Ad Hoc Committee formed 5/2000
Draft Manual - Nancy Clemmons 11/2000
Working Manual - PR Committee, 12/2001

I. Committee Members
II. Committee Charge, Committee Composition, Archives Policy
III. Suggested Timeline Guidelines
IV. Sample Press Releases, and Reports
V. Correspondence and E-Mail Messages
VI. Southern Chapter/MLA Strategic Plan
Committee's role
VII. Current MLA Strategic Plan
VIII. Southern Chapter/MLA Bylaws
IX. Current Southern Chapter/MLA Executive Committee
X. Tips and other helpful info

1. Publicize the Southern Chapter and its activities, both internally and externally, by promoting knowledge and information about libraries, librarians, and health libraries in particular. Increase the visibility of health sciences librarians and public awareness about the field of health sciences librarianship
2. Encourage health sciences librarianship as a career

1. Publicize the Chapter Awards by announcing the recipients in the local newspapers or business journals/newspapers Publish Chapter officer information in the local business newspapers Provide information about the Chapter and/or its members and activities to local media and local publications Participate in career fairs at high school and college/university levels Solicit press coverage and submit feature articles to local newspapers Prepare model press releases for award that can be sent to CEO's and bosses Write notice/article when members are elected to a national office. Establish liaison with MLA/SLA for annual information
2. Distribute MLA AHIP brochures

• Committee Chair
• Chapter Webmaster
• Honors and Awards Committee Chair
• State representatives

• In general, materials older than three years are sent to the Southern Chapter Archivist at Emory's medical library. Records from the past three years and any other necessary background information are passed to the next committee chair. Much of the committee's activities are done by e-mail and conference calls and copies of important e-mail messages should be included in the manual.

1. Publicize the Southern Chapter and its activities, both internally and externally by promoting knowledge and information about libraries, librarians and health science libraries in particular
   Increase the visibility of health sciences librarians and public awareness about the field of health sciences librarianship
   
2. Encourage health sciences librarianship as a career choice.

1. Prepare a model press release for notifying media, CEO's, bosses about awards Use local media and local publications to provide information about the Chapter and/or its members Participate in career fairs Publish chapter officer information in the local business newspapers Solicit press coverage and submit feature articles to local newspapers Publicize the chapter awards by announcing the recipients in the local newspapers or business journals/newspapers Write notice/article when members are elected to a national office Establish liaison with MLA/SLA for annual information
2. Use MLA AHIP brochures

• MLGSC Public Relations Committee
  The Public Relations Committee is charged with publicizing the Group and its activities and increasing the visibility of health sciences librarians. It is also involved in obtaining outside sources of funding for the Group, primarily through fees for advertising in MLGSCA publications. Chair: Nancy Stimson
  
  
• NAHSL Marketing Committee
  6.7 Marketing Committee
  Composition: Chair and four or more voting members of NAHSL.
  Appointment Methods: Chair is appointed by the NAHSL Chair; members are appointed by the Committee Chair.
  Term: All members serve a one year term with reappointments recommended.
  Duties: Assists NAHSL members in marketing health sciences libraries and health sciences librarians to library clients and to key decision makers.
  Responsibilities:
  
  1. Attends all NAHSL meetings, general and executive (Chair).
  2. Submits an annual report and budget to the Executive Board.
  3. Sends pertinent correspondence, minutes, and reports to the NAHSL Archivist.
  4. Acts as a resource to each Conference Committee PR representative by maintaining and updating publicity contact information.
  5. Actively market NAHSL (conference, CE, general benefits) to various targeted medical and non-medical library groups.
  6. Sponsor educational sessions to assist librarians in better marketing their services. Relationships:Executive Board. For suggestions, directions and recommendations relating to marketing issues.
     
• NCNMLG
  Public Relations Committee
  The Public Relations Committee is charged with publicizing the Group and its activities, both internally and externally, and increasing the visibility of health sciences librarians. The Committee is responsible for establishing liaisons with groups with similar interests, such as health sciences libraries, nursing education groups, SLA, and other MLA groups. In addition, the Committee strives to establish liaisons between urban and rural institutions, and promote new memberships with NCNMLG.
  Janie Grosman (707) 522-6883 grosman@wco.com
  
  Other organizations with Web pages for Public Relations Committees:
  Lots of ideas!! The ones listed near the bottom I found only slightly helpful.
  • Arizona Association of Law Libraries- many links to state law library association links
  • ALA, several units of organization are involved in PR
  • SLA
  • Florida Library Association
  • Texas Library Association
  • Wisconsin Library Association Public Relations Committee
  • Saint John Free-Net (New Brunswick, CA)