The role of the Research committee is to stimulate individual research efforts, to establish and implement joint research efforts, and to share research information among the chapter and MLA. The committee has six members plus the chair. We try to maintain geographic considerations, with three hospital and three academic librarian members. Members serve for up to three years (renewable) and the chair for one year, trying to stagger term endings to provide continuity.

Activities

Southern Chapter Journal Usage Study

In 1992, the Research Committee began the Southern Chapter Journal Usage Study in response to a survey of Chapter members’ top priorities. The Phase I in 1992 tested the methodology for data collection. The Phase II study took place in 1993, and included participation by twenty-two SC/MLA libraries, including fifteen hospital and seven academic libraries. The results of the Phase II study were presented at the 1994 Southern Chapter meeting poster session in Orlando, Florida and also the 1995 MLA Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. Phase III of the study took place in 1995 and included participation from 67 libraries in total, including 15 major academic health sciences libraries and 52 hospital libraries. Final results of the study were presented at the 1996 MLA Annual Meeting in Kansas City, Missouri. The presentation was the recipient of the Medical Library Association Research Section’s “Best Research Paper Award” for 1996.

Final results of the study were presented at the Ninety-sixth Annual Meeting of the Medical Library Association, Kansas City, Missouri, June 1996. The presentation was the recipient of the Medical Library Association Research Section Best Research Paper Award for 1996.

Publication:
Dee CR, Rankin JA, Burns. Using scientific evidence to improve hospital library services: Southern Chapter/Medical Library Association journal usage study. Bull Med Libr Assoc 1998 Jul;86(3):301-6.

Goals

Directed by the SC/MLA strategic plan, the Research Committee aims to stimulate and facilitate research activities within Southern Chapter membership through these specific goals:

• identification, proposal development, and implementation of collaborative, chapter-wide research projects among SC/MLA members;
• recognition, encouragement, and support for chapter members engaged in ongoing research projects;
• communication in Southern Expressions, and on the SOCHAP-L discussion list of the results of research by SC/MLA members; and
• promotion of education in research methodologies at the annual chapter meeting.

To accomplish their goals, members of the Research Committee:

• investigate and support chapter wide research projects, such as those which led to these publications:
  Dee CR, Rankin JA, Burns. Using scientific evidence to improve hospital library services: Southern Chapter/Medical Library Association journal usage study. Bull Med Libr Assoc 1998 Jul;86(3):301-6 and Paden SL, Batson AL, Wallace RL. Web-based Loansome Doc, librarians, and end users: results from a survey of the Southeast Region. Bull Med Libr Assoc 2001 Jul;89(3):263-71
• seek applicants for a chapter Research Project Grant;
• identify and award the best research papers and poster presentations at the SC/MLA annual meeting;
• encourage individual researchers by spotlighting research projects of Southern Chapter members in the "Research Spotlight" column in Southern Expressions;
• maintain a list of chapter members' research interests and those willing to serve as research mentors;
• participate in SC/MLA strategic plan activities.