Portland Area Health Sciences Libraries and Oregon Health Sciences Libraries Association records

Oregon Health Sciences Libraries Association (OHSLA):

The Oregon Health Sciences Libraries Association (OHSLA) was established in 1975, having quickly expanded from a small cooperative of health science librarians in Oregon to members from over 16 institutions in less than a year. In order to more effectively provide health care related information to the citizens of Oregon, OHSLA facilitates the sharing of information resources and better communication between and amongst the institutions. In the late 1970s, OHSLA applied for a grant, resulting in the formation of the Oregon Health Information Network (OHIN).

By 2014, OHSLA’s membership has grown to include 30 participating libraries, including OHSU, National College of Natural Medicine, Portland State University, and the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research. Among their primary activities, the organization orchestrates conferences and continuing education workshops, including an annual meeting at the Silver Falls Conference Center in Silverton, Oregon.

Portland Area Health Sciences Librarians (PAHSL):

The Portland Area Health Sciences Librarians (PAHSL) was formed to provide a meeting space for librarians in the Portland area to meet and exchange ideas related to health science information in their community. This increased the ability for local libraries to participate without having to necessarily travel outside of the area. Many of the members of PAHSL were also active members of OHSLA. In 1997, PAHSL decided to transition to an internet support group where participants could engage with each other on the web. Although the date of dissolution is unclear, PAHSL disbanded circa late 1990s-early 2000s.