The San José State University (SJSU) School of Information was well-represented at the recent Medical Library Association (MLA) conference. Lecturer Dr. Cheryl Dee was named an MLA Fellow, and alumna Jennifer Dinalo was awarded a Career Development Grant from the Medical Informatics Section (MIS) of the MLA.

MLA Fellows are elected by the MLA board of directors for their sustained and outstanding contributions to health sciences librarianship and to the advancement of the purposes of MLA. Dee has demonstrated her commitment to medical librarianship in myriad ways including a number of notable publications, funded grants, contributions to the MLA organization, continuous MLA membership for more than 15 years, and demonstrated leadership in the field of health science information. Upon learning of her appointment, Dee responded, “I feel honored and grateful to be in the company of the other accomplished MLA Fellows.”

Dinalo, who graduated with a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the iSchool in 2013, applied for the MIS/MLA Career Development Grant because she wished to take the rigorous A Librarian’s Guide to the NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) training course held earlier this month at the National Library of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland. The course, which is designed for information professionals working in the health sciences, gives librarians the knowledge and the skills they need to assist patrons using the sophisticated tools and databases provided by the NCBI.

Dinalo described the training course as “a very enriching experience” and stated that not only did she gain a greater understanding of the resources available at the NCBI, but she also acquired “the tools to teach these resources to users.” Dinalo also said that the course was a wonderful opportunity to network with others working in the field of health science information, and that by taking the course she was able “to make connections with NCBI staff and librarians across the country who have similar interests.” Dinalo currently works at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library as an academic liaison librarian, and she also serves as president of the iSchool’s combined student and alumni group, iSchool Connext.

Congratulations to both Dee and Dinalo for advancing the field of health information science!