The focus of the current issue 3/2011 of GMS Medizin – Bibliothek – Information is the annual conference 2011 of the German Medical Libraries Association in Cologne. The motto of the conference was "Think innovative, plan strategically, implement in practice". Focal points of the meeting were innovation management, marketing and new applications in medical libraries. The authors in this issue are Bruno Bauer, Daniel Formanek & Helmut Dollfuß (E-Books at medical libraries: They came to stay), Ursula Georgy (Systematic innovation management), Maurizio Grilli (New library portal at Province College for Health-Care Professions Claudiana, Bozen), Sabine Köhrer-Weisser (Marketing in One Person Libraries), Roland Mumenthaler (Innovation Managemen...