# Association of Rhode Island Health Sciences Libraries (ARIHSL)

Welcome to Rhode Island from ARIHSL, and congratulations on your
employment in a health sciences library in this state! You have joined a
unique group of professionals who are committed to providing the best
possible health care information and, ultimately, to improving health in
Rhode Island.

We would like to take this opportunity give you some brief information
about ARIHSL and to invite you to join us. ARIHSL includes both
institutional and individual members representing the RI Department of
Health, six academic institutions and fourteen hospitals. ARIHSL
meetings are held four times per year, and members share the pleasure of
hosting them. Business meetings may be followed by informational
lectures, continuing education, or discussions of current medical or
library issues.

The purpose of ARIHSL is to promote resource sharing and information
exchange; to provide a symposium for professional development; to
encourage and maintain interest in health science libraries; and to
represent the interests of the Rhode Island health science library
community.

ARIHSL is the oldest state medical library organization in the country,
and one of which we are justifiably proud. Since 1951 the health science
librarians of Rhode Island have been working together and sharing their
resources and knowledge to improve library services to the healthcare
community of our state. In 1975 the \"Association of Rhode Island Health
Science Librarians\" was adopted as the official name and the first
slate of officers elected. In 1994 the name of the organization was
changed to its present form, "Association of Rhode Island Health Science
Libraries", to highlight the investment of resources on the part of the
institutions and the benefits that accrue to them through the work of
ARIHSL.

#### ARIHSL Officers for 2006-2007

+--------------+-----------+-----------------------------+-----------+
| **Name**     | *         | **Hospital**                | **        |
|              | *Office** |                             | Contact** |
+--------------+-----------+-----------------------------+-----------+
| Ruthann      | President | Butler Hospital --          | 401       |
| Gildea       |           | Providence, RI              | -455-6249 |
+--------------+-----------+-----------------------------+-----------+
| Barbara      | Vice-P    | Newport Hospital --         | 401       |
| Davis        | resident/ | Newport, RI                 | -845-1311 |
|              | President |                             |           |
|              | Elect     |                             |           |
+--------------+-----------+-----------------------------+-----------+
| Patricia     | Secretary | Landmark Medical Center --  | 401-      |
| Padula       |           | Woonsocket, RI              | 769-4100, |
|              |           |                             | x2054     |
+--------------+-----------+-----------------------------+-----------+
| Jo-Anne      | Treasurer | Kent Hospital --            | 401-      |
| Aspri        |           |                             | 737-7010, |
|              |           | Warwick, RI                 | x1309     |
+--------------+-----------+-----------------------------+-----------+
| Mary         | Past      | St. Joseph Health Services  | 401       |
| Zammarelli   | President | of Rhode Island -- North    | -456-3036 |
|              |           | Providence, RI              |           |
+--------------+-----------+-----------------------------+-----------+
| Regina       | M         | Lifespan -- Rhode Island    | 401-      |
| Swanson      | embership | Hospital                    | 444-8074; |
|              | Chair     |                             |           |
|              |           | Providence, RI              | 401       |
|              |           |                             | -793-2291 |
+--------------+-----------+-----------------------------+-----------+

In the past, ARIHSL members facilitated the sharing of journal resources
through its publication of a joint Union List of Medical Periodicals.
Although this is no longer published, in 2004 hospital libraries in
ARIHSL became Associate members of the HELIN to expand access to
monographs as well as serials holdings via a shared online catalog. A
number of ARIHSL libraries also participate in group purchasing of
databases and continue to investigate ways to share costs while
providing improved services to individual institutions.

Continuing education for both professional and paraprofessional
librarians has always been one of ARIHSL\'s priorities. While we have
always been willing to share our knowledge one-on-one, more formal
educational events have included continuing education classes organized
by the ARIHSL Education Committee, or by one of the NN/LM Region 8
Resource Libraries at Brown University or Rhode Island Hospital. Most
ARIHSL members also participate in other library organizations in the
state, in the region and nationally; additional continuing education
courses are offered through these organizations.

#### ARIHSL Web Page

ARIHSL maintains a web page that contains current information on
officers, bylaws, types of membership, resource sharing, history, and
lists of members with contact information. In addition the web page
contains links to various organizations and health-related web sites of
use in the health sciences. Please visit this web page at your
convenience to learn more about ARIHSL:

<http://library.umassmed.edu/arihsl/>

## ARIHSL Listserv

The ARIHSL Listserv is for use by members for the purposes of sharing
information and asking for assistance.

To subscribe, send an email message to: <lyris@list.umassmed.edu>

with the command: **subscribe ARIHSL-L your name.**

Commands may be placed in either the subject line or in the body of the
email message.

**Example:** subscribe ARIHSL-L John Smith

**Other Library Organizations in Rhode Island**

**Higher Education Library Information Network (HELIN)**

> <http://131.128.70.2/screens/helininfo504.html>

Robert Aspri -- Executive Director -- 401-874-5863

**Library of Rhode Island (LORI)**

> <http://www.olis.ri.gov/>

Howard Boksenbaum-- Chief Library Officer -- 401-222-3153

**Rhode Island Library Association (RILA)**

<http://www.uri.edu/library/rila/rila.html>

President - Cindy Lunghofer -- 401-434-2453

**Special Libraries Association -- Rhode Island Chapter (SLA/RI)**

<http://www.sla.org/chapter/cri/index.htm>

President -- William Anger -- 401-793-2291

Again, welcome to Rhode Island's community of health sciences
librarians! Please call any of us for assistance. We hope to see you
soon!