In the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s, the development
of health science libraries in the United States changed dramatically.
In 1957, the National Library of Medicine took over the indexing
service that had been published from 1906 through 1956 by the
American Medical Association known as Quarterly Cumulative Index
Medicus. In 1962, NLM was dedicated as a member of the National
Institutes of Health. And in 1965 Congress passed the Medical
Library Assistance Act, which authorized establishment of the
Regional Medical Library Network.
In Wisconsin in 1968, the Medical Library Service at William
S. Middleton Library of the University of Wisconsin Medical
School initiated what was then called simply, "The Newsletter."
The first issue of "The Newsletter" was dated April
1968. The 1968 issues of "The Newsletter" make reference
to libraries complementing each other to avoid duplication of
efforts, workshops held, teleconferences planned, and the new
multi-state regional medical library for the Midwest-the John
Crerar Library in Chicago.
Health science librarians in Wisconsin acted informally as
a group throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 1970,
the Newsletter contained an article entitled "Time to Organize?"
The article suggested that it might be time to abandon informality
and organize a statewide organization for people operating health
science libraries.
In 1973, two statewide coordinators were hired by the UW Medical
School. The coordinators worked at Middleton Library and were
also traveling consultants. They visited almost every health
science library in the state to determine what health science
collections were available and where they were located. Where
they found good collections, they encouraged the librarians
to consider the sharing concept and to move toward regional
organization. In 1974, it was announced that one of the coordinators
would stay at Middleton all the time and the other would do
all the traveling.
Also in 1973, six consortium areas were established in Wisconsin.
Sharing activities were coordinated by the state Health Science
Library Coordinator and six area reps from each consortium.
Between 1974 and 1977, the area representatives attended meetings
at which they discussed various issues including formal organization.
In March 1977 in Eau Claire, a meeting was held by the state
coordinator, area representatives, Virginia Holtz, and others.
The group received a motion to form a state organization and
the motion was passed. A Bylaws committee was set up.
On September 16, 1977 in La Crosse, a business meeting was
held after a general program. The bylaws of the Wisconsin Health
Science Library Association were presented and discussed. The
bylaws were accepted by thirty people in attendance and the
annual dues were set at $5. WHSLA was formally created.
Also in 1977, the Wisconsin Health Science Library Network
Advisory Council (WHSLNAC) was formed. Membership consisted
of the two resource library directors, consortium coordinators
from each area, the WHSLA president, the state health science
library coordinator, a representative to the Regional Advisory
Council, and a representative-at-large.
WHSLA floundered in its first year until October 1978 when
WHSLA was the co-sponsor of the fall meeting of the Midwest
Regional Group of the Medical Library Association in Madison.
The executive committee met and elected Kay Cimpl as the new
president. Subsequently, Kay appointed the first chairperson
and members of all committees, resulting in the first functional
year for WHSLA as an organization.
Also in 1978, guidelines for the purpose and structure of WHSLNAC
were drawn up and the name changed to the Council of Wisconsin
Health Science Libraries Network (WHSLN).
From 1977 to 1980, WHSLA held its annual meeting and changed
officers in the fall of the year. Beginning in 1981, WHSLA moved
its annual meeting and the changing of officers to the spring
of the year. On occasion, WHSLA has its meeting in the fall
of the year to coincide with another library organization's
meeting. For instance, in 1989 and 2001 WHSLA co-hosted the
Midwest Chapter of the Medical Library Association's annual
meeting in fall and those meetings also served as WHSLA's annual
meeting for those years.
In 1986, the West Central Consortium and the West Consortium
merged into the Western Consortium. In 1990, the Northern and
Western Consortia merged into the Northwestern Consortium. Since
1990, there have been four health science library consortia
in Wisconsin: Fox River Valley Area Library (FRVALC), Northwestern,
South Central, and Southeastern Wisconsin Health Sciences Libraries
(SWHSL).
In 1990, WHSLA's guidelines were amended to reflect the creation
of two awards: Library and Librarian of the Year. The first
Librarian of the Year award was actually given to Barb Schmiechen
of the Center for Health Sciences Library of UW-Madison in 1989.
The first Library of the Year award was given to St. Elizabeth's
Hospital Library in Appleton in 1991.
In 1997, the Council of WHSLN was dissolved and WHSLA took
over its functions by appointing a representative to the Greater
Midwest Region of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine
and forming an Institutional Issues committee to work on issues
that are specific to libraries rather than individual members
of WHSLA.
Adapted largely from:
Hanus, Karen. Happy 20th Anniversary, WHSLA!. Wisconsin Health
Science Library Association Newsletter. 277: 1997 Sept/Oct.
and
Zimmerman, Albert. The Wisconsin Health Science Library association:
A History. Wisconsin Health Science Library Association Newsletter.
Suppl. 3: 1988 Oct.
Archive of WHSLA Newsletters
Archive of WHSLA Membership Rosters
Awards History
Meetings History
