The Health Association Libraries Section began in 1952 when the Medical Society Libraries Group was formed as a special interest group of the Medical Library Association. Librarians sought a forum to discuss the unique issues that medical society libraries faced, and many of the programs of the Group focused on these issues. For many years, the Group consisted almost exclusively of state and local medical society/ academy librarians, representing the predominant type of society library at the time.

Pam Van Hine, MSLS, AHIP and Kathy DeGeorges, MS, MLS developed a poster on "The Evolution of Specialized libraries in the Health Sciences: Meeting the Information Needs of Societies, Colleges, Associations, and Academies A History of the Medical Society Libraries Section of the Medical Library Association" for the MLA Annual Meeting. More>>

Membership Information
If you are interested in health association libraries of any type, you need us and the Health Association Libraries Section needs you!

Benefits of section membership include:
  • Semi-annual newsletter sent electronically to members;
  • Sponsorship of stimulating programs at the annual meeting of MLA; and
  • A forum for sharing ideas and problem-solving.
Members of the section represent one of the oldest sections of the Medical Library Association. Working in diverse settings, section members are employed:
  • In libraries large and small throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe;
  • In local, regional, and national health associations; and
  • In all areas of health care
Membership Committee Chair 
Lynn Dunikowski, 2006 - 2007. 

Section Dues: $10 per year
About:
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  • Meeting Minutes
  • Read a message from the Chair


    • "Firsts" in the History of the Section:
    1952
  • Formalization of Medical Society Group of MLA

    1955
  • First survey of American medical society libraries (BMLA 43:193-8, 1955)

    1962
  • First officer from a national organization, Susan Crawford, American Medical Association

    1980
  • Medical Society Libraries Group becomes the Medical Society Libraries Section

    1983
  • First MSLS newsletter issued

    1987
  • First officer from a national specialty society, Pamela Van Hine, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)

    1996
  • First electronic distribution of MSLS newsletter

    2001
  • Medical Society Libraries Section changes name to Health Association Libraries Section
  • First Section Website

    More Firsts>>

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    Health Association Libraries Section    		 This site is hosted by the Medical Library Association (MLA).