Excellence, promise, vision, and values: reflections on the Janet Doe Lectures, 1967-1997

As the Medical Library Association prepares to enter its second century of service to society, it can look back with pride on the remarkable record of achievements of the association and its members, both personal and institutional, which are preserved for posterity in the Janet Doe Lectures. Established in 1966 by an anonymous donor, the Janet Doe Lectures on the history or philosophy of medical librarianship trace the development of health sciences libraries and librarianship and the evolution of the Medical Library Association. The major themes which emerge from this comprehensive review of the lectures published between 1967 and 1997 include the changing roles and values of health sciences libraries and librarianship; education and credentialing of health sciences librarians; MLA activities and concerns; and MLA/National Library of Medicine relations.

Daniel T. Richards, 1945-1995

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Legal considerations for document delivery services

Health sciences libraries that provide fee-based information services must consider and develop policies and procedures for complying with legal requirements. This paper reviews the provisions of copyright law that pertain to document delivery, including two court decisions concerning copyright. Also discussed are recent actions by publishers to reinforce their view of libraries' responsibilities for royalty fees for articles copied and their use of licenses to impose additional restrictions on the use of and reproduction of materials.

From Index Catalogue to Gopher space: changes in our profession as reflected in the Handbook and CPHSL

A fifty-year review of the history of health sciences librarianship, as reflected in four editions of the Handbook of Medical Library Practice and its successor, Current Practice in Health Sciences Librarianship, illustrates the significant changes our profession has undergone. Publication in 1943 of the first edition of the Handbook marked an important milestone in the development of the Medical Library Association, as a group of dedicated volunteers documented standard practice and recorded useful data. Administration of health sciences libraries has moved from art to science. Responsibility for the development of collections is now the sole purview of professional librarians. Automation and bibliographic standards have revolutionized the methods for controlling and providing access to information resources. And, the means by which assistance is provided to library users, through the use of computer and telecommunications technology, has changed dramatically.

Position paper on the role of University of California health sciences libraries

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