South Central Chapter of the Medical Library Association
Fostering the Art and Science of Health Sciences Library Service
Early Career Librarians Initiative (ECLI)
Charge: The Early Career Librarianship Initiative is a volunteer-based group that works to create more opportunities for new and early-career librarians to engage in SCC/MLA and to grow as medical and health sciences librarians. This group exists outside of the formal committee structure of SCC/MLA to allow for more flexibility in membership and activities. Membership includes a mixture of early career librarians and those with more experience, and anyone is welcome (including students). You can view our 2026 Event Calendar here: ECLI 2026 Calendar
For additional information, please feel free to contact our co-chairs:
Tracy Ashby at tracy.ashby@library.tmc.edu
Madison Hastings at madison.hastings@okstate.edu
1st Wednesday Meetings
Ready to check out one of our regularly scheduled meetings? ECLI meets once a month via Zoom.
For the meeting link or if you would like to sign up for the listserv, please email Tracy Ashby at tracy.ashby@library.tmc.edu or Madison Hastings at madison.hastings@okstate.edu.
ECLI Webinar SeriesInterested in health sciences librarianship? This webinar series focuses on topics relating to early career and aspiring health sciences librarians. Upcoming Webinars Check back soon! Previous Webinars April 21st, 2026 - Library Directors' Ask Me Anything (AMA): Jobs and Hiring Edition (not recorded) May 2025 - Interview Strategies, Insights, and Winning Answers: Roundtable Discussion (not recorded) March 2025- Writing Cover Letters and Other Tips for Getting the Interview
July 2024- Know Your Worth: Mastering the Art of Salary Negotiation April 2024 - From Wallflowers to Power Players: Mastering the Art of Networking February 2024 - Integrating Research, Publishing, and Presenting Into Your Career July 2023 - Creating a Road Map for Career Success: Applying for AHIP, Promotion, or Tenure April 2023 - Goal Setting: And Success in Achieving Them January 2023 - Want to Be a Medical Librarian? How to Land Your First Job Quarterly Journal Club Previously named the 5th Monday Journal Club, beginning in 2026, ECLI will meet quarterly in March, July, and November to discuss a current article that is relevant to health sciences librarianship. You do not have to attend our regularly scheduled meetings to join! For additional information or for the meeting link, please email Tracy Ashby at tracy.ashby@library.tmc.edu or Madison Hastings at madison.hastings@okstate.edu. Meeting Schedule Upcoming Meeting Information June 5, 2026: Yadav, V., Trushna, T., Mandal, U. K., Singh, M., Goel, A. D., Bairwa, M., Dabar, D., & Sabde, Y. D. (2026). AI-assisted search strategy construction with step-by-step instructions to execute and manage searches across major databases. Medical reference services quarterly, 45(1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/02763869.2025.2595567 September 11, 2026 - Check back soon! December 11, 2026 - Check back soon! Previous Meetings March 6, 2026: D’Angelos, S. (2023). Between Graduation and a Brick Wall: Burnout and Mental Illness in New Librarians. Journal of New Librarianship, 8(1), 104–111. https://doi.org/10.33011/newlibs/13/11 June 30, 2025: Ascher, M., Hoogland, M. A., Heskett, K., Holmes, H. N., & Eldredge, J. D. (2025). Making an impact: the new 2024 Medical Library Association research agenda. Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA, 113(1), 24–30. https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2025.1955 March 31, 2025: Ma, J., Stahl, L., & Knotts, E. (2018). Emerging roles of health information professionals for library and information science curriculum development: a scoping review. Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA, 106(4), 432–444. https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2018.354 April 29, 2024: Bartley, K., Simuel, J., & Williams, J. (2021). New to health sciences librarianship: strategies, tips, and tricks. Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA, 109(2), 330–335. https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2021.1184 July 29, 2024: Sutton, A., Clowes, M., Preston, L., & Booth, A. (2019). Meeting the review family: exploring review types and associated information retrieval requirements. Health information and libraries journal, 36(3), 202–222. https://doi.org/10.1111/hir.12276 September 30, 2024: Cobus L. (2008). Integrating information literacy into the education of public health professionals: roles for librarians and the library. Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA, 96(1), 28–33. https://doi.org/10.3163/1536-5050.96.1.28 |
ECLI Membership Roster
| Member Name |
State | Current Job Title | Graduate School |
|
Laura Wright, Co-Founder |
LA |
Coordinator of Research Services (Tulane University, Rudolph Matas Library of the Health Sciences) |
San Jose State University |
|
Laura Haygood, Co-Founder |
RI | Health Sciences Librarian for Public Health (Brown University) | University of Oklahoma |
|
Tracy Ashby, Co-Chair |
TX | Research & Instruction Librarian (Texas Medical Center Library) | University of Oklahoma |
|
Madison Hastings, Co-Chair | TX | Research Services Librarian (Oklahoma State University) | Texas Women's University |
| Amy Corder | LA | Research Support Librarian (Tulane University, Rudolph Matas Library of the Health Sciences) | Louisiana State University |
| Aundria Parkman | LA |
Library Technician (Tulane University, Rudolph Matas Library of the Health Sciences) |
Current MLIS Student at Louisiana State University |
| Brandon Kennedy | TX | Research & Instruction Librarian (Texas Medical Center Library) | University of Missouri - Columbia |
| Caraline Annichiarico | OK | Academic Health Sciences Librarian (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences) | University of South Carolina |
| Chandler Smith | LA | Education Librarian (Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans, John P. Ische Library) | University of Sheffield |
| Ciara Seals | TX | Epidemiology Liaison, NNLM Region 3 (The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth) | University of North Texas |
| Dora Mensah | OK | Medical Librarian (University of Tulsa-Oklahoma, Schusterman Library) | University of Oklahoma |
| E. Bailey Sterling | TX | Technology & LIS Coordinator, NNLM Region 3 (The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth) | University of North Texas |
| Jamie Dougherty | OK | Assistant Professor of Research and Reference & Instructional Services Librarian (University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Robert M. Bird Health Sciences Library) | Emporia State University |
| Jordan Ford | AR | Outreach Services Librarian (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences) | Louisiana State University |
| Katie Pierce- Farrier | TX | Assessment Librarian | University of Texas at Arlington |
| Kaylee Youngblood | TX | Unit Assistant Director, Reference Librarian (Texas Tech University, Harrington Library) | Texas Woman's University |
| Madi Wright | TX | Library Specialist for Community Engagement at UNTHSC | Current MIIS Student at University of North Texas |
| Matt Cross | TX | Currently seeking employment | Texas Woman's University |
|
Sandra Yvette Desjardins |
TX | Research & Instruction Librarian (Texas Medical Center Library) | Texas Woman's University |
| Sara Ann Stinson | TX | Electronic Resources Librarian (Texas Christian University, Burnett School of Medicine) | San Jose State University |
| Sheila Green | TX | Associate Librarian (Texas A&M University, Medical Sciences Library) |
University of North Texas |
| Steph Atkins-Sharpe | TX | Associate Dean, School of Medicine Libraries | University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign |