The History of the Massachusetts State Association of Record Librarians, Massachusetts Medical Record Association, Massachusetts Health Information Management Association


Past Presidents of  the 1930’s:

1937 – 1942   Estell Ord, RRL
1933 – 1937   Eleanor Jones, RRL
1930 – 1933   Grace Whiting Myers, RRL

On October 11, 1929, in a small room in the Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston, the Association of Record Librarians of North America (ARLNA) was founded.  One year later on September 18, 1930, the Massachusetts State Association of Medical Record Librarians was formed with Grace Whiting Myers of Worcester elected as its President.  The first official meeting of this association was held in Thayer Hall at the Worcester City Hospital with fifty members and guests attending.

In the first “Bulletin of the Association of Record Librarians of North America” published in January 1930, Grace Whiting Myers wrote:  “As commencement to formulating ideals for the new association, let us first consider the librarian herself—what she must be:
I.        She must have personality and tact.
II.       She must have education.
III.     She must have persistence which is never offensive.
IV.     She must have ability to keep a confidence.
V.       She must be an enthusiast.”

During this decade:
•    The association membership separated into three branches, Eastern, Central and Western.
•    By 1935 the association had 101 members:  63 in the Eastern Branch, 20 in Central, and 18 in the Western.
•    The leadership of the association was held by three – Grace Whiting Myers, Eleanor Jones, and Estell Ord.
•    The focus was to provide educational programs on the skills and knowledge needed to function as a Record Librarian or as needed to “be of general assistance to Record Librarians”.

In a presentation at the New England Hospital Association in February 1936, Eleanor Jones spoke of “the Record Librarian’s Wishes”:
1.    Proper Equipment for efficient work
2.    Sufficient personnel in the Records Department
3.    Complete cooperation of the Medical Staff
4.    A Record Committee of Staff Members
5.    Complete cooperation of the Nursing Staff