MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Submitted by Daniel Dollar

I received from Grace Ajuwon the report on the first MLA Librarians Without Borders Grant awarded to E. Latunde Odeku Medical Library, College of Medicine at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Grace also included photographs and a DVD of a dedication ceremony held at the library on December 18, 2009 for the 2 computer workstations and 78 new reference and textbook editions purchased using the $5,000 provided by the grant.

The dedication ceremony is moving to watch, attended by more than seventy people, including the Provost of the College of Medicine along with students and lectures from the College and University College Hospital. I was first struck by the fact that most of the library’s existing book collections are 10 to 20 years old; these textbooks and reference works that my library picks up regularly on standing order are a major acquisition for Grace’s library. But moving past thoughts about how “poor” is Grace’s library was the support shown by administrators, faculty and students at the ceremony. It is support that comes from a library and its staff working to meet their users' information needs in furtherance of research, education and clinical practice. Support that shows the worth and wealth medical librarians bring to the health care profession—and an inspiration for us all.

Another source of inspiration for me is you, the members of the International Cooperation Section. Although we may be one of the smaller sections, what we might lack in numbers we make up for in passion and devotion. I have seen that passion and devotion in our discussions over the length of the Cunningham Fellowship, the fostering of partnership efforts, and the responsiveness to sudden events, such as the Haitian earthquake. (Remember, you can always make a donation to the MLA Medical Library Disaster Relief Fund.)

It becomes clearer every day just how interconnected our planet is, and I see the ICS well-positioned as we move pass our 20th Anniversary into a third decade of continuing to provide leadership to and launching pad for international cooperation efforts with medical librarians worldwide.

I wish to end this final message as Section Chair by thanking you all for your work, and especially to thank the ICS Officers who have given so generously of their time in service to the section. Circumstances conspired for me to have an extended two-year stay as Chair (same is true for Marcus Banks as Immediate Past Chair and Section Council Representative), still it has been an honor to serve you and do my small part in furthering our mission.

Daniel Dollar
Yale University
Cushing/Whitney Medical Library
Email:daniel.dollar@yale.edu