Editor of this issue:

Gail Hendler, Ehrman Medical Library, New York University Medical School, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, S-10, Phone: 212-263-8925, Fax: 212-263-8196, E-mail: hendler@library.med.nyu.edu.

Dear Colleagues:

Words cannot begin to express the vision the attack on the World Trade Center and the subsequent collapse has visited on each of us. As I watched events unfold from the safety of my apartment terrace, I soon learned of those who lost friends and family members - even from their home in rural Maryland, my parents learned of the death of a close friend who had an office at the Pentagon. And, as I volunteered with a small relief organization, I met a homeless man who donated his 43 cents even though he had lost five of his friends who lived among the buildings of the World Trade complex. While I have not learned of the loss of any NY-NJ Chapter member, it is with great sadness that I report members of our sister organizations SLA-NY and LLAGNY are currently missing and presumed dead. Along with the others, those who were lost remain with us as a symbol of what we were and what we have the opportunity to become.

The Chapter would like to commend the Medical Library Association for establishing the Community of Caring on its website (http://www.mlanet.org/resources/caring/index.html) in order to address "issues in the medical library community related to the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center" (--MLA Community of Caring Website).

Enough praise or thanks cannot be given to our Chapter members who work in the affected area or in hospital sites used by the rescue agencies. They have gone above and beyond the call by providing ongoing library and hospital services in the face of overwhelming odds and circumstances. Each of you deserves the thanks of a grateful profession and public.

CHAPTER ROUNDUP

On March 21st, the Chapter's Annual Spring Dinner was held at Christer's Restaurant in mid-town Manhattan. After dining on Chef Christer's Scandinavian influenced cuisine, members were treated to a talk by City Council member Christine Quinn. A member of the council's Committee on Health, Ms. Quinn's remarks focused on governments need for completed and accurate information in order to allocate resources and predict trends in the health care needs of their various constituencies.

The Chapter's Continuing Education Committee accomplished a great deal of work throughout the year. This year three courses were offered:

• Finding the Best Resources for Nursing, taught by Peg Allen and co-sponsored by METRO, in March;
• History of the Health Sciences, taught by Stephen Greenberg and Pat Gallagher, in May; and
• Building Medical Vocabulary, taught by helen-ann brown [sic] and co-sponsored by METRO, in late September.

One of the most exciting developments is a new initiative, the Mini-Med School for Librarians, which will be a day long symposium taught by health professionals for the benefit of librarians interested in core medical knowledge on a variety of subjects. Active planning will begin later this month. We hope to hold the Mini-Med School in late winter or early spring of 2002.

I am pleased to announce that Kristine Alpi, last year's recipient of the Chapter's Research Grant award, will be submitting an article based on her research in the Journal of Medical Internet Research later this fall. The grant allowed Kris to study the area of web volatility, or "link rot". Please see Kris's brief discussion of her research findings in this issue of the Newsletter.

Several of our colleagues retired during the year.

• On 25 April 2001, a reception was held at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in honor of University Librarian Victor Basile's retirement.
• In May, The Medical Library Center held a luncheon for Lois Weinstein, MLCNY Executive Director, on the occasion of her retirement.
• And finally, Robert M. Braude, Director of the Samuel L. Wood Library at the Weill Cornell Medical College, announced his retirement in late October.

Finally, at our business meeting in New Haven I will have the opportunity to "pass the gavel" to our incoming Chair, Kathel Dunn. Having worked with Kathel for a number of years while she was at the New York Academy of Medicine, and during the past year during our terms of Chapter office, I look forward to her year as Chair and wish her all the best.

William Self, Chair