NN/LM Membership Renewal: An Invitation

This Fall, PSRML will conduct a membership renewal drive to mark the beginning of the new NN/LM contract period. We will issue new membership certificates to replace the current certificates that expire at the end of 2001.

There are two key issues with this membership drive. First, we need to make sure that our member information is complete and accurate. When new DOCLINE was brought up last year, membership information was migrated from the national Network Membership Directory into DOCUSER. Now it is time to update that information to provide the best service to member libraries, health professionals, and the general public.

Second, NLM has defined a new membership category, Affiliate Member, because of the increasing numbers of nontraditional health information providers. Thus, there are now two membership categories, Full Member and Affiliate Member. NLM has defined these categories as follows:

A Full Member can be any health sciences library or health-related information center, institution, or organization that: (1) is regularly staffed; (2) has an Internet connection; (3) has its own collection of health sciences materials (books, journals, audiovisuals, electronic databases); (4) provides information services to health professionals and/or the general public.

"Information services" must include DOCLINE^® participation, and should include the following:
Answering or referring reference questions;
Performing information searches.

Members are encouraged to provide Loansome Doc^® service to their own users and/or to unaffiliated users.

An Affiliate Member is a library, information/resource center or organization that is called on for health information by its users, but which does not meet all of the criteria for Full Member participation. An Affiliate Member might form a cooperative relationship with a Full Member, for example, for reference assistance or document delivery.

Both categories of membership have the following benefits and responsibilities:

Responsibilities:
Each Full Member and Affiliate Member institution must agree to make the following contributions:

Designate an individual as the local contact person for network information/communications.

Be listed in the national registry of network members. National registry information is available online through the DOCUSER^® file.

Provide basic information on collections and services to NLM and to their Regional Medical Library (RML) by keeping their DOCUSER^® record up-to-date.

Benefits:
Each Full Member and Affiliate Member will receive:

A certificate, which names the institution as a recognized member of the NN/LM

An invitation, on a periodic basis, to provide input to its RML on the region's programs and services, and invitations to apply for various funding opportunities

Access to interlibrary loan services available to the network

Special mailings of NLM posters, brochures, and other publications

An opportunity for librarians from their institution to be considered for service on the RML's Regional Advisory Committee

Enrollment on their regional electronic discussion list if requested

Membership Renewal Process

To begin this membership drive PSRML will mail each member a letter, inviting you to renew your membership. Libraries that participate in DOCLINE will be directed to update their DOCUSER records directly and to then submit an update confirmation on the PSRML web site. For libraries that do not participate in DOCLINE, PSRML will mail a copy of the network member record. These libraries will be directed to return their corrected records to PSRML, and PSRML staff will enter the corrected data into DOCUSER. PSRML will review the membership information and make final determinations regarding membership category.

PSRML will then order a new membership certificate for each member institution. We plan to send these certificates to members well before the end of the year, and we hope to include a special memento with each certificate.

Because this is the first time we will validate the information in DOCUSER, we ask everyone's cooperation in submitting complete information. Accordingly, we will include appropriate instructions in our mailing. If you have any questions, please feel free to call Andrea Lynch, Network Assistant, or Julie Kwan, Library Network Coordinator, at 310-825-1200 or 800-338-5389.

We thank you in advance! JKK

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September/October 2001 volume 10, issue 5

NN/LM Membership Renewal: An Invitation

September/October 2001
volume 10, issue 5