MLA08 in Chicago has come and gone…thank you to all the chapter members who worked so hard to make the MLA09 Information Booth and ML09 Invitation a huge success. The physical booth area was fabulous!! The Hawaii Convention Center representative came with macadamia nut chocolates, shell leis, and special pineapple MLA pins (I have a bunch that she gave me for our chapter members). The YouTube video that Linda Uchida worked so hard on ran on a large flat screen. Drawings were held several times a day for those fabulous cookie boxes from Honolulu Cookie Company and Big Island Candies. The “invitation” –the likes of which MLA has never seen included 3 talented dancers from the Polynesian Cultural Center and two musicians–was issued during the last business meeting. the colorful gift bags were given away then (thanks to Luree Ohigashi Oasay who coordinated the bags, to Jane Barnwell who carted all the giveaways in a huge suitcase to Chicago, and everyone else for all their generous donations. In addition to the bags, three scholarships of $100 to be applied toward the MLA09 conference registration fees were given away. (Check out these professional photos from the MLA08 website http://www.mlanet.org/am/photos/thumbnails.php?album=45) There is a lot of interest…many librarians indicated they were bringing spouse and other family members with them. The cost of the airfare was a concern to many.

Lee Adams presented her poster PDAs and First-Year Medical Students.  Those attending from Hawaii all worked in the booth–they included Lee Adams, Jane Barnwell, Walter Benawitz, Linda Uchida, Mabel Trafford, and Ginny Tanji. In addition former Hawaii residents, Joy Graham, Claire Hamasu, and Boo Horak helped as well as folks from the Pacific Southwest NNLM, Judy Consales, Heidi Sandstrom, Julie Kwan and Kelli Ham.

The HPCMLA website has a brand new look this year! The new logo is modeled after the MLA logo and the color adopted.  We hope everyone enjoys the site’s fresh look and feel!

The Annual Meeting will take place on Friday, April 18, 2008 at the John A. Burns School of Medicine from 8:30am - 4:30pm.