MAKING A MENTORSHIP
MATCH: WHAT WORKS, WHAT
DOESN'T, AND WHAT CAN ALA
OFFER?
Christina Bailey
Brian Leaf
Alanna Aiko Moore
Ashley Rayner
Definition: Mentoring
From Building Bridges
a process in which a more skilled or more experienced person,
serving as a role model, teaches, sponsors, encourages,
counsels and befriends a less skilled or less experienced person
for the purpose of promoting the latter’s professional and/or
personal development.
WHAT MAKES IT DISTINCTIVE?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/crabchick/6223723464/
Definition: Formal Mentoring
From Building Bridges
a systematic approach taken by an organization to help senior
and/or experienced employees develop learning partnerships
with junior and/or inexperienced employees. Can be either
randomly assigned or structured and can involve mentors from
outside the organization.
EXAMPLE
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dahlstroms/4140459965/
Matching at a Large University
• Mentoring coordinator
• Exploration of interests & “closing” the deal
• Monthly meetings
• Has it been successful?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/66963065@N05/6280507225/
Definition: Informal Mentoring
From Building Bridges
an unstructured approach whereby potential experienced
employees and/or junior employees interact and initially
observe each other. Can involve mentors from outside of the
organization.
EXAMPLE
https://www.flickr.com/photos/86979666@N00/7829098984/
ALA Mentoring Opportunities
Informal: ALA MentorConnect (free)
New librarians: New Members Round Table (free; <5 years)
Specific Purpose: ACRL “Your Research Coach” Program
Interested in leadership: LLAMA Mentoring Program
(application)
Directors: ACRL College Library Directors Mentor Program (cost)
http://www.ala.org/transforminglibraries/mentoring-opportunities
http://www.ala.org/educationcareers/mentoring/mentoring_and_recruit
ment_efforts
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hydropower/6234680296/in/set-72157627745688145
FORMAL MENTORSHIP
EXPERIENCES
ARL Career Enhancement Program
• LIS Access Midwest Program
• Masters Program
•
INFORMAL MENTORSHIP
EXPERIENCES
•
•
•
•
Lateral – Classmates
Bottom-Up – Colleagues
Group – Conferences
Everything Else!
(DR. E. J.) JOSEY
SPECTRUM SCHOLAR
MENTOR COMMITTEE
BEST PRACTICES FOR MENTORS
AND MENTEES
Emerging Leader Team L
Christina Bailey
M.E.N.T.E.E.
Manage your time
Expectations
Not to be confused with networking
Tell and show
Easy going or formal forming
End-results
MANAGE YOUR TIME



Discuss and map out a time schedule with your
mentor.
Let your mentor know your time schedule before
you enter into a mentoring partnership.
Make an agreement with your mentor that you
will alert them of any meeting changes in
advance.
EXPECTATIONS




Let your mentor know the reason you are seeking
a mentoring partnership (e.g. handling issues,
exploring new opportunities or what skills are
valuable to your career.)
Make sure the expectations you have in mind are
similar to your mentors expectations
State your expectations before you start your
mentoring partnership
Maintain Confidentially.
NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH
NETWORKING
Mentoring

MentorAn experienced, trustworthy
person who willingly provides
useful advice to a new member
of a community, profession, or
organization to assist the
person in achieving success in
his or her new position and
environment. Mentoring
relationships can either be
established informally by the
participants or under the
formal sponsorship of an
organization.
-ODLIS (Online Dictionary for Library and
Information Science)
Networking

NetworkingThe art of developing contacts
within a profession and using
them to advance one's work and
career. Librarians do this by
meeting colleagues at library
conferences, participating in
colloquia and round tables,
volunteering to serve on
committees, running for elective
office, joining electronic
discussion lists, etc.
-ODLIS (Online Dictionary for Library and
Information Science)
TELL AND SHOW


Respectfully communicate with your mentor your
thoughts, questions and concerns that you have
Show your mentor that you are respectful of their
thoughts, questions and concerns
EASY GOING OR FORMAL FORMING
Informal Mentoring
An informal mentorship is the
antithesis of the formal mentorship
in structure: there really is none.
The relationship is usually created
spontaneously out of an immediate
need. It is rarely identified, and
because of that fact it is seen as less
effective and significant than a
formal mentoring relationship. - –
Burke, Kate and Lawrence, Belinda. “The
accidental mentorship-Library managers’ roles in
students employees’ academic professional lives,
Feb 2011 from College and Research Libraries News
Formal Mentoring
A formal mentoring relationship is
one in which the mentor and the
protégé meet on a regular basis,
they hold structured discussions,
there is an expectation of a certain
degree of commitment.
The protégé does what the mentor
says, they set goals, parameters of
the relationship, and there is
usually a time frame in which the
relationship begins and ends.
Burke, Kate and Lawrence, Belinda. “The
accidental mentorship-Library managers’ roles in
students employees’ academic professional lives,
Feb 2011 from College and Research Libraries News.

Try to create a long-term
relationship with your mentor
Stay in touch with your mentor

Apply what you have learned

Consider becoming a mentor
yourself
END- RESULTS

“In
learning
you will
teach, and
in teaching
you will
learn.” –
Phil
Collins
M.E.N.T.O.R
Manage your time
Expectations
Not your average librarian
Teach
Open-minded
Results
MANAGE YOUR TIME



Discuss and map out a time schedule with your
mentee.
Let your mentee know your time schedule before
you enter into a mentoring partnership.
Make an agreement with your mentee that you
will alert them of any meeting changes in
advance.
EXPECTATIONS




Communicate with your mentee why you have
chosen to become a mentor and what you are
seeking in a mentoring partnership
Make sure that the expectations you have in
mind are similar to your mentees expectations
State your expectations before you start your
mentoring partnership
Maintain Confidentially.
NOT YOUR AVERAGE LIBRARIAN



Take pride and integrity in being a mentor (after
all you were one of the chosen)
Mentors are role models.
A role model is a person whose behavior,
example, or success is or can be emulated by
others
Mentors are not perfect but are a perfect fit for
the job.
TEACH




Teaching can be provided in many forms. It can
come from past experiences or current
discussions.
Teaching does not mean judging.
Allow mentees the opportunity to come to their
own conclusions about personal situations.
A mentee can teach a mentor.
OPEN-MINDED



Be a active listener. Listen to what your mentee
has to say.
Give your mentee positive feedback to let them
you know you are listening
Ask your mentee questions. Type of questions
include: open, closed, leading, hypothetical, and
analytical.

Example(s): How do you feel about what happen?
What do you think will happen if you do x,y,z?


Results may vary. Some mentees
may continue to say in touch and
others may not. And that’s ok!
RESULTS
Learning is a two-way street. Did
you learn something through your
mentoring relationship?
“No one
learns as
much
about a
subject
as one
who is
forced to
teach it”Peter F.
Drucker
CROSS CULTURAL
MENTORING:
BEST PRACTICES
MENTORING BENEFITS: A RE-CAP

Sharing of knowledge, skills, and expertise

Setting up others for success

An empowering, learner-centered relationship
built on a foundation of mutual trust and respect

Assistance with professional development

Increases retention of librarians
CROSS CULTURAL OR
CROSS-RACIAL MENTORING:
When a mentoring relationship develops
across racial and ethnic lines.
TOP TRAITS OF SUCCESSFUL
CROSS-CULTURAL MENTORS



Sensitive to issues related to librarians of color
Respect diverse styles of leadership and
communication
Willing to engage in dialogue related to race and
ethnicity
CROSS CULTURAL MENTORING:
BEST PRACTICES FOR MENTORS


Develop self awareness and acknowledge
institutional privilege.
Learn about diverse cultures.
CROSS CULTURAL MENTORING:
BEST PRACTICES FOR MENTORS
Recognize
Prioritize
dialogue.
that racism exists.
open communication and
CROSS CULTURAL MENTORING:
BEST PRACTICES FOR MENTORS
Practice
cultural competence.
Demystify
organizations.
CROSS CULTURAL MENTORING:
BEST PRACTICES FOR MENTORS
Get
involved!