# DEPARTMENTS / DÉPARTEMENTS

## A word from the President

By the time this is published, spring will have arrived with the happy thoughts of renewal and better weather that come with this change of seasons. And we will be looking forward to the imminent Canadian Health Libraries Association / Association des bibliothèques de la santé du Canada (CHLA / ABSC) Conference in Toronto, 30 May – 3 June 2005. Have a look at the conference Web site to see all the great programs and meetings taking place (http://chla-absc.ca/2005/). I invite you to take part in this excellent conference.

CHLA / ABSC had a busy summer and fall. A call for members to work on a task force to revise the *Standards for library and information services in Canadian healthcare facilities* had a very enthusiastic response. At the Winter Board meeting, still to come as I write this, we will have the first report from the Standards Task Force, which is made up of Susan Powelson (Chair), Library Director, Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region, Regina, Saskatchewan; Ana Rosa Blue, Librarian, Lions Gate Hospital, North Vancouver, British Columbia; Anne Allgaier, Librarian, Prince George Regional Hospital, Prince George, British Columbia; Connie Clifford, Coordinator of Library Services, Caritas Health Group, Edmonton, Alberta; Karen Darrach, Library Technician, Health Sciences Library, South-East Regional Health Authority, Moncton, New Brunswick; Elizabeth Lamont, Chief Librarian, Royal Victoria Hospital Medical Libraries, Montreal, Quebec; Tracy Morgan, Library and Information Specialist, Guelph General Hospital, Guelph, Ontario; Joanne Radulovich, Halton Healthcare Services, Oakville-Trafalgar Site, Oakville, Ontario; and Lisa Runions, Librarian, Cornwall Community Hospital, Cornwall, Ontario. This excellent group represents Canada from coast to coast and libraries big and small. The Task Force is committed to seeing new standards completed in time for the 2006 CHLA / ABSC Conference.

Elizabeth Lamont has accepted the appointment as the CHLA / ABSC representative to the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation / Conseil canadien d'agrément des services de santé (CCHAA / CCASS). Elizabeth's dual role, as a member on the Standards Committee and as the liaison with the CCHSA / CCASS, will strengthen the bond and facilitate communication with the accrediting body.

The National Network of Libraries for Health / Réseau national des bibliothèques pour la santé (NNLH / RNBS) Task Force has been busy planning a large Stakeholder session that will build on the mini-meeting held on 5 October 2004. The Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (CISTI) is playing a major role in this initiative. Bev Brown has joined the Task Force, and CISTI has agreed to host the Stakeholder event. Plan to attend the CHLA / ABSC Conference to hear the Task Force report and have your input into their plans.

The Ontario government is restructuring the hospitals in that province, and the Board is monitoring the effect on health libraries there. Perhaps as a result of the efforts required on that front, two of the Ontario Chapters — COHLA and KAHLA — have requested a break from Chapter activities. The Board has agreed that the Chapters should suspend their activities for the time being. This has happened in the past with other Chapters, and over time, the Chapters came back with renewed energy. On a similar note, the Board is working with the Ontario Health Libraries Association (OHLA) on developing cooperative models, and there may be opportunities that will help the Chapters throughout Ontario.

All the best for a fine and pleasant spring. See you at the conference!

Penny Logan