SLA Biomedical and Life Sciences Division

DBIO Recommended Practices - Student Relations Committee

Function: The Committee strives to further communication between professionals and library/information science students, and create awareness among students of the opportunities in biomedical and life sciences librarianship.

Qualifications: In addition to the qualifications outlined in Appendix A - Qualifications, Expenses, Records and Reporting for Executive Board, Advisory Board/Council and Committees, it is recommended that at least one student or recent graduate be included as a member of the committee to help relate and better define the goals and objectives of the committee with those of students.

Appointment: The term of appointment is two years, renewable once.

Duties:
  1. Set goals for the year and plan for reaching those goals.
  2. Annually revise and update the Division’s promotional brochure for students.
  3. Work with SLA Student Relations Officer in drawing up plans and solicit suggestions for further involvement.
  4. Coordinate annual conference plans with the Chair, Membership Committee, to work on special student-oriented functions or means of recognizing students within the Division.
  5. Be the Biomedical and Life Sciences Division liaison with the SLA Student Relations Officer in obtaining tickets to Division events for students interested in the Division. This service will also need to be coordinated with the Division Chair, who will give guidance as to how many and what type of sponsorship will be given to students.
  6. Encourage student participation within the Division through membership on Division
    committees and within Division sections, caucuses, and roundtables.
  7. Provide information and support for student members through the column BioLife within the Division’s newsletter, Biofeedback. Encourage students to submit material for the column. Topics to cover would include: job ads; program information for MLIS/Advanced Certificates/Ph.D.s at library schools; tips for what types of classes are advisable for a science librarian, biomedical/biotechnology librarian, medical librarian, for profit vs. not-for-profit employment; conference experiences of students; promotion of programs of interest to students; articles by students.
  8. Provide information and promote support through notices posted on the Division’s electronic discussion list and through other lists within and outside of SLA.
  9. Create a network of Division members to serve as liaisons with SLA student chapters or library schools to spread information and promote biomedical and life sciences librarianship as a career to those in and considering going to library school.
  10. Review the Student Relations/ Career Guidance Committee section of the Recommended Practices in February and submit corrections, revisions, and so forth to the Director for inclusion in the next revision.
  11. By deadline determined each year (typically January), the Committee Chair shall submit an estimated budget to the Treasurer.
Rev. May 2014