 Shannon D. Jones, EdD, MLS, MEd, AHIP, FMLA AAHSL President 2025-2026
April 21, 2026
Dear AAHSL Colleagues: I truly enjoy the month of April. The weather in Charleston is pleasant, the 2026 Girl Scout Cookie season has come to a close in South Carolina, and April is also National Stress Awareness Month, which reminds us to be mindful of our well-being. Equally important, April is the month when libraries of all types celebrate National Library Week, which will take place April 19–25, 2026. This year’s theme, “Find Your Joy,” resonates deeply with me because it brings me back to my “why.” At its core, my “why” is simple: I want the library I lead to be a place where people can do their very best work, whether they work in the library or are using its resources. As a leader, April offers me a moment to pause, reconnect with my purpose, and reflect on the joy that sustains me in my work as a library leader. Like National Library Week Honorary Chair Mychal Threets, who joyfully shares, “I love libraries enthusiastically every week,” I would take it a step further: I love libraries 24/7/365. I have always loved reading and immersing myself in a good book. Working in a library has always felt like home. I have also always been curious by nature and enjoy the thrill of finding a needle in a haystack, researching important topics, and uncovering new information that can make a meaningful difference. But my joy in libraries goes even deeper. I have always wanted to work in a library environment where I felt welcomed, safe, valued, seen, heard, and included. A place where I could bring my authentic voice, passion, and talents to help advance the library’s mission and strategic goals. This is the same type of environment I strive to create as a library leader. I find joy in helping the library workers I lead flourish. My goal is to cultivate a library where people can do their best work, whether they work in the library or use its spaces and resources. A place grounded in belonging, mattering, and excellence. A place where joy is not accidental, but intentional. As we celebrate National Library Week this April, I invite you to pause and reflect: Voices of AAHSL Leaders: Finding Joy While this theme has prompted me to reflect on my own journey, I know that joy in our work is experienced in many different ways across the AAHSL community. To that end, I invited members of the AAHSL Board to share what brings them joy in libraries and in the work that we do. I’ve always said that being a librarian is like being a treasure hunter. We follow a map, searching for the ‘X’ that marks the spot. When we find it, that exact piece of information, the lightbulb over a patron’s head, or the relief that a grant or assignment will be completed on time—that is the joy of libraries for me. — Kelly Thormodson, Penn State College of Medicine, AAHSL President-Elect Joy finds me when someone at any level of our institution, from a first-year medical student to a senior researcher, seeks out my team because they know we will meet them where they are with expertise, care, and even laughter. It is in the moments my colleagues step into the spotlight, and in the everyday connections that remind me our work builds true community. — Robin Champieux, Oregon Health & Science University, AAHSL Treasurer The people in libraries and the diversity of our work brings me joy. I’m so thankful that each and every day is unique and never mundane or boring. I learn so much from the diverse perspectives and experiences of my colleagues and feel grateful to have found a profession that challenges me every day. – Bart Ragon, Board Member February Board Retreat Recap It was a pleasure to host the AAHSL Board in Charleston in February for our annual Board Retreat. The time together allowed us to reflect on our strategic priorities, strengthen relationships, and plan intentionally for the year ahead. In February 2026, AAHSL signed the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research FY27 Recommendation Letter, as requested by the Joint Legislative Committee, to demonstrate our continued support for strong federal investment in biomedical and health sciences research. On March 6, 2026, we met with Katrina Hammond, MLA’s new Executive Director, along with MLA President Heather Holmes and President-Elect Tara Douglas-Williams. The Legacy of Nina W. Matheson, ML, DSc As we move into April and take a moment to reflect on Women’s History Month (March), I would like to celebrate one of the luminaries in AAHSL history, Dr. Nina Woo Matheson. I was first introduced to the Matheson Lecture in 2003 when I attended my first AAHSL meeting during my second year in the National Library of Medicine’s Associate Fellowship program. I attended the meeting alongside my then library director and fellowship preceptor, Jean Shipman. At the time, I did not know much about Dr. Matheson or the significance of the lecture that bears her name. As I continued to grow in my career, I began attending AAHSL meetings more regularly, beginning when I was an AAHSL fellow. Over time, I experienced the Matheson Lecture through a different lens, one shaped by a deeper understanding of our profession and its evolving role. Each year, I found myself intrigued by the lecture topic, often presented by an informatics professional like Dr. Matheson. At times, the content stretched me and even felt beyond my grasp. What I have come to understand is that this is part of the lecture’s purpose. The lecture is meant to challenge us, push our thinking, and encourage us to consider the intersection of health sciences libraries, informatics, the future of our work, and how we might meaningfully engage with the scientists on our campuses. It was not until I later served as Chair of AAHSL’s Program and Education Committee that I truly began to understand the depth of Dr. Matheson’s impact. One of the committee’s key responsibilities is to identify and select the Matheson Lecturer each year. To do this work thoughtfully and effectively, under the mentorship of the previous committee chair, the late Jeff Williams (former Chair, Medical Library and Director, Health Sciences Library at NYU Langone Health), I recognized the importance of learning more about Dr. Matheson. Through that process, I had the opportunity to more deeply explore her legacy and the vision that continues to shape our profession. Dr. Matheson is perhaps best remembered as the lead author of the 1982 Matheson-Cooper report, which helped articulate the future role of medical libraries and directly contributed to the development of the National Library of Medicine’s Integrated Academic Information Management Systems (IAIMS) initiative. This work fundamentally reshaped how information systems support education, research, and clinical care. As I reviewed the report in preparing this message, I was struck by a simple but powerful realization: the more things change in our profession, the more they remain the same. We are still grappling with many of the same core challenges: managing an ever-growing body of information, making sense of rapidly evolving technologies, and ensuring that knowledge reaches those who need it most. What has changed is the scale and speed at which we do this work. Nothing we are facing is entirely new; rather, it has been reframed, rescaled, redeployed, and rethought, and in many ways, improved. Dr. Matheson’s vision continues to affirm that libraries and librarians remain essential to informatics. Dr. Matheson was not only influential in libraries but also in medical informatics. Her work consistently emphasized the critical role librarians play in advancing informatics, and she was a strong advocate for ensuring our expertise was included in shaping the systems that support education, research, and clinical care. Importantly, Dr. Matheson also helped shape the very organization that brings us together today. Recognizing that it was critical for librarians to play a role in advancing medical education, she helped establish the Association of Academic Health Sciences Library Directors in 1977. Her vision ensured that library leaders would have a voice within the broader academic medicine community and a seat at the table where decisions about education, research, and information infrastructure were being made. In reflecting on her legacy, I am reminded that the joy we find in our work is often rooted in the very challenges that push us to think differently, grow as leaders, and reimagine what is possible. For those interested in exploring Dr. Matheson’s work and legacy more deeply, I encourage you to review the following resources:
Committee Spotlight: Work in Action AAHSL committees are hard at work on behalf of the Association, advancing our mission and strategic priorities. I am pleased to highlight the work of two committees whose efforts are making an important impact. Joint MLA/AAHSL Legislation Committee facilitated AAHSL signing on to support NIH 2027 and ARPA-H funding, submitted an MLA 2026 Immersion Session, and created advocacy messaging for members. — Report submitted by Melissa DeSantis and Ryan Harris, Committee Co-chairs. Scholarly Communications Committee is planning a session on NIH biosketches using SciENcv and collaborating on NIH Public Access policy resources. — Report submitted by Jason Burton, Committee Chair. Learn, Connect, and Grow Join us at the monthly eSalon! These director-only casual, unstructured discussions will focus on a general topic each month for attendees to share, brainstorm, and learn from each other. The topics will be geared to the unique needs of those in academic health sciences library leadership and facilitated by AAHSL members. Attendance is optional, free, and open to all AAHSL directors. April 2026 Topic: Preparing for the unthinkable Facilitator: Erika Sevetson, MS. Director of Health and Biomedical Library Services, Brown University Library and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University Description: Most of us have gone through “hostile intruder” training at our institutions. Usually these trainings cover what we should do as individuals, focusing on “Run/Hide/Fight” protocols. But how, as leaders, do we prepare for the real-world scenario of an active shooter or bomb threat at our libraries? How do we communicate with our teams during and after—and how can we prepare for the possibility of a multi-hour lockdown, with hundreds of students in the facility? Join us to learn from each other as we discuss this difficult topic. Thank you for your leadership, your service, and the joy you bring to AAHSL. Yours in Service,
February 25, 2026 Dear AAHSL Colleagues: Happy New Year! I hope this message finds you well and that you were able to find moments of rest, renewal, and care during what I hope was a safe and restorative winter break. As we stepped into the new year, many of us were reminded that the uncertainty, disruption, and societal upheaval that marked much of 2025 did not pause with the start of the new year. I want to extend solidarity to our colleagues in Minnesota. I am also holding our colleagues in Portland and in other communities where there has been an increase in ICE interactions that have created added stress, fear, devastation, and uncertainty. I hope you are taking care of yourselves, looking out for one another, and doing what you need to do to stay safe and well during this moment of disruption. February: A Month for Reflection, Health, and Connection Celebrating Sandra G. Franklin, AAHSL’s First Black President Sandra holds the distinction of being the first Black librarian to serve as President of AAHSL since its founding in 1967. While serving as the 2020-2021 president, she guided the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic, leading AAHSL’s transition to virtual collaboration and programming and ensuring essential communication among the medical and health sciences libraries during a global health crisis. As Past President, she chaired the task force that led to a successful vote to grant osteopathic institutional libraries full membership in AAHSL. Standing on her shoulders as the second Black president is both an honor and a responsibility I hold with deep gratitude. Sandra served as Director of Emory University’s Woodruff Health Sciences Center Library in Atlanta, Georgia, from 2002 until her retirement, where she was a trusted member of the Emory Libraries leadership team and contributed broadly through campus and library committees and numerous search committees. Her professional service reflects a sustained commitment to leadership, mentorship, and the advancement of the profession. Her contributions have been recognized at the regional and national levels. Sandra was named the 2015 Southern Chapter of the Medical Library Association Academic Librarian of the Year, became a Fellow of the Medical Library Association in 2017, and was selected to deliver the 2021 Janet Doe Lecture, "Diversity That Defines Us: The View Through a Crystal Lens." In 2022, she received the AAHSL Gerald J. Oppenheimer Cornerstone Award for lifetime achievement. In reflecting on that honor, colleagues spoke of her compassion, grace, deep commitment to developing the next generation of leaders, and the many small acts of support through which she strengthened both individuals and the profession. I first met Sandra at my first the Medical Library Association meeting in May 2003 in San Diego, CA, where I was introduced to her and to members of the African American Medical Librarians Alliance (AAMLA) Special Interest Group (SIG), a MLA Caucus. While Sandra’s contributions to the profession and AAHSL are significant, I believe her greatest impact has been that of mentor and champion for Black librarians entering and navigating the profession. I am one of those librarians. Sandra has been an excellent mentor, role model, sponsor, and advocate for me and for many others. In my early years as a new professional, she helped me find my footing in health sciences librarianship and in MLA. Through her encouragement, guidance, and example, she taught me to walk in my truth, speak truth to power, advocate for others, engage in courageous conversations, and lead with respect and care. I am a better leader because of the time, wisdom, and generosity she invested in me. Sandra Franklin is a remarkable steward of our profession, and her legacy will continue to guide and inspire for generations to come. AAHSL Board Retreat: Convening in Charleston Future Leadership Committee Updates: Supporting Leadership Transitions and Growth As our community continues to experience retirements, interim appointments, and the recruitment of new library leaders, I want to highlight two important resources from the AAHSL Future Leadership Committee that support leadership development and succession planning across our member libraries. Director Recruitment Guide AAHSL Leadership Scholarships Information about past recipients and the programs they attended, along with reflections provided by scholarship awardees, is available on the AAHSL website. An announcement will be posted to the AAHSL-ALL listerv when the application period opens. I encourage eligible members to stay tuned and to consider applying or nominating a colleague. Upcoming February E-Forums and Trainings: Learn, Connect, and Grow Trauma-Informed Care Workshop Series On February 13, 2026, the Belonging and Community Engagement Committee hosted Workshop 1: Navigating Relational Change, led by Nisha Mody, as part of the Trauma-Informed Care Workshop series. We are grateful to all who participated in that thoughtful and engaging session. There is still time to join us for the second session: Workshop 2: How to Cultivate Trustworthiness in the Workplace I encourage you to register and invite members of your library staff to participate in the upcoming session and to continue engaging in these important conversations. February eSalon Join colleagues for a peer-to-peer conversation on presenting library statistics to your administration. Together, we will discuss how to decide which data to highlight, who needs to know what, and how to frame your numbers to resonate with different audiences. In closing, thank you so much for the important work each of you does daily to support your institutions, your communities, and one another. Yours in Service,
December 10, 2025 Dear Colleagues: As I write my first message as President of AAHSL, I do so with deep gratitude, humility, and a profound sense of purpose. When my AAHSL journey began as a Leadership Fellow in 2011 to 2012, I never imagined that I would one day have the honor of serving as President. What I did know, even then, was that I aspired to be a leader who makes a positive and meaningful impact on the people I work with, the communities I serve, and the profession I love. Stepping into this role now feels both full-circle and forward-looking. Honoring Our Immediate Past President Reflections on the 2025 AAHSL Annual Meeting One of the most impactful sessions for me centered on budgeting models across academic health sciences libraries. Hearing about the variety of strategies used across campuses encouraged me to reflect deeply on how my own library is resourced and the ways I must advocate for what is needed to ensure sustainability and alignment with our mission. These discussions pushed me to consider my learning edges, where I must grow, where I must go deeper, and how I can be an even better steward of the resources entrusted under my leadership. This is one of the things I love most about AAHSL. We are a learning community that shares generously. We do not reinvent the wheel because we do not have to. We learn from one another, we lift one another, and we get better together. Another highlight of the Education Program was the roundtable discussions. I had the pleasure of co-facilitating Table 19 with Annie Thompson from the University of Southern California. Our topic of director burnout and self-care resonated deeply. Burnout is something I have been examining closely in my own life over the past two years, especially this past year, as I strive to remain a resilient, vibrant, thoughtful, compassionate, and future-focused leader. Our conversation affirmed the importance of taking the World Health Organization's recognition of burnout as an occupational phenomenon seriously. If we are to lead well, nurture our teams, advance our institution’s missions, and show up with clarity and integrity, then we must also take care of ourselves. I hope all of us continue to reflect on what burnout means in our own professional and personal journeys, and on the practices that help us sustain our leadership. Celebrating Excellence: Oppenheimer Cornerstone Award This award recognizes individuals or groups whose contributions significantly advance AAHSL's mission and the profession of academic health sciences librarianship. Judy is the backbone of the Leadership Fellows Program and the steady, brilliant force behind the scenes who ensures that sessions run smoothly, schedules align, and Fellows feel supported at every step. As a former Chair of the Future Leadership Committee, I know firsthand that Judy made my experience not only possible but exceptional. Her dedication, professionalism, and care elevate everything she touches. Congratulations, Judy, on this well-deserved honor. Looking ahead: 4th Friday eSalons These director-only casual, unstructured discussions will have a general topic each month for attendees to share, brainstorm, and learn from each other. The topics will be tailored to the unique needs of those in academic health sciences library leadership and will be facilitated by AAHSL members. Attendance is optional, free, and open to all AASHL directors. Please join us as your schedules allow. Closing Reflections I look forward to adjusting those sails with all of you, listening, learning, and leading together. Thank you for your trust, your partnership, and the important work you do every day. I am honored to serve alongside you and look forward to a year of learning, collaboration, courage, and community. Yours in Service,
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