Development of Medical Libraries in RI 1754 - 2016 - The Rhode Island Special Interest Group (SIG) of NAHSL - NAHSL at North Atlantic Health Sciences Libraries, Inc. (NAHSL)

Deevlopment of Medical Libraries in RI 1754-2002

Development of Medical Libraries in Rhode Island
1754	The Redwood Library, founded by Abraham Redwood has a collection of medical books which "...were amply sufficient to give the medical student competent information of all that was then known in the English language on Anatomy, Surgery, Chemistry, Botany..."
1811	Establishment of Brown University Medical School (1811-1927) and of the Brown University Medical Association. The Association was for the benefit of professors, students and other physicians. The Association conducted a library and at its initial meeting on November 9, 1811, authorized the purchase of books. This library was maintained until March 28, 1825 when the Association ceased to exist.
1812	Establishment of the Rhode Island Medical Society.
1823	From the circular Medical Lectures in Brown University, "A Medical Library is attached to the school to which the students will allow access."
1824	Dr. Caleb Fiske donated 72 volumes of valuable books to the Rhode Island Medical Society, accompanied by a letter: "Gentlemen, believing it to be an object of considerable interest to establish a medical library for the use of the Society, and as no successful effort hath hitherto been made to effect so desirable a purpose..." His gift received few additions and the collection was not updated.
1824	The Library of Brown University has received "from two young gentlemen alumni, a respectable donation of French books which are valuable works on Natural History, on Anatomy and Surgery."
1847	Establishment of Butler Hospital, which develops a medical and psychiatric library.
1848	Providence Medical Association starts subscriptions to various journals.
1862	War Department General Hospital in Portsmouth Grove has a library. Also known as Lovell General Hospital.
1868	The opening of Rhode Island Hospital. Space was provided for a library which includes collections donated by: Dr. Ezekiel Fowler from Woonsocket (400 volumes), Dr. J. Davis Jones, and Dr. Usher Parson. Dr. William P. Bullock is the first librarian.
1868	Rhode Island Medical Society presented all books, journals, instruments, and apparatus to Rhode Island Hospital, provided the members of the Society shall be permitted to have free use of them when desired, subject to the rules of the hospital.
1874	Rhode Island Hospital Librarian Dr. Charles L. Leonard reports library has 2,000 volumes.
1880	Dr. George Dallas Hersey, is appointed Librarian of the Rhode Island Medical Society (RIMS) and asks Rhode Island Hospital to return all the journals the Society gave them in 1868. The collection is moved to the Franklin Society rooms on North Main Street in Providence.
1884	Providence Lying-Inn Hospital opens.
1900	Books and journals of the Rhode Island Medical Society (RIMS) were moved to Providence Public Library (PPL), because the Franklin Society had no space. But after a few years, PPL notified RIMS that since the collection has grown to such proportions, PPL no longer had space.
1901-1902	Dr. Hersey (RIMS) is the Treasurer of the Medical Library Association.

1912	Opening of the Rhode Island Medical Society Library building. The collection is moved out of the PPL into the new building. Miss Grace E. Dickerman came to RIMS from PPL. The library is open to everyone in RI for study and reference use.
1927	The James Henry Davenport Collection -- books by and about doctors is given to the Rhode Island Medical Society.
1930	Helen Moffitt DeJong begins work at RIMS (until 1975).
1951	25 health sciences librarians, who saw the advantages that could come from increased cooperation between them, began meeting for a social hour.
1953	The establishment of the Association of Rhode Island Health Sciences Libraries (ARIHSL). The group started working together on mutual problems and produced the first edition of the Union List of Medical Journals (May 27, 1953).
1957	Anne Maxvillee was on an organizing committee for the New England Regional Group.
1958-1959	Anne Maxville, Rhode Island Medical Society, is chair of the New England Regional Group.
1962-1963	Doris Johnson, Rhode Island Hospital, was chair of the New England Regional Group.
1968	The Rhode Island Medical Society received the collection of old medical books that belonged to Dr. Madelaine Ray Brown (1898-1968). Born in Providence, she received MA from Brown University, MD from Johns Hopkins (1927), specialty was neurology. She was the first woman house officer at Boston City Hospital.
1971-1972	Josephine Carson, Brown University, was chair of the New England Regional Groups of MLA.
1974	Set up of the Medline Service Center, Sciences Library, Brown University. Requests for a search could be made through a medical librarian, or directly to Mrs. Carson, the Biomedical Librarian in the Sciences Library. The cost per search was $10.00
1975	ARIHSL adopted its name Association of Rhode Island Health Sciences Librarians and its first slate of officers were elected.
1976	Brown University re-opens its medical school -- Program in Liberal Medical Education. Library began to acquire medical books and journals.
1979-1980	Ann Knight Randall, Brown University, is chair of the North Atlantic Health Sciences Libraries.
1980	Cooperative Interlibrary Loan plan with the Maine Health Sciences Libraries (HSLIC). 3 copies of their union list are deposited in RI at: University of Rhode Island, Roger Williams College, and RIMS. Librarians in Rhode Island can call one of these libraries to check on availability of titles.
1980	October 22-25 -- NAHSL held in Rhode Island
1980-1981	Patricia Thibodeau is President of ARIHSL
1981	Began awarding an ARIHSL scrimshaw pin to members who are retiring. First was to Mary Murray.
1981	In Health Sci/RI list who has what union lists and members can call to ask for holding information.
1981	Jo-Anne Aspri began working at Kent as work-study student.
1981	New England Regional Medical Library Services (NERMS) conducted a regional ILL cost study
1981	ARIHSL Serials Committee is set up.
1981-1982	Deidre Donahue is President of ARISHSL

1982	RIMS changed its ILL policy -- telephone requests will no longer be accepted. ARIHSL members would have to pay for ILL requests from RIMS collection. In 1979/80, RIMS accounted for 11% of ILL requests in the state.
	Newsletters had information about activities in RILA, and in the New England Regional Council on Library Resources for Nursing.
	Membership consists of 57 members (4 retired)
	The Association dealt with introducing legislation on use of Community Access Cable Television (HR 82-7847)
	Members were involved in the Hospital Library Section of NELA.
	Legislative network (by phone) established to allow fast communication among ARIHSL members
	ARIHSL accepted an offer from NERMLS to update ARIHSL Union List in NLM-compatable machine -- readable form (SERLINE) by a computer firm. Set-up the ARIHSL Union List Committee: Roseanne Gamache, Frank Kellerman, Chris LaFauci, Peg Lambeth, Hadassah Stein, and Ruth Szabo
	ILL Committee's "Proposed Guidelines for ILL of materials in the ARIHSL Union List" were accepted
	At an ARIHSL meeting a talk was given explaining reasons for proposed affiliation between WIH and RIH.
	Department of State Library Services begins serving as central address for receipt of ARIHSL mail.
	New York Academy of Medicine selected as Regional Library for Northeast region.
	ARIHSL's On-Line User Group holds first meeting.
1982-1983	Christine LaFauci is ARIHSL President
1983	University of Connecticut Health Center Library becomes the Resource Library for RI/CONN sub-region of Region I.
	Bradley Hospital's Levy Library and East Providence Public Library team up to provide information about child behavior, development problems, and social work.
	Approved expenditure of $400 to re-formate ARIHSL Union List tape to make it compatible with that of NLM. Motion was tabled to January 1984 meeting.
	Began discussing visibility of institutional membership fee.
	Most newsletters had information on serial holdings changes and union lists
1983-1984	Wendell Pols was ARIHSL President
1984	Medical Information for the Layperson -- ARIHSL members presented a program at INFOEX -- a conference sponsored by Department of State Library Services for reference libraries from public libraries
	Mr. Joszef Szabo updated the logo, and he was named an honorary member for his generous contribution to the organization.
	44 copies of the union lists were sold to members of ARIHSL and 9 to non members.
1984	Christine A. Chapman, Health Sciences Information, was chair of the North Atlantic Health Sciences Libraries.
1984-1985	Lynn Lloyd is ARIHSL President
1985	Erika Schmidt receives scrimshaw necklace and a book on gardening upon retiring after 23 years of services at Butler Hospital's Isaac Ray Medical Library.

1985	No librarians from RIH involved in ARIHSL. Annual dues in 1988 were $10.00. Union List -- 12th edition 1988 for $20.00 Brown Participated in initial test phase for Docline.
1985	Major issues: - Early 1980's hospitals receiving Medicare will not have to have a medical library - 1985 UCMP to take place of SER hold microfiche last -- many objected to this, as would cost them $250 a year - NLM is concerned about serving the 10 underserved health professionals
1985	May 15, 1985 revised By-Laws approved
1985	Sometimes meet at lunch time
1985	Most all ARIHSL Libraries submitted their holdings to UCMP.
1985	The position of Medical Library Coordinator is established at Brown University
1985-1986	Janet Crager is ARIHSL President
	Average salary for hospital librarian is $26,760.
1986	Low attendance at meetings, decide to try 5 meetings a year, instead of 8. One lunch, one 3:30, 3 evening meetings (dinner, business meeting, speaker/or educational program)
1986	Raynna B. Genetti become first Medical Library Coordinator, Brown University.
1986	Ruth Szabo retires from St. Joseph Hospital.
1986	Rhode Island Medical Society Library comes to Brown University.
1986-1987	Grace Varghese is President
1987	Library Committee of RIMS meets to discuss the future of the RIMS Library, as usage is down, and the last 4 librarians stayed only for short tenure. An RIMSL/ARIHSL Liaison Committee was set up, mainly to insure that the collection remains in RI.
1987	From the minutes: "Docline wants to evaluate responses on usage. Eventually they would like to rid of the coupon system and have NLM keep track of the expenditures." RIMS collection will be given to Brown University, with free access to RIMS members.
1987	State journal collection will be available to ARIHSL at no charge for ILL's, for at least 3 years. [Brown continues to provide at no charge 6/18/2003]
1988	ARIHSL has table at RILA Annual Conference to sell copies of Union List for $10.00. It was good publicity for ARIHSL -- but didn't sell any Union Lists.
1988	ARIHSL joins BHSL as a consortium.
1988	Jo-Anne Aspri is special libraries representative to ILL RHILINET Committee.
1988	ARIHSL members participate in the Rhode Island Library Study under sponsorship of RILA and DSLS -- to evaluate library network programs and services.
1987	Looking into having a Marcive monograph holdings list (Jo- Anne Aspri and Linda Walton). Nine libraries were interested.
1987-1988	Linda Walton is President
1988	Carolyn Waller Bradley retires from Bradley Hospital
1989	ARIHSL develops the Interlibrary Loan Code and Interlibrary Loan Guidelines, committee chaired by Jo-Anne Aspri. It was accepted at July 20, 1988 meeting.
1989	ARIHSL Newsletter no longer publishes journal holdings updates -- all updated should be through UCMP.
	Set up a Membership Committee -- to keep list of current members updated, collect dues.

	Linda Walton is special libraries representative to RI Library Study Implementation Committee. First time an ARIHSL member is on a state advisory committee for libraries.
1989	ARIHSL celebrates its 35th anniversary with special cake and candles at November 30th meeting with new ARIHSL banner.
1988-1989	Tosca Carpenter is President
	Average salary for hospital librarian in MA and RI is $31,574.
1990	Because of Docline -- not necessary to update Union List every year. Decide to publish the ARIHSL Union List every other year, beginning in August 1989.
1990	Mary Zammarelli is a member of the RHILINET ILL Taskforce.
1991	12 hospital libraries join the RHILINET Interlibrary Loan System.
	The ARIHSL Monograph Union List on microfiche was distributed. 8 libraries participated and 5,000 unique title are listed.
1989-1990	Raynna Bowlby, Brown University, was chair of the North Atlantic Health Sciences Libraries. NAHSL conference was held in Providence.
1989-1990	Jo-Anne Aspri is ARIHSL President
1990	NAHSL is held in RI at the Omni-Biltmore, Providence, Chair is Raynna Bowlby
	There are 45 members in ARIHSL, including 9 retired members.
	Tosca Carpenter compiled the ARIHSL Policy and Procedure Manual.
	Re-creation of the New England Region as part of the Medical Library Network, to become effective as of May 1991.
	13th edition of ARIHSL Union List is published.
	Dr. Lindberg's letter to hospital administrators about Grateful Med. Jo-Anne Aspri sent letter as ARIHSL President to Dr. Lindberg.
	Committee created to consider creating institutional membership in ARIHSL.
1990-1991	Mary Zammarelli as President
1991	Discussion about drop of attendance at ARIHSL meetings, at January 16th meeting. It was decided not to have noon time meetings, but either morning or evening meetings. Earlier announcement of up-coming meetngs.
	University of Connecticut wins the RML contract for Region 8.
	ARIHSL members present a review of medical resources for public librarians at RILA conference, June 7.
	A motion was approved that $200.00 be given to any of the following members: President, President-Elect, Past President, or member of Executive Board to attend MLA conference.
1991-1992	Mary Ann Slocomb is President
1990	Brown becomes a Resource Library for RI within the National Network of Libraries of Medicine.
	Members work on submitting a Technology Update Grant from NLM. Principal Investigator -- Barbara Davis but was tabled because of changes at NLM.
	Work begins on ARIHSL's 14th edition of the Union List.
	ARIHSL is represented on the Regional Advisory Committee by Mary Ann Slocomb.
	Quahog -- Compact disc of monographs holdings of RI public libraries and 10 hospital libraries is provided.
1992-1993	Barbara Davis is President

1991	Grant proposal open to all ARIHSL members for funding for equipment and software, was submitted to Champlin Foundation on September 1993. Proposal rejected.
	Approved new membership category -- Institutional Membership, and with this change the new name for ARIHSL is Association of Rhode Island Health Sciences Libraries. By-Laws were changed to reflect this.
	ARIHSL changed name to Association of RI Health Sciences Libraries to high light the investment of resource on part of the institutions and benefits that occur to them through work of ARIHSL.
	ARIHSL libraries join LORI -- Library of Rhode Island
	15th Edition of the ARIHSL Union List was published. Price $30.00 members, $40.00 non-members. It costs $1,700 to produce. Decided to update "yellow pages" from union List every year and to include internet address and fax numbers.
	Ann LeClair, one of the founding members of ARIHSL passed away on September 6.
	ARIHSL celebrated its 40th Anniversary on October 27 at the Brown Faculty Club. Event was sponsored by Ebsco.
1993-1994	Ruthann Gildea is President
1992	ARIHSL members participate in satellite broadcast of Medlars Update at VA Hospital and Newport Hospital.
	Members voted to continue ARIHSL membership in the Rhode Island Coalition of Library Advocates.
	Journal Club was organized for interested members.
	Membership fees are: 20 Individual members - $10.00 16 Institutional members - $20.00
	ARIHSL sponsored a poster session at NAHSL '94, instead of presenting state reports.
1994	Helen DeJong, 83, one of the founding members of ARIHSL passed away on March 31, 1994.
	ARIHSL members attend workshops about access to OCLC.
1994-1995	Sylvia Hampton is President
1995	NAHSL in RI at Westin Hotel, Providence, Co-chairs Tovah Reis and Ruthann Gildea
1995-1996	Irene Lathrop is President
1996	Jo-Anne Aspri Kent receives the NAHSL Achievement Award.
	ARIHSL develops its web site, which was hosted on the Brown University server. Its debut was May 15, 1996, Janet Crager was the first webmaster.
	ARIHSL has 31 members, and 10 retired members for a total of 41 members.
	Talks began with CRIARL about merging the ARIHSL Union List of Medical Periodicals with the CRIARL Union List.
1996-1997	Sylvia Hampton is President
1997-1998	Janice Schuster is President
1997	Tovah Reis was appointed as a member-at-large from MLA to the 2001 National Organizing Committee for the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) conference to be held in Boston. She was also Chair of the IFLA 2001 Local Planning SubCommittee.
1997	The June 4 meeting was to brainstorm ideas and solutions about the future of ARIHSL as it is entering the next year without an incoming president. Sylvia Hampton, Past President volunteered to serve as President for the coming year. It was decided to have only four meetings, create a listserv, use e-mail for reports and announcements, and that ARIHSL will maintain its district organizational status for the coming year.

1998-1999	Sylvia Hampton is President
1998	Membership: Individual – 10 Institutional -- 14
1999-2000	Robin Devin, University of Rhode Island, is President.
2000-2001	Jo-Anne Aspri, Kent Hospital, was NAHSL conference chair. Conference was held in Newport.
2001	Tovah Reis, Brown University, received NAHSL Achievement Award
2001-2002	MaryAnn Slocomb, UMASS ( ) RIH was chair of NAHSL

1754-2002 Prepared for the ARIHSL 50th anniversary by Tovah Reis

Development of Medical Libraries in RI 2003-2016

2002-2003	Pat Padula, Landmark Medical Center, is President
2003	50^th anniversary celebration held in June.
2003-2004	Tovah Reis, Brown University, is President
2003	JoAnne Aspri is notified that ARIHSL has received a LORI award of $36,100 for “The Heart of the Matter: Improving Health Information Access in Rhode Island,” to provide funding for ARIHSL to participate in the HELIN network, thereby making health information resources more widely available.
2004	Mary Ann Slocomb, Rhode Island Hospital, received the NAHSL Achievement Award
2004	Carol-Ann Rausch was honored by Memorial Hospital for forty years of dedicated service
2004	Lifespan and Brown received a $25,000 grant from the RML to provide five to six courses on consumer health for librarians.
2004	Membership: Individual - 16 Institutional – 20
2004-2005	Deborah Porrazzo, RI Department of Health, is President
2004	Every town in RI now has a library with Exeter being the last and opening September 25^th
2004	Hospital libraries are now affiliate HELIN members with their books included in the catalog. The hospital libraries also participate in the LORI book delivery system.
2005	Membership: Individual - 16 Institutional – 17
2005	The CRIARL Union List is being discontinued. Hospital libraries now keep their serial holdings in the HELIN catalog.
2005-2006	Patricia Gorman, Memorial Hospital, is President
2005	Janet Crager, Brown University, is chair of the NAHSL 2005 Conference. The conference was held at the Westin Hotel in Providence, with an event at RISD. There were 152 attendees.
2005	Tovah Reis was elected as Chair of Section Council, and in that role became a member of the Medical Library Association Board of Directors (2005 -2008).
2005	ARIHSL, individual members, and the Regional Medical Library send letters of support to the RI Department of Health with regards to proposed library closure.
2005	Westerly Hospital closed their library with intention of contracting library services from Westerly Public Library.
2006	Membership: Individual - 12 Institutional – 18
2006	RI Department of Health Library closed September, 2006 Archives: http://sos.ri.gov/archon/?p=digitallibrary/getfile&id=48
2006-2007	Mary Zammarelli, Our Lady of Fatima Hospital, is President
2006	Community College of RI joined ARIHSL
2007	Membership: Individual - 9 Institutional – 19
2007-2008	Ruthann Gildea, Butler Hospital, is President
2007	September minutes note that “Lifespan and Care New England have proposed a merger. “
2007	Rhode Island Library Commission was extended through 2009 and renamed to the Karla Harry Commission.
2007	The Executive Board discussed revising the hospital library section of the Rhode Island Rules and Regulations for the Licensing of Hospitals. Past President Mary Zammarelli sent a list of the proposed revisions to the RI Department of Health.
2007	Members met with the Rhode Island Medical Society to discuss libraries being part of the essential criteria for continuing medical education (CME). RIMS sent letter stating “after considerable discussion, the committee decided that it would not be in the best interest of Rhode Island’s continuing medical education community to adopt the Medical Library Association’s “Standards for Health Science Libraries in Hospitals” or to incorporate more guidelines into an already stringent CME accreditation process.” The committee did “acknowledge that an institution’s health science library/librarian is an essential resource for CME programs and supports ARIHSL’s efforts in raising awareness among hospital administrators and medical staffs of the value of medical library services.”
2008	Mary Ann Slocomb was appointed by the Governor and officially approved on March 12th by the Education Committee of the RI Senate as a member of the RI Library Board (LiBRI.)
2008	Membership: Individual - 12 Institutional – 16
2008	RI Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS) is now convening quarterly meetings of Library Directors from RI. 41 librarians attended.
2008	Eleanor Slater Hospital, Cranston, eliminated their contracted librarian position.
2008	The RI Library Board sent a letter to the RI Speaker of the House, the governor, and the President of the House to express the Board’s concerns about the budget’s impact on libraries in RI. The letter focused on: the loss of “Maintenance of Effort”; the loss of the librarian position at the Eleanor Slater Hospital; and the reduced requirement of school librarians.
2008	The Regional Medical Library a) placed Eleanor Slater Hospital on Temporary status, inactive in DOCLINE and b) sent a letter to the CEO on behalf of NN-LM/NER underscoring the importance and value of a professional librarian in the health care setting.
2008	RI statewide databases were implemented as a group effort by HELIN, Ocean State Libraries (OSL), and the Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS). This pilot project was geared to give database access to all Rhode Islanders. EBSCO MEDLINE was included in the package.
2008-2009	Barbara Davis, Newport Hospital, is President.
2008	A Department of Health Rules and Regulations for Licensing of Hospitals hearing was held. ARIHSL representatives who testified in favor of the revision of the Professional Library section were Barbara Davis, Pat Gorman, Pat Padula, and Tovah Reis from ARIHSL, Cherine Whitney from SLA, and Donna DiMichele from OLIS.
2009	Revised Rhode Island Rules and Regulations for Licensing of Hospitals became law on May 14, 2009.
2009	South County Hospital closed its library.
2009	Membership: Individual - 12 Institutional – 13
2009-2010	Arline Dyer, Memorial Hospital, is President
2009	April 2009: The amended RI Rules and Regulations for Licensing of Hospitals, Section 14.0 is stated as follows: Section 14.0 Professional Library 14.1 The hospital shall provide appropriate library services for the professional and technical needs of hospital personnel including: a) current books, periodicals and other pertinent materials; b) appropriate computer resources for literature search and retrieval; c) adequate facilities; d) adequate personnel to maintain the library service.
2010	Membership: Individual - 12 Institutional – 13
2010-2011	Rachel Carpenter, Rhode Island College, is President
2010	Sue Warthman, Rhode Island Hospital, is chair of the NAHSL 2010 Conference. Regina Swanson, Rhode Island Hospital, is co-chair. The conference was held at the Marriot in Newport, with an opening reception at the Easton's Beach Rotunda Ballroom & Carousel. The conference theme was Libraries in Balance: Preserving our Roots, Growing our Future. http://www.nahsl.org/2010/index.html
2011	Barbara Davis, Newport Hospital, received the NAHSL Achievement Award
2011	The new RINI Middle College Charter School opened in Providence in September with the purpose of preparing high school students to become health care professionals. It was established by the Rhode Island Nurses Institute.
2011-2012	Nancy Ross, Women & Infants Hospital, is President.
2012	Nancy Ross unveiled the new ARIHSL website. It is a Google site with content converted from the old site hosted by UMass Medical, along with new content. New site: https://sites.google.com/a/arihsl.org/arihsl/ The domain name www.arihsl.org was purchased.
2012	ARIHSL became a member of the Coalition of Library Advocates (COLA)
2012	The MLA Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP) certification became available online.
2012	Mary Ann Slocomb received a letter from Governor Chaffee reappointing her for a second 3-year term on the Library Board of Rhode Island (LiBRI), which began on January 1, 2011
2012-2013	Ruthann Gildea, Butler Hospital, is President.
2012	On October 21, COLA joined with other Rhode Island library groups to host a reception for Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), who has long been a powerful advocate of libraries.
2013	The Medical Library Association annual meeting was held in Boston this year. The theme was One Health.
2013	Three library-related positions were eliminated by Lifespan: Director of Lifespan Library Services (RI Hospital); Director of Education and Organization Development (Newport Hospital); Part-Time Library Assistant (Newport Hospital)
2013-2014	Sue Warthman, New England Institute of Technology, is President.
2013	Membership: Individual - 12 Institutional – 14
2013	AskRI, the Statewide Reference Resource Center, added EBSCO’s Consumer Health Complete database to its offerings.
2013	The ARIHSL website was converted to LibGuide format after NAHSL provided free LibGuide accounts to the state associations. The new site is: http://nahsl.libguides.com/arihsl The domain www.arihsl.org still exists and will resolve to the new address.
2014	SLA & ARIHSL shared a table at RI Legislative Awareness Day at the RI State House on February 11.
2014	Thanks to Rachel Carpenter’s digitization efforts, ARIHSL archived newsletters are now available on the ARIHSL website, Members Only / Archived Newsletters tab.
2014	Cheryl Banick, VA Hospital, was awarded the DBIO (Biomedical and Life Sciences Division of the Special Library Association) member of the year.
2014	Ocean State Libraries was awarded a grant to create “One Catalog” – a catalog shared between HELIN libraries and OSL.
2014	Johnson and Wales University is the first in Rhode Island to offer a Physician Assistant Program. Classes began in June with an inaugural class of 24 students.
2014-2015	Nicola Pallotti, Memorial Hospital of RI, is President.
2015	The Physician Assistant Program at Bryant University was accredited in September 2014. The program admitted its inaugural class of 32 students in January 2015.
2015	University of RI and Bryant University left the HELIN consortium and no longer have their resources in the shared catalog.
2015-2016	Madge Boldt, RI Hospital, is President.
2015	Tovah Reis was awarded MLA Fellowship. MLA Fellows are elected by the Board of Directors for sustained and outstanding contributions to health sciences librarianship and to the advancement of the purposes of MLA.
2015	Erika Sevetson, Brown University, is chair of the NAHSL 2015 Conference. The conference theme was Anchored in Excellence and it was held at the Omni in Providence. There were 123 attendees. http://nahsl.libguides.com/NAHSL2015
2015	Landmark Hospital eliminated their librarian position. A letter of advocacy for hospital libraries to administration at Landmark on behalf of ARIHSL was sent.
2015	New LORI standards requiring a public Interlibrary Loan Policy were a concern to the hospital libraries. ARIHSL members collaborated to produce a compliant general ILL policy that members can link to. The policy is here: http://nahsl.libguides.com/arihsl/ILL
2016	At Lifespan, the Systems Librarian resigned and a Public Services Librarian retired. Neither full-time position was filled. Lifespan now has 1.3 FTE Librarians / 1 FTE Technician to cover their four hospital system.
2016	NAHSL has decided that the conferences will change from a two day annual conference to alternating between a two day conference and a one day conference. The two day conference will be held at different locations around the region and the alternate year will be a one day conference to be held in central Massachusetts. The change will start in 2017
2016-2017	Amanda Richman, RI Hospital, is President.

2003-2016 Prepared by Madge Boldt

The Rhode Island Special Interest Group (SIG) of NAHSL: Development of Medical Libraries in RI 1754 - 2016

Deevlopment of Medical Libraries in RI 1754-2002

Development of Medical Libraries in RI 2003-2016