We are MLA: a qualitative case study on the Medical Library Association's 2019 Communities Transition

Area of Science:

• Library and Information Science
• Organizational Change Management

Background:

• The Medical Library Association (MLA) implemented a new community governance model in 2019 to support diversity, inclusion, and community goals.
• This reorganization aimed to strengthen member communities, enhance programming, reduce administrative load, and attract new members.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the MLA Communities Transition by examining member and leader perceptions.
• To identify transferable lessons for future large-scale organizational changes within MLA.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative study employing John Kotter's eight-step change model as a framework.
• Conducted seventeen semistructured interviews using fifteen open-ended questions.
• Analyzed interview transcripts using grounded theory to identify key themes.

Main Results:

• Identified four major themes: leadership-membership communication, leadership during change, membership engagement, and implementation strategies.
• The transition was generally well-executed, but significant issues with communication and information dissemination were perceived.
• Strengths included overall implementation, while communication gaps were a notable area for improvement.

Conclusions:

• Findings underscore the need for improved communication strategies in organizational change.
• Recommendations provided for more effective handling of large-scale changes within the organization.