Mandate

As an advisory group, the Committee provides specialized advice to CISTI on CISTI's plans, priorities, programs and services to the health and medical research communities. The committee:

• acts as a user group by reviewing CISTI activities vis-à-vis the various health communities and organizations in Canada;
• provides advice, both solicited and unsolicited, on policies and plans;
• provides a forum for discussion of specific issues relevant to the Canadian health information community, such as initiatives and opportunities for resource sharing at the national level;
• raises issues for discussion at the Advisory Board for CISTI or for discussion with other groups;
• reports to the Director General of CISTI on the activities and achievements of its representative groups.

Membership / Meetings

The Committee shall consist of up to five members at large appointed by the Director General for a period of 2 years and four ex-officio members. The appointees will represent the following:

• Canadian Health Libraries Association / Association des bibliothèques de la santé du Canada; there will be two members from CHLA/ABSC, one of whom will represent hospital libraries;
• Association pour l'avancement des sciences et des techniques de la documentation, la Section santé de l'ASTED;
• Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada, Committee on Libraries;
• Representative from the industrial library sector.

A member of the Advisory Board for CISTI and a representative from the Health Canada libraries will be ex officio members. The Director General of CISTI and/or the designated coordinator for health sciences information services within CISTI shall be ex-officio members of the Committee. CISTI will supply secretarial support. A Committee Chair will be selected from among interested and qualified members.

The Committee shall meet in formal session once a year and hold one or two teleconferences during the year. Travel and other expenses related to meetings shall be covered by NRC.