Upstate NY/Ontario Chapter of the Medical Library Association Home

Conference Plan for 2026 - In Process

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 12:34:27 GMT

Our conference Planning Committee is working on a plan for 2026. Various options are currently being considered. Watch this space for updates.

UNYOC'25 Virtual Conference - A Success!

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 12:57:53 GMT

What an amazing three days of engagement! Thank you to everyone who participated - attendees, presenters, vendors, keynote speakers. All were exceptional, and helped to create a successful online experience.

Now that the 2025 Conference has ended, we turn our attention to Chapter business, maintenance, further interactions, and a look ahead at 2026. Watch this space for details as they unfold.

Happy Fall Everyone!

UNYOC'25 Conference Planning Committee

UNYOC Professional Development Award Blogpost - by Jocelyn Swick-Jemison

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 15:01:52 GMT

At the end of April, I attended the Medical Library Association Annual Conference in Pittsburgh, PA. As the Data Services Librarian for the Health Sciences at the University at Buffalo, the MLA conference is a great opportunity to meet with other data services librarians to exchange thoughts, ideas and information. The conference also gave data services librarians the time and space to discuss what is happening at the federal level regarding NIH grants and how we can support our patrons during this time.

Last year I was on the committee that planned the first Data Management & Services symposium at MLA’24 in Portland, OR. This year I was honored to participate in the second data symposium as a panelist for a session titled The Spectrum of Data Librarianship: Exploring Diverse Roles and Practice. The panel sparked a great conversation with attendees about the broad array of duties that are taken on by data services librarians. The data symposium also offered a session about AI and Data Literacy in which a panel of experts offered their perspectives on how AI is being used by medical providers as well as researchers. The third session of the data symposium was a hands-on workshop focused on assessing the suitability of secondary datasets for re-use. It was exciting to be able to learn this new skill from experts!

I was also grateful to be asked to be asked to teach a CE titled Supporting Researchers in Optimizing Data Collection and Management. In this hands-on session I had attendees work through the process of taking a study protocol and using it to set up a database for data collection. The focus was on optimizing the data for analysis. I really enjoyed teaching this workshop and it opened excellent conversations with the attendees. As is usually the case with these things – I believe I learned as much as the students did.

The highlight of the conference for me was the presentation given by students who participate in the Street Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh program. I learned about how they approach providing services to unhoused people in Pittsburgh and the origins of the program. For those of you who watch The Pitt – this may sound familiar, as several of the medical students on the show volunteer on the “Street Team”.

I want to thank UNYOC for their financial support in attending this conference. It is truly appreciated.

Jocelyn Swick-Jemison

New call for UNYOC'25 member content

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 15:03:11 GMT

Greetings, UNYOC Members,

The initial call for content had a deadline for submission of March 31^st.

We are reopening the call today, with a new deadline of end-of-day on May 15^th, 2025.

We encourage you to contribute content to the UNYOC’25 Thrive in 2025: Leadership, Development, & Innovation online conference.

Topics that are theme-related are preferred, but presentations on any aspect of librarianship, or the medical and health sciences, are welcome.

You can also consider one of these topics requested by your fellow UNYOC members in the 2024 post-conference survey:

Library Skills Curriculum
Emotional Intelligence
Leadership in Libraries

Use this link to submit a proposal for a presentation, a lightning talk, or a poster: https://forms.gle/ynimiPxWYJ9j77gB8

Presentations are 15 minutes (10 minutes + 5 minutes for questions)
Lightning talks are 5 minutes total (Q&A happens after all talks are completed)
Poster presenters will get information on file type/size and logistics for the virtual poster session

For members that are not able to access Google products, please submit your abstract(s) via direct email to Mary Jo Russell and Beth Merkle (Cc’d on this message).

On behalf of the conference planning committee, thank you for contributing your time and expertise to make UNYOC’25 happen.

Best Regards,

Conference Communications Committee

Lorraine Porcello, Rebecca Kindon, & Liz Irish

Save the Date! October 7 - 9, 2025 is UNYOC'25 Annual Conference

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 18:17:17 GMT

On behalf of the 2025 Upstate New York and Ontario Chapter of MLA (UNYOC/MLA) Conference Planning Committee:

Be a part of the success of our Fall Conference

Theme: Thrive in 2025: Leadership ~ Development ~ Innovation

Dates: October 7-9, 2025

Place: Online, hosted by Southeastern NY Library Resources Council

Conference Speaker Highlight

Attorney and award-winning author, Jodé Millman, is one of this year’s distinguished keynote speakers. Creator of “The Writer’s Law School,” her talk will address aspects of copyright, artificial intelligence, and publishing articles in the present climate.

You are invited to share your expertise!
The call for proposals is open now! Deadline to submit proposals is end-of-day on May 15, 2025.

Use this link to submit a proposal for a presentation, a lightning talk, or a poster:
https://forms.gle/ynimiPxWYJ9j77gB8

Whether you are a seasoned professional or studying to be a librarian, UNYOC'25 is your chance to share your knowledge, insights, and groundbreaking research with a diverse and engaged audience. Your unique experiences and perspectives are highly valued and appreciated. And best of all, you can do it from the comfort of your office. We encourage you to submit presentations on any aspect of librarianship, or the medical and health sciences.

More details on the conference schedule will follow.

Please email any questions to mla.unyoc@gmail.com, and feel free to share this invitation!

Kind Regards,

UNYOC'25 Communications Committee: Elizabeth Irish, Rebecca Kindon, Lorraine Porcello

Conference Planning Chair: Mary Jo Russell

UNYOC Professional Development Award 2025 -- Application Deadline Thursday, March 27, 2025.

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 19:22:31 GMT

Dear colleagues,

Apply for the UNYOC Professional Development Award today!

The Professional Development Award is intended to provide an opportunity for librarians and information specialists to pursue a continuing education/professional development opportunity in the area of health sciences librarianship. Two awards of $500 will be given each year. Please see the web page for details on how to apply: https://unyoc.wildapricot.org/PDaward

Applications for this cycle must be completed by Thursday, March 27, 2025.

Looking forward to reviewing your applications!

Members-at-large,

Jamia Williams, Laura Riggs, and Jessica Hollister

UNYOC Professional Development Award Blog Post -by Jessica Hollister

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 19:24:28 GMT

Jessica Hollister

This October, I attended the 2024 UNYOC Annual Meeting in Celeron, NY. As a newer health sciences librarian, this served as a terrific opportunity to interact with and present to my fellow regional librarians.

At the University at Buffalo, I am the chair of the Libraries’ AI Literacy Training Task Force. This committee serves to assess AI competency and use in the UB Libraries, and to design and implement AI training opportunities for UB Libraries faculty and staff, and the wider UB academic community. When UNYOC put out the call for proposals, I was excited at the prospect of attending and the potential of presenting to a room of colleagues on a topic that was in line with the conference panel discussion.

After submitting a proposal, I was fortunate to be selected for a Lightning Talk session. From there, the challenge was to craft a presentation that would inform on the assessment work of the Literacy Training Task Force in a way that could be applicable to other institutions within the time limit. I elected to create a more content-heavy presentation, for the purposes of providing more scaffolding to any colleague who requested a copy. As a newer health sciences librarian, I was feeling a bit nervous to present. However, the UNYOC attendees did not disappoint as they facilitated an encouraging and dynamic atmosphere for each presentation. As an attendee, I was thrilled to learn about the creative and important work my chapter colleagues are doing at their institutions. Overall, the experience was energizing, and I look forward to continuing to interact with my fellow chapter members.

Anne Meore gave the keynote address on Thursday, October 24, 2024. Meore’s work as an instructor, social worker, and horticultural therapist presented a unique perspective for us librarians. She asked us to consider not only the physical characteristics of our own working spaces, but also the spaces in which we interact with our health sciences or hospital library constituents. Through her lecture and activity, she reasoned that spaces could be both productive and welcoming by introducing light and greenery sensory elements. The horticultural therapy exercise wherein each attendee decorated their own plant environment demonstrated the positive impact these elements can have—regardless of how small the element. Moving forward, my team and I seeking opportunities to apply these lessons and create friendlier spaces for ourselves and our patrons.

Thank you, UNYOC, for affording this opportunity, and your continued support for the regional MLA community!

Posters at UNYOC

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 18:52:09 GMT

Presenting a poster at UNYOC is a great way to showcase your innovation, project, website upgrade, user experience, or any other library endeavor. You can use the opportunity to test a new approach or new way of doing something, or to demonstrate a library product or invention. It can also be a great way to test out an idea before submitting it to a national conference. Share your experience with us!

A poster does not need to be complicated or printed out on high-gloss paper. I’ve done three of these, and in all three cases I used either a stiff poster board or a tri-fold display board, either of which can be purchased at Staples. Having said that, a professionally printed poster is the best if you have the means to do so.

Test your poster on an easel to make sure it will stay open and upright; bring your own portable easel if you can. Hotels do not allow posters to be attached to the walls in any manner.

Here are some tips on creating a poster for display:

Keep the layout simple and the text easy to read from a short distance. Most people stand about 3 to 5 feet away when they view a poster.
Do check and make sure any graphics or images used are not copyrighted; an easy way to avoid copyright is to make your own graphic or use your own photo images.
Go with a simple font like Ariel or MS Sans Serif.
If adding information in your own handwriting, be sure to use a good sharpie or poster marker.
Would a handout be nice for the viewers? If so, include any relevant information and/or references along with poster details.
Is there additional information you’d like to share but can’t fit it on the poster? Consider creating a companion web page and insert a QR code on the poster.

Things to Avoid:

Blurry or pixelated images
Layout too busy or font too small
Notes or words added using thin marker or ball point pen
Poster too large for easel and falls off
Multiple handouts

(By the way, it is best to remain at your poster for the entire poster session.)

Call for Nominations! 2024 Katy Nesbit Service Award

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 19:04:13 GMT

Greetings UNYOC members!

Each year, UNYOC recognizes a UNYOC member for exemplary service to the Chapter. The recipient receives a plaque and paid registration to the next Annual Meeting. In 2004, the award was named in honor of Katy Nesbit, a dedicated member of both UNYOC and the Medical Library Association. Among her many honors and achievements, Katy was a past recipient of the Chapter’s Service Award. The call for nominations for the Katy Nesbit Service Award occurs annually. The deadline date for this year is Sunday, September 30.

The Katy Nesbit Service Award is given to a UNYOC member for exemplary service to the Chapter during the past year. A plaque and paid UNYOC registration for the next UNYOC meeting will be awarded to the recipient. The Award will be presented at the Annual Meeting.

Criteria used to determine the recipient of the award include, but are not limited to:

Serving as an officer or committee chair/member
Working on special UNYOC projects
Developing/teaching courses for UNYOC members
Presenting papers/posters at UNYOC meetings
Writing/editing for UNYOC publications
Acting as a mentor or consultant for UNYOC members
Representing UNYOC to other groups

If you know of an UNYOC member whose contributions to the Chapter deserve recognition through the Katy Nesbit Award, please nominate him/her.

Please complete the nomination form by September 30, 2024, to be considered. If you have any questions, please contact us at MLA.UNYOC@gmail.com.

2024 Conference: call for proposals

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 15:57:54 GMT

We invite you to present at the 60^th UNYOC Annual Conference in Celeron, NY.

This year we are "Having A Ball!" at the beautiful Chautauqua Harbor Hotel from October 23 – 25, 2024.

We encourage you to submit presentations on any aspect of librarianship, or the medical and health sciences, that you are passionate about! Your unique perspectives and experiences are highly valued and appreciated.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, September 13, 2024.

Please note that there are two separate forms that you can use to submit content for consideration.

Please use this link to submit a proposal for posters, lightning talks, or presentation:
https://forms.gle/euDBPc8kEPpa2sCY9
Please use this link to participate as a panelist in this year's panel discussion:
https://forms.gle/X9mHvKJswUbdWdn9A

The topic for this year's panel discussion is Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Academic Health Sciences and Hospital Libraries. The panel discussion will take place during morning programming on Friday, October 25, 2024 after Dr. Steven Petersen's keynote presentation titled "Why AI Is an Existential Risk."

The purpose of this discussion panel is to highlight and share the many ways that library staff are engaging with, or affected by, the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, including but not limited to generative pre-trained transformers or GPTs.

Some examples include:

Curriculum development to address the intersection between information literacy and AI literacy.

Chasing citation "hallucinations".

Policy development to address ethical concerns.

We encourage you to volunteer as a panelist to share your experiences, whatever they may be.

Whether you are a seasoned professional or studying to be a librarian, UNYOC'24 is your chance to share your knowledge, insights, and groundbreaking research with a diverse and engaged audience.

Your expertise and passion are what make UNYOC great!

If accepted, first and second authors and discussion panelists who submit an abstract by August 31, 2024, will receive a $50 discount on conference registration.

Submissions will be evaluated using rubrics and criteria for MLA'23 Papers, Posters, and Lightning Talks.

Once you have completed your abstract submission, remember to register for the event and book your hotel stay.

May Communications Letter -- by Jaimi McLean

Tue, 28 May 2024 12:14:51 GMT

Registration is around the corner!

UNYOC’s 2024 Conference will be held on October 23-25th at the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel in Chautauqua, NY! Explore the area ahead of time in anticipation of early bird specials when registration opens this summer. We’re going to have a ball this fall.

Conference Proposals

If you have an idea, no matter how big or how small, we are the group to share it with! We build our program around the submissions we receive. Your content can be a poster, a lightning talk, or more. Please consider presenting; you won’t find a more welcoming group. Start your noggins! Invitations for proposals will open later this summer.

Speaker Announcements

We are delighted to welcome three keynote speakers to our 60th conference this October

Anne M. Meore, MA, LMSW, HTR

Licensed Master Social Worker & Registered Horticultural Therapist

Ms. Meore is a licensed social worker in New York and a registered horticultural therapist with the American Horticultural Therapy Association. Anne is the Garden Projects Coordinator for Bon Secours Charity Health System in Suffern, NY, where she is responsible for designing and managing therapeutic garden spaces and conducting Horticultural Therapy programming in the accessible and therapeutic, “Garden of Hope,” at Good Samaritan Hospital. At the New York Botanical Garden, Anne serves as the Horticultural Therapy Program Coordinator for THRIVE (Therapeutic Horticulture and Rehabilitative Intervention for Veteran Engagement) in partnership with the Bronx VA’s Resilience & Wellness Program.

Lori V. Quigley, Ph.D.

Full Professor & Program Coordinator in Leadership and Policy at Niagara University

Dr. Quigley has enjoyed a career in education that ranges from achieving the rank of tenured full professor to university president. Currently, Dr. Quigley is a full professor of leadership and policy at Niagara University and is also an educational consultant and advisor to many school districts and colleges/universities in areas ranging from curriculum development to strengthening diversity, equity, and inclusionary policies and practices. Lori grew up on the Allegany territory of the Seneca Nation of Indians; currently, she lives in Grand Island, NY, with her husband, Don, and their Goldendoodle, Clancy.

In her address, "Multigenerational Effects Resulting from the Native American Residential Boarding School Era", Dr. Quigley will draw on her lived experience growing up on the Allegany territory of the Seneca Nation of Indians and reflect on her mother's experiences as a survivor of a residential boarding school.

Steve Petersen, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Philosophy at Niagara University

Steve Petersen is a philosopher at Niagara University. He first started publishing on the philosophy of Artificial Intelligence in 2006, and for the past ten years his focus has been on philosophical and mathematical aspects of "the alignment problem" for artificial superintelligence. Related research involves formalizing scientific theorizing using tools from algorithmic information theory. He is also a local part-time actor and improvisor - though not so much since the birth of his delightful children.

Dr. Petersen's keynote address, "Why AI is an Existential Risk", will explore the myths and realities behind the worries about future super-intelligent computers.

UNYOC Professional Development Award -- by Michelle L. Zafron

Sat, 25 May 2024 23:48:24 GMT

This May, I attended the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Medical Library Association in Portland, OR. It was a great experience. It afforded me the opportunity to learn a lot, reconnect with old colleagues, and meet new ones.

Along with some other colleagues at the University at Buffalo, I am a co-developer of our Evidence Syntheses Service so most of the programming I went to had a focus on systematic reviews [SRs] and specifically about similar services. There were also some interesting sessions about the use of AI with SRs. “An empirical study evaluating ChatGPT’s performance in generating search strategies for systematic reviews” looked at how well the free and premium versions of ChatGPT worked with both question formulation and search strategy. Not unsurprisingly, the premium version of ChatGPT performed better. I am personally still not sure where AI fits in conducting SRs, but there are definitely some tedious parts of reviews that it would be nice to have automated.

“’Do I really need to work with a Librarian?’: Exploring the Reporting and Reproducibility of Comprehensive Reviews Published on an Academic Medical Campus” and “Examining Institutional Evidence Synthesis Publications to Inform Outreach & Provision of Service for an Academic Library’s Evidence Synthesis Service” were a few sessions I attended where librarians had run searches of SRs done at their institutions and then evaluated the reviews to see if a librarian had been involved and to evaluate the quality of the reviews.

Several of the papers I heard dealt with managing workload, team preparation, dealing with ill-formed research questions, and other issues. “Defining our scope: Eliminating “service creep” in library systematic review support services” was an engaging lightning talk with some suggestions for some of these issues. For instance, requiring that a protocol be written before meeting with a team and having the SR coordinator being firm about compliance with their policies were suggested. Lydia Howes gave a lightning talk, “What to do when the SR team is at capacity: Grab a number, get in line, and learn SR methodology” and shared that their library utilizes learning checklists “to provide a scaffolded approach to learning” for their teams so they are better prepared to write protocols and conduct reviews.

“Speed Dating Through Evidence Synthesis Education: Finding Your Instructional Match” was a great immersion session where we heard from a panel of librarians and then did breakouts working our way through questions designed to help us figure out solutions to a lot of the very common hurdles that come from SRs. One of the presenters, Sally Smith, talked specifically about a course she has developed and mounted on their course management system designed to help both non-medical librarians and research teams with learning the basics of conducting Evidence Syntheses projects. Another librarian shared that she had created scripts for every aspect of doing a review that she could then email each time. All of these are things that I would like to suggest that we adapt for our own purposes at our library.

Thank you UNYOC, for awarding me UNYOC Professional Development Scholarship!

Photo from left to right: Liz Stellrecht, Molly Maloney, Jocelyn Swick-Jemison, Amy Lyons, Michelle Zafron, and Nell Aronoff

November Communications Letter

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 14:47:52 GMT

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all had a wonderful, inspiring, and scenic conference last week. Congratulations to our award winners, presenters, and first-time attendees. We’re already getting to work on next year’s conference so let the ideas ruminate and get ready for submissions next year.

Caucus News

1. There are several officer positions open for nominations

Vice-Chair/Incoming Chair
Secretary
Conference Planning Vice-Chair
MLA Credentialing Liaison
Government Relations, New York

If you are interested, please contact Denise Smith (she/her: dsmith@brocku.ca) to inquire about descriptions, lengths of commitments, and elections.

Save The Date

We’re turning 60! The 2024 Conference will take place in Chautauqua, New York! More information

To come.

Continuing Education

Registration is open to enter the lottery for the University of Michigan's Systematic Review Course in April 2024: Lottery registration is due by January 10th, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET:

https://www.lib.umich.edu/research-and-scholarship/library-workshops-and-credit-courses/systematic-reviews-workshop/registration-and-fees

Scholarships & Grants

There are numerous scholarships and grants accepting applications right now, many of which have November 15^th deadlines. These can be easily overlooked in your emails, so consider your projects and what you could possibly be eligible for. Good luck!

· The Broering Latinx Heritage Grant awards $1,000 annually to a person of Latinx ethnicity, or a person who has an interest in Latinx community information services. Librarians who want to pursue a professional activity in the latest medical information services using the latest technical formats are encouraged to apply. The application deadline is November 15. Information on the grant, criteria, and the online application can be found here: https://www.mlanet.org/p/cm/ld/fid=306 Please contact Jury Chair, Jason Burton [jtburton@library.ucla.edu] with any questions.

· Hospital Libraries Professional Development Grant: https://www.mlanet.org/page/hospital-libraries-section/mla-professional-development-grants Application deadline: November 15^th.

· MLA is now accepting applications for the Research, Development, and Demonstration Project Grant. The purpose of this grant is to provide support for research, development, or demonstration projects that will help to promote excellence in the field of health sciences librarianship and information sciences. More than one grant can be awarded each year, and the amount can range from $100 to $1,000. Application Deadline November 15^th.

Acknowledgments

Congratulations to Nell Aronoff of the University of Buffalo’s Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. On October 26^th, Nell was named the recipient of the 2023 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Librarianship. She has held numerous roles with both UNYOC and the MLA, and this chapter is so proud of her achievements. You can read more about her career and this accomplishment here.

Jaimi M.

Call for Presentation Submissions

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 12:51:36 GMT

Join us at the UNYOC Annual Conference in Clayton, NY, at the beautiful 1000 Island Harbor Hotel! The conference will take place October 25^th -27^th. 2023.

We are thrilled to announce the annual Upstate New York and Ontario Chapter (UNYOC) of the Medical Librarians Association Conference 2023. We invite you to contribute your expertise and passion to this incredible event! Whether you are a seasoned professional or studying to be a librarian, this is your chance to share your knowledge, insights, and groundbreaking research with a diverse and engaged audience.

This conference aims to bring together professionals from various medical and health science disciplines, creating an environment where innovative ideas can flourish, networks can be built, and valuable collaborations can be forged. Your unique perspective and expertise will greatly contribute to the success of this event.

We are seeking a wide range of presentation formats to accommodate different topics and styles of communication. Whether you prefer to deliver a dynamic lightning talk to ignite inspiration, present a comprehensive poster to showcase your research visually, or have a longer, in-depth presentation to delve into your chosen subject matter, we warmly welcome your submissions. With a diverse range of presentation options available, you have the freedom to select the format that best suits your content and presentation style.

Moreover, we extend a special invitation to all those interested in librarianship. As a rapidly evolving field, librarianship is crucial in the medical and health sciences sectors, facilitating access to vital information and supporting research endeavors. We encourage aspiring and experienced librarians to share their unique perspectives, challenges, and success stories in this ever-ever-changing landscape. Your contributions will undoubtedly enrich the conference and enhance the overall knowledge-sharing experience.

Here are just a few suggested topics to spark your creativity:

1. Emerging Trends in Medical Research: Unveiling the Latest Breakthroughs

2. Digital Libraries: Navigating the World of Online Resources

3. Librarians as Knowledge Navigators: Bridging the Gap between Information and Research

4. Data Management in the Health Sciences: Best Practices and Challenges

5. Open Access Publishing: Democratizing Knowledge in the Medical Field

6. Evidence-Based Medicine: The Role of Librarians in Promoting Quality Research

7. Integrating Technology into Health Sciences Libraries: From Virtual Reality to Artificial Intelligence

8. Health Information Literacy: Empowering Patients and Caregivers

However, please note that these topics are only suggestions – we encourage you to submit presentations on any aspect of librarianship or the medical and health sciences you are passionate about! Your unique perspectives and experiences are highly valued and appreciated.

Submitting your presentation proposal is quick and easy. The following link will take you to the submission form and the guidelines.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfWNVSDg3nnS2PW3ADY4v5-1ceOMaVSzHPT8AGn_3U42iR4dA/viewform?usp=sf_link

The deadline for submissions is September 15^th. 2023, so take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to showcase your work and inspire others in the field.

Join us at the forefront of innovation, collaboration, and discovery in the medical and health sciences community. Together, let's shape librarianship's future and advance medical knowledge's frontiers. We eagerly await your presentation submissions and welcome you to our esteemed conference.

Registration for UNYOC 2023 is NOW OPEN

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 12:47:18 GMT

Registration for UNYOC 2023 is NOW OPEN at https://unyoc.wildapricot.org/Member-Registration

We invite you to register and join us for the 2023 UNYOC Annual Conference at 1000 Island Harbor Hotel, Clayton, NY. The meeting will take place on October 25^th- 27^th, 2023.

Conference Registration prices:

Early Bird: $185 – ends 8/25/23
Regular: $ 215 – ends 9/22/23
Late: $ 240 – ends 10/18/23
Onsite: $ 280

To reserve a reduced-rate hotel room, you can call the hotel reservation desk at (315) 686-1100 and request the Upstate New York and Ontario Chapter (UNYOC) of the Medical Library Association room block or by going to their website at https://www.1000islandsharborhotel.com/ and using the block code UNYOC to secure your Group Attendee reservation.

Rates: Govt. Per Diem/Tax Exempt Reduced Rate = $118.00

Regular Reduced Rate = $159.00

Rooms at this rate will only be available until they are filled, or September 25, 2023.

Rooms at this rate are also limited. Book early to guarantee this special rate!

Reservations made after September 25 will not be eligible to receive the group rate.

1000 Island Sunset – Come See for Yourself!

SAVE THE DATE- UNYOC Conference 2023

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 20:05:52 GMT

Hello,

UNYOC Conference 2023 will be held on October 25-27^th at the 1000 Island Harbor Hotel in Clayton, NY

Clayton is a quaint village in Northern New York. The hotel rests on the banks of the St. Lawrence River amid the beauty of the 1000 islands. Restaurants and unique shops are within walking distance, and the hotel is less than 10 miles away from the 1000 Island Bridge and Bolte Castle in Alexandria Bay, New York.

If you have never been to the region, it’s a must-see. If you’ve been, you already know why you need to come back!

Additionally, we have had repeated requests for more member/supporter content in our conference programming. We are unable to do that without member/supporter submissions. If you have an idea, no matter how big or how small, we are the group to share it with. We build our program around the submissions we receive. Your content can be a poster, a lightning talk, or more. Please consider presenting; you won’t find a more welcoming group. We will begin soliciting submissions in the spring. Stay tuned!

As this year’s conference chair, I look forward to hosting you in a region I hold dear to my heart.

Enjoy the day,

Kimberly A. Nolan MLS, AHIP
UNYOC Conference Chair 2023

1000 Island Sunset: Just Gorgeous!!

Meet Our UNYOC 2022 Keynote Speakers: Beatriz LeBron

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 15:08:51 GMT

Beatriz LeBron executes Healthi Kids’ Play ROCs campaign, developing strategies and tactics that advance play as a cornerstone of whole child health in schools and in neighborhoods. LeBron currently serves as The Vice-President of the RCSD Board of Education, chairs the Finance and Human Resources Committees. She is currently attending law school at the University Of Arizona James E. Rogers College Of Law. She earned her associate degree in Liberal Arts from Monroe Community College, a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations & Economics from St. John Fisher College, her certificate in Finance from Georgetown. LeBron has served more than 23 years in the human services sector and has extensive experience as a supervisor, educator, trainer and community health worker. In her spare time, LeBron enjoys art, reading and spending time with her grandchildren, children, partner and puppy Barkley.

Through the personal journey of navigating through trauma, violence, addiction, and poverty there is hope at the end of the tunnel. These stories, from the block to the board, are often romanticized when in reality it requires daily work and consistency in moving forward and upward. Most importantly it requires the development of a support system. This is where community health models come into play. Community Health Work looks at the whole self and supporting individuals in navigating through social determinants of health. It is a critical model we have today to affect sustainable changes in our society; it is also one of the most undervalued.

Beatriz LeBron is our opening keynote speaker on Friday, October 28th.

Meet Our UNYOC 2022 Keynote Speakers: Mary Carey

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 14:40:33 GMT

A critical care nurse by training, Dr. Mary G. Carey is a researcher, educator, and mentor whose work has made significant contributions to the understanding of ECG monitoring. As Director of the Clinical Nursing Research Center at URMC, Carey also mentors, advises, and supports the scholarly aspirations of nurses throughout their careers. She is a guiding force in prompting nurses to partake in clinical research projects to improve the quality of care. She is also highly involved in the management and direction of the nursing discipline and nursing faculty. She currently serves on numerous committees at the university, national and international levels. A prolific publisher, Carey has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed and scholarly articles. Carey has earned numerous honors in her 30-year career, most recently being inducted into the International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame. Dr. Carey is a champion of librarians and is delighted to present to our group of Upstate New York and Ontario Chapter of the Medical Library Association members.

This presentation to the Upstate New York and Ontario Chapter of the Medical Library Association UNYOC/MLA, aims at presenting the strength of the Academic Practice Partnership at the University of Rochester Medical Center. The attendees will understand the significance of academic medical centers and magnet designation has on improving nursing science and how librarians have historically supported nursing research. Nurses rate the information found by librarians to be high quality; thus, librarians play an important role in selecting resources and evaluating information.

Dr. Mary G. Carey is our opening keynote speaker on Thursday, October 27th.

UNYOC Annual Conference 2022 CE Course

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 17:39:28 GMT

Hello everyone,

Please join us for our UNYOC 2022 Conference CE Session with Dr. Lyle Q. Foster of Missouri State University!

This year's session, "Critical Conversations: Building Workplace Communication Skills" will take place on Wednesday, October 26^th from 1-4pm at the RIT Inn and Conference Center. The cost for the session is $65 USD (purchase with registration).

For full CE description please visit our website here: https://unyoc.wildapricot.org/Annual-Meeting-CE

Join us at our UNYOC Annual Conference 2022!

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 17:35:20 GMT

Hello everyone!

Please register and join us for the 2022 UNYOC Annual Conference at the RIT Inn and Conference Center in Rochester, NY. The meeting will be taking place on October 26th, 27th, and 28th. Visit our website here to register: https://unyoc.wildapricot.org/Annual-Meeting

Conference Registration prices:

· Member price: $100

· Student/retiree: $25

· Non-Member: $150

To reserve a hotel room at a special rate of $109 :

· Reservations may be made by calling the front desk at 585 359 1800 and requesting the Upstate New York and Ontario Chapter of the Medical Library Association room block or by going to our website at https://www.rit.edu/ritinn and selecting the Reservations tab. Under “Add Code” your guests can choose “Group Attendee” from the drop down menu and then input the block code 221016UNYO.

· Rooms at this rate will be available until they are filled, or October 15th. Rooms at this rate are limited! Book early to guarantee this special rate! Reservations made after October 15th will not be eligible to receive the group rate.

Stay up to date on conference planning developments at http://unyoc.mlanet.org/

The Charleston Conference: Awardee Report

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 14:57:04 GMT

*This post is shared on behalf of one of our professional development award winner, Marie Ascher.*

Thanks to a UNYOC professional development award, librarians at New York Medical College attended the virtual Charleston Conference in November 2021. Most were first-time attendees. The Charleston Conference is an annual gathering of librarians, publishers, electronic resource managers, consultants, and vendors of library materials. We thought it was an outstanding conference and a good opportunity for professional development. Originally Marie Ascher received the award but due to travel restrictions she opted to open virtual attendance to multiple colleagues.

This is what the NYMC librarians had to say:

The practical aspects of this conference were especially rewarding. Hearing about actual transformative agreements that libraries have developed and successfully executed, which vendors they are working with and what the publishers’ perspectives are, is valuable information when you are forming your own agreement.

The Charleston Conference provided a deep dive into current issues in electronic resource management and collection development. This helped me feel more confident when facing tasks at work that are new to me. The conference was an ideal opportunity to engage with librarians across disciplines about the common challenges to our profession. In this way we discover solutions and find a sense of community and connection.
I found this conference to be particularly rewarding for professional development involving collection management, topics in scholarly communication, and career planning.
We appreciate the opportunity that the UNYOC Professional Development Award gave us to attend the Charleston Conference. It was a great experience and several of us are looking forward to attending again in the future, maybe in person next time.
One of us had attended the Charleston Conference in the past and highly recommend every librarian attend. The practical knowledge that is shared during the sessions provides effective solutions to everyday issues in library collections and management. Thanks to UNYOC for providing the resources for NYMC librarians to attend the 2021 conference.
I’ve always wanted to attend the Charleston Conference. It was a great conference although I’m sure it could be better in-person. I attended several sessions on transformative agreements, on diversity and inclusion, and on new document delivery options. I plan to attend again in the future. The content covered here was very different from what you normally see at a Medical Library Association meeting.

If you are interested in attending this conference, the registration and call for papers for 2022 are now open. For more information, see https://www.charleston-hub.com/the-charleston-conference/ Maybe we’ll see you there!

Vendor Registration is live! UNYOC Annual Meeting 2022

Fri, 20 May 2022 19:33:18 GMT

Vendor Registration is now live for the UNYOC Annual Meeting 2022!

When: October 26th -- 28th, 2022

Where: RIT Inn and Conference Center, Rochester NY (lodging details TBA)

Sponsorship information is available on the registration page.