In This Issue:

• Welcome
  
  
• Director's CorNER
  
  
• A Word About the Name
  
  
• Ill Advised
  
  
• Know Tech
  
  
• Tres Chic
  
  
• Membership Drive
  
  
• Wise Guys
  
  
• Links
  
  

In Spring 2000, staff of the Lamar Soutter Library, University of Massachusetts Medical School, embarked upon an ambitious project to compete for the Regional Medical Library contract for the New England states. The process of going through the competition would help define the future of our library as well as the future of National Library of Medicine information resources and services in the region. On May 1, 2001, after several rounds of questions and a site visit by the National Library Medicine review team, the Lamar Soutter Library was awarded the five year contract to become the NN/LM ,NER, an indication of how far this library has come in its objective to achieve national distinction. Just a few short years ago, we were at a crossroads in our library's direction, with limited staff, resources and services. Through the tireless efforts of a dedicated library staff and supportive UMass Medical School administration, the library has experienced tremendous growth and renewed vitality, and is fully prepared to carry out the activities described in our proposal response.

During the last 6 months, the RML staff have moved into new office space, all positions have been filled, we have a new website and listserv, we've migrated over to UMass the websites of serveral other library groups, we've exhibited at state and local meetings of health professionals and consumers, we've executed 3 subcontracts and issued RFP's for our mini-awards program and we redesigned the RAC into a number of working taskforces and committees. Our approach is one of participation and decentralization-involving as many of you as possible in our provision of products and services that meet the needs of health professionals, consumers and librarians in our region. We invite you to join us and look forward to collaborating with you in the five years ahead. I offer a grateful thank you for your support.

ElaineMartin, Director