A meeting was held at Yale Medical Library on November 23rd to discuss expanding the Connecticut Regional Group of the Medical Library Association (MLA) to include all of New England. An organizing committee was formed with Henrietta T. Perkins (CT, pictured at right) as Chair, Joan B. Staats (ME), Charles C. Colby, 3rd (MA), Margaret T. MacKown (NH), Anne Maxville (RI), and Betty A. Withrow (VT). The group decided to meet annually. Invitations to the first meeting were sent to all hospital directors and librarians listed in the AHA Guide, New England MLA members, members of active library groups in MA, RI, & CT. Northern New England names were solicited from Joan Staats. Bylaws were drafted based on those of the Connecticut state group.

Soviet launching of Sputnik on October 4 spurs increases in U.S. science education funds (National Defense Education Act).

Henrietta Perkins

The first annual meeting of the New England Regional Group takes place in Boston on December 5thand 6th. Hosted by Charles C. Colby, 3rd, (Harvard, pictured at right), the combined meeting registration fee and annual membership dues are $1.00. The banquet costs $4.20 and hotel fees for a single room range from $8 to $18.. Brown and Connolly book sellers begin a long tradition of hosting the first cocktail hour. The meeting attendees discuss whether to become officially associated with MLA, but decide to remain an informal group.

The first plastic Coke bottle appeared, Hula Hoops were the fad and President Eisenhower created NASA.

Charles Colby

One hundred and fifteen people register for the second annual meeting in Providence, RI. Lee Ash of Yale Medical Library leads a panel discussion on library cooperation with panelists R. T. Esterquest (Harvard), Frederick G. Kilgour (Yale) and D. E. Johnson (Rhode Island Hospital). The decision not to become an association of MLA is questioned by some of the membership.

The Sound of Music opens on Broadway, U.S. quiz shows found to be fixed and Castro becomes dictator of Cuba.

The decision is made to choose a chair from the state in which the meeting is held, and to rotate the meeting to a different state each year. Dues remain at $1.00, but registration for the Burlington , VT, meeting hosted by Betty A. Withrow, (U. Vermont), jumps to $6.50! Despite the vote not to become formally affiliated with MLA, the program is headed "New England Regional Group of the Medical Library Association".

The first minicomputer is built by the Digital Equipment Corporation, first televised presidential debate and the laser is invented.

Joan B. Staats is elected Chair, and hosts the 5th Annual Conference at the Jackson Labs, Bar Harbor, ME. "The Maine weather and Maine lobster proved to be perfect."

Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring is published, Cuban Missile Crisis, First person killed trying to cross the Berlin Wall and Marilyn Monroe found dead .

Joan Staats

Computerization makes it debut at the annual meeting held at Yale University. Frederick G. Kilgour (Yale, pictured at right) speaks on "Computerization: CHY and the Computerized Card Catalogue", while June I. Hicks (Dartmouth) talks on "Serials Automation".

Cassius Clay (a.k.a. Muhammad Ali) becomes World Heavyweight Champion, Civil Rights Act passes in U.S., Hasbro launches GI Joe Action Figure, Nelson Mandela sentenced to life in prison and Warren Report on JFK's assassination issued.

Fred Kilgour

Tour the new Countway Library of Medicine! At the annual meeting banquet, Dr. Lamar Soutter, the future Dean of the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, speaks on changes in the medical profession in today’s society.

Medicare and Higher Education Act are part of the "Great Society" programs, first Regional Medical Library Program is created as a result of the medical Library Assistance Act of 1965.

Physicians with Librarian at
Emerson Hospital

McGill University, Montreal, hosts the 10th annual meeting, which generates income ($6.24), and brings the treasury up to $326.61. The theme of the program is is strengthening administrative skills. The Countway Library of Medicine becomes the headquarters of the New England Regional Medical Library Service (NERMLS).

Dr. Christian Barnard performs the world’s first heart transplant, First Super Bowl and Six-Day War in the Middle East .

149 people attend the joint meeting of the Upstate New York and New England groups in Rochester, NY. Speakers include Alfred Brandon (Mt. Sinai) on "Building the Medical Library Collection.", J. Felter (NYAM and President of MLA) "Report of the 3rd International Congress of Medical Librarianship." Some MLA-related identity issues remain. Chairman, T. Mark Hodges (Harvard) refers to the group as "ex officio New England Regional Group of MLA (so-called)".

Moon rocks in July, Woodstock rocks in August and ARPAnet, an experimental 4-computer network is established by the U.S. Defense Dept. so that research scientists can communicate.

 

The floppy disk is developed by IBM the Beatles break up and the shootings at Kent State.

 

The Lamar Soutter Library of the University of Massachusetts Medical Center opens. M*A*S*H* tv show premiers, Mark Spitz wins 7 gold medals, the pocket calculator is introduced and  the Watergate scandal begins.

At the 16th annual meeting in Hanover, NH, Shirley J. Grainger (Dartmouth) chairs a panel on the "Implications of Computerized Information Retrieval Data Bases for a Biomedical Communications Network".

Abortion is legalized in the U.S.,  Paul Getty is kidnapped, the Sears Tower is built, the U.S. pulls out of Vietnam and the U.S. Vice President resigns.

A steering committee is formed including Donald J. Morton (U Mass, pictured at right), James E. Morgan (U Conn) and Shirley J. Grainger, (Dartmouth) to explore ways to provide a formal structure for this regional group. From responses to the membership questionnaire a proposed set of bylaws is drawn up. At the annual meeting, MLA Continuing Education courses are offered on the first day. This year's meeting focuses on hospital accreditation standards and hospital libraries.

Mikhail Baryshnikov defects, Patty Hearst is kidnapped, a terracotta army discovered in China and U.S. President Nixon resigns.

Donald J. Morton

At the business meeting on Saturday, October 18 th in Worcester, MA, the proposed bylaws are presented and adopted. Other topics include the changing of NERGMLA’s name to NAHSL, inclusion of Canadian provinces, and the establishment of defined membership through token dues. A report on the activity of MLA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Group Structure reveals "regional/special interest groups similar to our own were being studied by MLA in an effort to understand the relations of their activity to that of the national MLA."

Arthur Ashe is the first black man to win Wimbledon, Microsoft is founded, Pol Pot becomes the Communist Dictator of Cambodia.

An international focus distinguishes the 20th annual meeting, held in Montreal, which is attended by 170 librarians. Membership dues are still $1.00! Arlee May (NERMLS, pictured at right) was chair of the Executive Board and would be elected to the MLA Board of Directors in 1979.

Elvis is found dead, the miniseries Roots airs, South African anti-apartheid leader Steve Biko is tortured to death and the Star Wars movie was released.

Arlee May

A Scholarship Committee is set up to "explore the feasibility of NAHSL Scholarships to education programs." Souvenirs are money makers for our scholarship fund. An Education Committee is also established to offer MLA continuing education courses in the region. There is now $2,436.64 in the treasury.

Iran takes American hostages in Tehran, Margaret Thatcher is the first woman Prime Minister of Great Britain,  Mother Theresa is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, there is a nuclear accident at Three Mile Island and Sony introduces the Walkman.

The Balsams, in Dixville Notch, NH is the site of the 25th conference, attended by 181 members and associates. NAHSL Treasurer, Marion H. Levine(U. Conn, at right), requests support to engage an attorney or accountant to assist with the filing for tax-exempt status. Margie Dempsey (Boston City Hospital) requests a stipend be made to the NAHSL Chapter Council representative to cover costs to the MLA annual meeting. Both motions are carried. Membership extends an invitation to MLA to come to Boston. The treasury has $6,123.70.

Tracy Kidder wins Pulitzer for The Soul of the New Machine, The Regional Medical Library Network is reconfigured and the Region I headquarters moves from Countway Library to the New York Academy of Medicine.

Marion Levine

"Gone are the days when NAHSL's one and only goal was the production of one excellent annual professional conference. NAHSL's goals now are many." The first issue of the NAHSL newsletter is published. Scholarship guidelines are finalized. A Membership Committee is established to ascertain NAHSL’s compliance as a chapter of MLA. NAHSL is incorporated in Connecticut. There are 190 members and $12,159.34 in the treasury.

Cabbage Patch Kids are popular, President Reagan announces defense plan called Star Wars, Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space, the Soviets shoot down a Korean airliner and the U.S. Embassy in Beirut is bombed.

Ellen Gartenfeld

The Executive Committee invites state consortia to send representatives to the Board meetings to open lines of communication among the states. The Archives Committee is established.

There's a huge poison gas leak in Bhopal, India, Indira Gandhi, India's Prime Minister is killed by two bodyguards, the PG-13 movie rating is created and the Vietnam War Memorial opened in Washington, DC.

Robin LeSeur and Joan McGinnis

Tax exempt status is granted. NAHSL assumes the sponsorship of the CE courses presented at the annual New England Hospital Assembly meeting in Boston. The treasury has grown to $21,691.54. The welcome reception at the annual meeting in Newport, RI is held at Hammersmith Farm.

A hole in the ozone layer is discovered, Mikhail Gorbachev calls for Glasnost and Perestroika, New Coke hits the market and the wreck of the Titanic is found.

Two hundred and twenty two people attend the 29th meeting in Farmington, CT, which focused on ethical, legal, and economic issues in health care. The conference kicks off at the home of Mark Twain.

The Challenger space shuttle explodes, Chernobyl has a nuclear accident, Ferdinand Marcos flees the Philippines, the Iran-Contra scandal unfolds, the U.S. bombs Libya and the U.S.S.R. launches the Mir space station.

Chairman, John F. Bundy, (Dartmouth, pictured at right) comments that "Telefacsimile is a technology that has come of age, and should be strongly encouraged in the region." The conference theme this year is "Librarians for the 21st Century: A View to the Future." The raffle proves to be an effective fund raiser for scholarship monies.

NAHSL member Jay Daly markets QuickDOC, DNA is first used to convict criminals, the New York Stock Exchange suffers huge drop on "Black Monday" and a West German pilot lands unchallenged in Russia's Red Square.

Sandy Clevesy, Marion Levine,
John Bundy, Nancy Cohen Spiegel

Membership has reached 306. The major emphasis this year is to address NAHSL’s financial status. Scholarship program is refined to enable us to offer assistance to more participants, committee budgets are reviewed, and additional sources of revenue considered. An Ad Hoc committee is established to interpret NAHSL’s role in relation to MLA’s Strategic Plan. NAHSL’s first membership directory is published. At the annual meeting in Harwichport, MA, NAHSL presents MLA with $1000.00 in support of CE activities at MLA ’89 in Boston.

Pan Am Flight 103 is bombed over Lockerbie, the U.S. shoots down an Iranian Airliner.

Ralph Arcari

The Executive Board produces a strategic plan as well as goals and objectives that are responsive to MLA priorities. Archives relocate from Harvard's Countway Library to Tufts Health Sciences Library.

The Berlin Wall falls, the Exxon Valdez spills millions of gallons of oil on coastline, Students are massacred in China's Tiananmen Square and U.S. President Bush announces that he doesn't like broccoli.

Nancy Grenier and Suellen Jagels

149 registrants attend the 33rd Annual Meeting in Providence, RI. The theme is "Discovering our Value – Assessing our Worth".

Phil Collins wins the Grammy for record of the year for "Another Day in Paradise.",  the Hubble Telescope is launched into space, Lech Walesa becomes the first president of Poland and Nelson Mandela is freed.

Frank Kellerman

Begin development of a survey form to be sent to Canadian members to ascertain their interest in NAHSL. Begin development of a conference planning manual. The welcome reception is held at the Mystic Aquarium. Compliance is up from 53% to 60%. The Regional Medical Library is again reconfigured. The Lyman Maynard Stowe Library at the University of Connecticut Health Center becomes the regional headquarters for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Region 8.

Senator Al Gore enacts legislation to expand NSFnet, which is renamed the National Research & Education Network (NREN), the collapse of the Soviet Union, Operation Desert Storm and South Africa repeals apartheid laws.

Chapter bylaws are completely rewritten to conform with MLA’s model bylaws. With the completion of the Canadian survey , NAHSL recommends a change in chapter boundaries, and sends the request to MLA for approval. There’s $28,139.97 in the treasury. Jacqueline D. Bastille (pictured at right), the Director of Treadwell Library at Massachusetts General Hospital, is elected president of MLA.

The official end of the Cold War and there are riots in Los Angeles after the Rodney King verdict.

Jackie Bastille

A change in the geographic boundaries is approved by MLA Chapter Council. An Ad Hoc Finance Committee to advise the Executive Board and Treasurer is established. Internet addresses are added to the membership directory. Marion Levine (U. Conn) is awarded a Certificate of Appreciation for her leadership. The annual banquet at Plimoth Plantation is a rousing, and rowdy, good time.

The National Center for Supercomputing Applications releases the first graphical Web browser, Mosaic, the cult compound in Waco, Texas is raided, use of the Internet grows exponentially and the World Trade Center is bombed.

Members vote to change bylaws to reflect change in chapter boundaries. Annual meeting manual is completed. $56,291.96 is in the treasury.

Netscape browser is released, the Channel Tunnel opens, connecting Britain and France, Lorena Bobbit takes brutal revenge, Nelson Mandela is elected President of South Africa, O.J. Simpson is arrested for double murder and Rwandan genocide begins.

Robin Rand and Lynne Silvers

A new Ad Hoc Automation Committee is formed, and electronic distribution of the NAHSL newsletter is proposed to the 180 members who have internet access. Approximately 30 members do not have email. Planning begins for the 1996 joint meeting with the NY/NJ chapter of MLA. Bylaws changes relating to terms of office and the composition of the Conference Committee are approved. Membership approves investing $12,500 of the treasury in a federally insured account. Interest from this account will be used to offset upcoming NAHSL CE courses.

Ebola Virus spreads in Zaire, the gas attack in a Tokyo subway,the Oklahoma City Bombing and Yitzhak Rabin is assassinated.

Tovah Reis, Marion Levine, John Stey

The 39th Annual Meeting is held in Greenwich, CT, with the NY/NJ chapter. A record 263 people attend. A joint RML/NAHSL listserv is established for delivering electronic news to the region.

Mad Cow Disease hits Britain, two royal divorces and the Unabomber is arrested.

At the 40th Annual Meeting in Burlington, VT, Chair-elect Bob Sekerak is awarded a Certificate of Appreciation for his service to the organization. A sunset cruise on Lake Champlain starts the meeting with an opportunity to see old friends.

Hale-Bopp comet is visible, Hong Kong is returned to China, Pathfinder sends back images of Mars, Princess Diana Dies in Car Crash, Scientists clone sheep and Tiger Woods wins the Masters.

Bob Sekerak

Happy Birthday, MLA!
Come and celebrate our 40th birthday at the forty-first annual meeting at the Boston Park Plaza this fall.  [original 40th site-now part of the NAHSL history pages.}

India and Pakistan test nuclear weapons, Titanic is the most successful movie ever, U.S. President Clinton is impeached and Viagra is put on the market.

NAHSL Executive Board listserv created and the website is redesigned.  Signifying the 'sign of the times' the Automation committee becomes the Electronic Communications committee.

The last "Peanuts" comic strip is created by Charles Schulz, XHTML becomes a W3C recommendation, the sport of Geocaching begins with the first cache placed and the coordinates from a GPS are posted on Usenet, U.S. Supreme Court releases its decision in Bush v. Gore, deciding the presidential election of 2000.

The printed NAHSL newsletter is discontinued.  The website URL becomes www.nahsl.org.

Robert Hanssen charged with spying for Russia for 15 years, U.S. submarine Greeneville sinks Japanese fishing boat, Anthrax scare rivets nation, Gladiator takes five Oscars, Artificial heart implanted in man.

The active Marketing Committee creates the first Top Ten Marketing Ideas flyer.

Snipers prey upon DC suburbs, Kenneth L. Lay, chairman of bankrupt energy trader Enron, resigns, Scientists report a new type of black hole.

The Executive Board increases support and focus on Continuing Education for its membership.

Baghdad falls to U.S. troops, Space shuttle Columbia explodes, Dan Brown publishes 'The Da Vinci Code', California governor Gray Davis ousted in recall vote.

Professional Development opportunities are enhanced with financial assistance made available for the MLA conference.

Enormous tsunami devastates Asia, Martha Stewart sentenced to five months in prison and the Boston Red Sox win the World Series.

Back lists of Executive Board members posted on website for AHIP portfolios.  The website it redesigned with increased features. 

Pope John Paul II dies, Hurricane Katrina wreaks catastrophic damage on the Gulf coast, the Washington Post finally revealed the identity of FBI source "Deep Throat." 

Annual meeting is held in Hartford, CT as a joint conference with the NY-NJ chapter.  The Professional Development committee is created on the Executive Board with more focus on financial support for educational opportunities to members.

Pluto is demoted to "dwarf planet", Death sentence for Saddam Hussein, Nuclear saber-rattling in Iran, North Korea, "Crocodile Hunter" killed, Former Beatle in divorce battle, Ex-Russian spy poisoned,  Democrats win midterms.

Annual meeting is held in Woodstock, VT.  Bylaws are revised to allow state representatives to have a vote on the Executive Board.  NAHSL has more respondents to MLA's Benchmarking Survey than any other chapter. (>26)

 

NAHSL celebrates its 50th anniversary in Lowell, MA.