Best wishes for 2010 to e-HLbc partner libraries and colleagues. As we begin a new year of collaboration, it is important to celebrate the successes we’ve experienced over the last year while recognizing the challenges that lay ahead.

2009 saw e-HLbc add more full text to its collections, renew its core suite of resources, and triple its affiliate member roster. 2009 was also a difficult year for libraries in BC, in Canada, and around the world due to the economic downturn. Unfortunately, reduced budgets and pessimistic economic outlooks did not end with the close of the year. These are problems we continue to face.

e-HLbc was founded to address these kinds of challenges. The people and organizations who came together to create e-HLbc four years ago recognized the benefits of leveraging collective energy and resources to meet the needs of health students, researchers and practitioners across the province.  There is power in numbers. In difficult financial times, it’s important to work together. A province wide consortium offers a necessary space to identify common problems and find common solutions.

In order to take a fresh look at how e-HLbc can meet members changing needs, the Management Committee and the Administrative Centre staff will be working this year to develop a framework for a Strategic Plan for e-HLbc.  Our aim is to build on our strengths as we expand capacity, directions and partnerships.

We hope to engage partner libraries and other key stakeholders in this process.

Many thanks for your continued support.

Nancy Levesque, University Librarian
Thompson Rivers University
e-HLbc Co-Chair