jones deliver the Janet Doe Lecture. The address was both reflective and deeply meaningful. She offered a thoughtful look at the history of our profession while also challenging us to consider whose voices were included and whose were left out.
Through her perspective, she highlighted the ongoing work needed to move beyond statements on diversity and toward sustained, intentional action. What resonated most with me was her focus on belonging—not just representation, but creating spaces where individuals feel genuinely seen, heard, and connected.
Dr. Jones also emphasized the importance of recognizing the contributions of Black pioneers in our field and ensuring that our professional history is fully and accurately documented. Her message served as both a reflection and a call to action. It was a reminder that while librarians excel at organizing knowledge, we must also be intentional in shaping and strengthening our professional community.
We want to hear about your experience at MLA’26!
Share something you learned: a session you loved that others should check out or a reflection on one of the sessions you attended, just like John, on our Padlet:
https://padlet.com/jmorales3110/share-your-reflections-thoughts-or-what-you-learned-and-expe-jakbh1fvopyyjypg
We can’t wait to hear from you!
Also, if you have photos from MLA’26 that you want to share, please deposit them here (Google Drive, log in required)
Please note: By submitting your comments on Padlet and depositing photos in the chapter’s Google Drive, you consent to us using your responses and a photo in the Liberty Chapter’s online newsletter. The newsletter will reside on the Liberty Chapter’s Blog section and be visible to the Public.
Committee Spotlight: Professional Recognition Committee
By Helen-Ann Brown Epstein, MLS,MS,AHIP-D,FMLA, Professional Recognition Committee Chair
The Professional Recognition Committee loves to give out prizes! We wish to showcase outstanding contributions and support funding CE and research among our members. The Scroll of Exemplary Service, started more than 20 years ago, continues to showcase notable members who made a difference on the job, in their work world or communities. Once on the Scroll, one remains. We know these members will continue to have an impact.
September 16 is the deadline to submit your application.
It is neither too bombastic nor conceited to nominate yourself for an award. Check Liberty Chapter, Medical Library Association - Awards & Grants for full explanations of the awards and an application form. See short descriptions of the awards and prizes below.
Outstanding Contribution by a New Member and Outstanding Contribution by a Member
We honor the work of a new member of less than 5 years and an ongoing outstanding member of 5 or more years.
Randy Brenner Memorial Consumer Health Award
This award goes to an individual (or group of individuals) in recognition of outstanding contribution to consumer health information services and patient education.
Robert Preston Lee Memorial Award
This award is given to a person or group in recognition of outstanding contribution in the application of technology to the delivery of technical services in one or more of these areas: collection development, collection management, cataloging and acquisition, information services, information technology and information systems.
Linda Katz AHIP First-Time Applicant Award
To encourage members to apply for membership in the Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP), the cost of a first-time application is covered by this award.
Beatrice Davis Education Award
A monetary prize given to an individual pursuing a career in health science librarianship. A research grant is offered to support research.
We want to hear from you! Send comments and questions to anyone on the committee. We would love to give these awards and prizes away!
The Professional Recognition Committee
Helen-Ann Brown Epstein, Chair
Jaclyn Morales
Gary Childs
Julie Reed
Amanda Catherine Adams
Carole Chen
Brad Long
NNLM Updates
By Bridget Jivanelli
Region 1 Update:
- Exciting developments are ahead for NNLM Region 1. Read more about our continued funding, recent accomplishments, and stay connected with us.
- Upcoming webinar: September 2, 2026 Supporting Long-Term Memory & Cognitive Health of Older Adults
Join us for a conversation on supporting long-term memory and cognitive health in older adults. Learn about the Long-Term Memory Program, Memory Kit Program, and strategies for bringing similar initiatives to your library or community.
Region 7 Update:
- Funding for external member projects in R7 remains uncertain. Should funding be made available, it will be posted to the NNLM website and announced broadly in the NNLM newsletter.
- R7 is actively seeking impact stories (ways that NNLM has impacted your work/organization) over the last five years. If you have a story to share, please reach out!
- Upcoming webinar: September 29, 2026 Training the Eye, Strengthening Care: Visual Arts Immersion and Museum Partnerships for Health System Nurses
Hear how a health sciences library partnered with an art gallery to offer professional development for nurses.
Additional NNLM training sessions from other regions can be found here: https://www.nnlm.gov/training
Continue to page 2.
