Marcus' World: Life in a Professional Association

I've generally refrained from commenting on library issues on the blog. When I began doing this I conceived of it as a general-purpose writing outlet, rather than a place for my thoughts on librarianship. I figured that my collegues already knew how I felt about various issues, and that other friends wouldn't care that much.

The blog has evolved as I hoped--Sometimes it's a travel diary; other times a news service about the accomplishments of my friends; other times a political screed. I'm hoping to eliminate the screeds by posting articles from thoughtful people of all political persuasions.

But today I do want to talk about librarianship--specifically, some thoughts on my involvement in the Medical Library Association (MLA). I've had a very positive experience in MLA, and expect this to continue. Some examples: At an early point in my career I've had the opportunity to serve on a task force that examined MLA's international initiatives, and I'm currently a member of MLA's Governmental Relations Committee.

I know that lots of young librarians feel that MLA is inhospitable, and I admire my NLM Associate colleague Shannon Jones for taking the initiative to start a New Members Special Interest Group. I hope that this group flourishes, and that more young librarians begin to enjoy a positive experience in MLA.

Despite my overall positive feelings, I am troubled by one aspect of Association life. At the beginning of my MLA involvement, my goal was very simple: Meet anyone and everyone. At that time it was too early to understand the political dynamics that are inevitable within any organization. So I quickly knew lots of people and was involved in many projects.

Over time, I've become aware of those members who thrive in MLA and those who feel it is an unresponsive organization to which they grudgingly belong. The problem is that, as I become part of the thriving group, it's become clear that some of my contacts from the "meet everyone you can" phase are in the grudgingly belong category. And they aren't going anywhere.

I do recognize my own interest in cultivating relationships with those people who have succeeded in the Association rather than those who have not. But it feels very strange, because even the grumps have been nice to me.