Dean Marshall Elected President of MLA

Joanne Gard Marshall, professor and dean of SILS, has been named president-elect of the Medical Library Association (MLA) for 2003-2004. She will serve as president of the association from 2004-2005.

Marshall's term as president-elect will officially begin this May at the end of MLA '03, the association's annual meeting, in San Diego.

"This is an exciting and challenging time to be named the president-elect of a major national association such as the MLA," said Marshall. "The involvement of faculty in such associations shows the continuing link between the university and the professions and offers many opportunities for collaboration.

"I am honored to join this group of colleagues as we continue to work together toward the improvement of health and health care through the provision of the highest quality information."

Marshall joined SILS in January 1999. Previously, she was a faculty member at the University of Toronto. In addition to a Ph.D. in community health, Marshall holds a master of health science degree from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and a master of library science degree from McGill University in Montreal. Her experience in the field includes working for 15 years of work as a librarian in various academic and health sciences libraries.

Marshall has worked for the MLA on both national and regional levels. She served on the association's board of directors from 1994-1997 and was twice elected to serve on its nominating committee. She has chaired numerous section library associations and was named an MLA fellow in 2002.

She has received numerous awards, including the MLA doctoral fellowship. In 1992 and 1998, she was awarded the MLA Eliot Prize for the most significant research in medical librarianship, and in 1992 she received the Canadian Health Libraries Association's Award of Outstanding Achievement.

Marshall received the H.W. Wilson Award in 1997 and the John Cotton Dana Award from the Special Libraries Association in 1998. She is also a distinguished member of the Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP).