Making an impact: the new 2024 Medical Library Association research agenda

This research project sought to identify those subject areas that leaders and researcher members of the Medical Library Association (MLA) determined to be of greatest importance for research investigation. It updates two previous studies conducted in 2008 and 2011.

The project involved a three-step Delphi process aimed at collecting the most important and researchable questions facing the health sciences librarianship profession. First, 495 MLA leaders were asked to submit questions answerable by known research methods. Submitted questions could not exceed 50 words in length. There were 130 viable, unique questions submitted by MLA leaders. Second, the authors asked 200 eligible MLA-member researchers to select the five (5) most important and answerable questions from the list of 130 questions. Third, the same 130 MLA leaders who initially submitted questions were asked to select their top five (5) most important and answerable questions from the 36 top-ranked questions identified by the researchers.

The final 15 questions resulting from the three phases of the study will serve as the next priorities of the MLA Research Agenda. The authors will be facilitating the organization of teams of volunteers wishing to conduct research studies related to these identified top 15 research questions.

The new 2024 MLA Research Agenda will enable the health information professions to allocate scarce resources toward high-yield research studies. The Agenda could be used by journal editors and annual meeting organizers to prioritize submissions for research communications. The Agenda will provide aspiring researchers with some starting points and justification for pursuing research projects on these questions.