MAHLAP - Ten Years of Service to Medical and Health Librarianship
by Elnora L. Conti
President, 1991

Introduction

The 80's and the 90's brought a lot of changes in the practice of medical and health librarianship in the Philippines. These changes are attributed to a number of factors namely: computers, library networking, document delivery, electronic and On-line databases, CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-0nly-Memory) technology, the multimedia (sights and sounds), the Internet, and now the digital library. These technologies are changing the delivery of health services in the country. Medical and health professionals through the libraries and information centers in the academe or hospitals who have access to these information technologies and use these technologies in their practice resulted to the fast and efficient delivery of medical and health services.
There is no doubt that the symbiotic relationship of medical and health professionals and the information handlers - the librarians, or information resource specialist will lead to a high level of health delivery service.

Another big change was the passing of RA 6966 "An Act Regulating the Practice of Librarianship and Prescribing the Qualifications of Librarians." signed into law by President Corazon Aquino in 1990 professionalized librarianship in the country. Now that the librarians are licensed, it has upgraded the status and practice of librarianship. This act has a great impact on the practice of librarianship now particularly that of requiring attendance to continuing programs before you can renew your license is already implemented.

MAHLAP: A Decade of Growth and Development

The health and medical information providers, the librarians or information specialists are working hand in hand with the medical professionals for decades now. The recognition of the importance of information providers led to the organization of the Medical and Health Library Association of the Philippines (MAHLAP) in 1988 and paved the way to the culling of medical and health professional librarians in the country.The Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD), an agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), played a vital role in the creation of MAHLAP. The idea of organizing an association of medical and health librarians was conceived at the seminar-workshop on "Current Management Trends for Health Care Libraries," Cebu, 3-7 November 1986

sponsored by PCHRD and the British Council (BC). Mr. Roy Tabor and Ms. Nickey Whitsed, both practicing medical librarians from the United Kingdom served as tutors. The workshop was participated in by twenty medical and health librarians from the academe, government, and private institutions.

During the open forum, it was suggested to organize a national association of medical and health librarians in the Philippines. The participants were unanimous in their recommendation to initiate the creation of a medical and health librarians association of the Philippines.

The organizational meeting of medical and health librarians in Metro Manila was held at the Executive Lounge of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), in May 1987 attended by more than forty librarians from medical schools, government and private institutions with full support by Dr. Quintin Kintanar, Director and Dr. Pacita Zara, Deputy Director, PCHRD. It was in this meeting that the Medical and Health Library Association of the Philippines (MAHLAP) was form.

Task Force was constituted whose task was to prepare and draft the association'ss constitution and by-laws composed of Ms. Rosvida R. Rosal, University Librarian, UP Manila as chair, Ms. Lilita Decena (deceased), Population Commission, Ms. Elnora L. Conti, Philippine Atomic Energy Commission, Ms. Aurora S. Salvador (deceased), Far Eastern University, Nicanor R. Reyes Memorial Foundation, Ms. Natividad R. Caballero, Manila Central University, Felimon D. Tanchoco Memorial Foundation, and Ms. Myrna Y. Uyengco, US -Naval Research Medical Unit, US Embassy, as members. Ms. Anicia Canseco served as the adviser.

The Task Force launched a contest for the MAHLAP logo. The contest was chaired by Mrs.Rosvida R. Rosal and the Board of judges was composed by Dr. Mariano B. Caparas, Dr. Guillermo G. Damian, Mr. Norberto P. Hocson and Dr. Oscar M. Tangco. The judging was held at the UP College of Medicine library on May 25, 1987. The entry of Mrs. Lydia Tobias of the Information, Education and Communication Division, National Nutrition Council, Makati, Metro Manila was chosen as the winning entry which was adapted by MAHLAP as its official logo.

The logo looks like a person reading a book, indicating the objectives of MAHLAP to encourage and promote the collection, organization and dissemination of medical health information and library service; encourage and cultivate library cooperation, local and regional; and to enhance and uphold the dignity and ethics of the medical and health librarianship.

The seal consists of a circle and four triangles. The green circle symbolize the objectives of the association, going upward -- meaning the organization is searching and looking for the good of the members and organization itself. Color scheme represents truth and enlightenment: white, medicine - green, and progress - aqua blue.

Membership

The membership of MAHLAP has grown from an initial of forty members to one hundred eighty six at present. The membership comes from all over the country composed of medical and health librarians and information specialists from academe, government and private institutions. Memberships are of three types: regular, associate or institution.
A regular member is a person who has a college degree in Library science and works or who has worked in a medical or health related library, or one who is a candidate for a library science degree and/or with at least 24 units of library science and works in a medical or health related library.

An associate member is a person who is a degree holder in any field other than library science and works in a medical or health related library.

Honorary membership is granted by the association to any individual who has made outstanding contribution to the advancement of medical and health librarianship.

Institutional membership is granted to any firm, agency, institution or organization maintaining medical and health collection of at least 500 titles of books, and other materials, and regularly subscribing to at least 15 titles of professional and scientific journals, maintaining regular library hours and with a qualified librarian.

In the last four years, MAHLAP has granted three honorary memberships to medical and health professionals who have avidly supported MAHLAP. The following were awarded honorary membership: Dr. Generoso Basa, PCHRD, Professor Clarisa Dimalanta, CEU, and Dr. James Robey, WHO.