Many thanks to Liz Sobczak for her long review on library committees.
Summaries are so helpful, and I save them all.

I didn't respond to Liz originally, but after my committee's meeting two
days ago, I would like to add my two cents.  Everyone on the library
committee here is the greatest.  I could do my job without them, and I could
make all the decisions myself, but I don't want to!  Their ideas,
witticisms, new ways of thinking, and encouragement are invaluable to me.
They champion my causes to I.S. and administration.  They go to the medical
executive committee to get me extra money for projects beyond my budget.
They demo new products.  And we have a lot of fun!

The committee is composed of four I.S. people, a pharmacist, director of the
education department, a researcher from QI, and eight physicians, including
the present and past presidents of the medical staff.   We meet once a
quarter, with emails flying around in between if something needs to be
decided.

A couple weeks ago, I found out that something I had been trying for months
to get in my budget was refused.  I was really, really disappointed.  I went
to the chairman of the committee, a physician who's office is here in the
hospital, and told him about it.  Then to my great embarrassment, I got all
teary!  Really unprofessional!  He was so kind.  He commiserated about how
awful the budget process is, and then he gave me a couple good ideas on how
to build my case.  Then he emailed me at home that night to tell me that I
was doing a great job.  Now is that support, or what?

It's my vote that library committees are not a thing of the past.  With the
right people, they can be a huge asset.

Beth Treaster
Health Sciences Library
Saint Francis Hospital
6161 S Yale
Tulsa, OK  74136

[log in to unmask]
Voice 918-494-1210       Fax 918-494-1893