MARS Management of Electronic Resources and Services (MERS) Committee
Our Charge
To create, collect, analyze, and disseminate information on all aspects of management of electronic resources and tools for reference services. These aspects include planning, personnel, budget, organization, evaluation, facilities management, coordination and promotion, with emphasis on the role of the manager. (Revised May 2006). Visit the MARS Handbook to view our official charge and duties.
Current MERS Projects
Virtual Poster Session on Virtual Reference 2008! This year's topic is "Changing VR based on evaluation. Poster session winners were announced at the MARS Chair’s Program, “Is Face-to-Face Reference Dying,” 10:30 a.m. to noon, June 29, 2008, in Hyatt Grand A during the ALA Annual Conference held in Anaheim, Calif.
Past MERS Projects
Virtual Poster Session: Evaluation Virtual Reference Services. Four virtual posters were accepted from submissions. Winners were announced at Harvesting the Hive: Social Networks and Libraries, the Reference and User Services Association Machine-Assisted Reference Section (RUSA/MARS) Chair's Program. View the winning posters .
We revised the Guidelines for the Introduction of Electronic Information Resources to Users. This revision was approved by the RUSA Board of Directors in June 2006. The original version had been approved by the RUSA Board of Directors in June 1997.
The Specialist Model for Reference Services in the Virtual Reference Environment, Discussion Forum, ALA Midwinter 2005 (Boston)
Management Tools and Issues in Digital Reference Program, ALA Annual 2004 (Orlando).
Upcoming Meetings
MERS meet during the MARS All Committee Meeting on Sunday, June 29, 8:00 - 10:00 a.m., in Disneyland Hotel's Magic Kingdom Ballroom 3. Meeting minutes will be posted soon.
