MHSLA's purpose is to promote excellence in health sciences librarianship by providing its membership with opportunities for professional growth, fostering communication between members and their regions, facilitating resource sharing, increasing awareness of new technologies, providing high-quality continuing education, and conducting research in health sciences information services.
The Michigan Health Sciences Libraries Association (MHSLA) values the unique backgrounds, identities, experiences, perspectives, and skills of our current and future members. Given our profession has historically been and continues to be predominantly white and female, we believe embracing diversity will enrich and strengthen our organization. We seek to create a welcoming, respectful professional environment through:
· recruiting, mentoring, and retaining a diverse membership
· providing equitable access to educational and volunteer service opportunities for all members
· discussing ways to incorporate and implement diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging into annual goals and activities of the MHSLA Board and committees
· offering educational opportunities that consider and discuss diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging
· modeling actions and behaviors that not only impact our organization but the practice of librarianship
View our Member Brochure and Bylaws to learn more.
The Michigan Health Sciences Libraries Association (MHSLA) was officially organized in 1977, though Michigan health sciences librarians have been active in resource sharing and cooperative ventures since World War II. Regional groups first developed in 1962 when the Metropolitan Detroit Medical Library Group was formed. They produced the first union list of health sciences serials in the state. From 1972 through the early '80s, other local groups organized in Michigan as part of MHSLA.
An annual educational conference and business meeting is held each fall with the regional groups rotating the hosting responsibilities. Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel, the St. Clair Inn, Dearborn Hyatt, Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn, Traverse City's Park Place, Grand Rapids Amway Grand Plaza and East Lansing's Marriott have all served as conference sites. MLA-sponsored CE courses, workshops and nationally-known speakers help provide participants with the most current information in health sciences librarianship.
Membership is open to all people actively engaged or interested in health sciences information management. MHSLA members work in hospitals, academia, corporations, or as private consultants and information brokers.
The following regional groups send representatives to MHSLA:
Metropolitan Detroit Medical Library Group (MDMLG)
Western Michigan Health Sciences Libraries Association (MHSLA)