Mentoring in Librarianship

Both new librarians and those changing directions in the field can benefit greatly from a relationship with a positive and supportive mentor. In this book, public, school, academic, and special librarians, as well as LIS faculty and consultants, offer expertise and wisdom for those wishing to become a mentor or a protégé or to implement a mentoring program. Topics include reasons for choosing mentoring relationships, practical tips on setting up a program, internships, practicums, job shadowing, virtual reference, opportunities for those new to the profession and those in mid-career, and mentoring across disciplines. By sharing their personal successes as well as their failures in mentoring, the 35 contributors offer sound advice backed by years of experience, advice that will aid all librarians who seek guidance or want to guide the future of the library profession.

A Michigan resident, Carol Smallwood has practiced in school, public and special libraries. Her primary interest is practical librarianship, and she is the author of journal articles and editor of numerous books.
Rebecca Tolley-Stokes is an associate professor and librarian at East Tennessee State University. She lives in Johnson City, Tennessee.

Edited by Carol Smallwood and Rebecca Tolley-Stokes
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 230
Bibliographic Info: bibliographies, index
Copyright Date: 2012
pISBN: 978-0-7864-6378-7
eISBN: 978-0-7864-8870-4
Imprint: McFarland

Preface      1

Part I: Philosophical Questions and Practical Applications

1. Creating a Mentoring Community in an Undergraduate Library

Michelle Twait, Jeff A. Jenson, and Anna J. Hulseberg      3

2. Creating Good Karma through Mentoring and Passing It On

Christina Stoll      13

3. Developing Criteria and Goals for a Mentoring Program

Allison T. Coltin      21

4. The Importance of Structured Time Between Mentors and Mentees

Jamal L. Cromity      28

5. Mentoring from the Perspective of Mentees

Nicole Pasini      34

6. Learning Outcomes and Cultural Context of Mentoring

Danielle M. Colbert-Lewis      41

7. Mentoring with Leaders: Tips

Vandella Brown      47

8. “Serendipitous Mentoring” in Small College Libraries

Kyle M.L. Jones and Jacob Hill      54

9. Steps Involved in Being a Mentor
Myrtis Cochran      62

Part II: Mentoring Students

10. Begin at the Beginning: Mentoring Student Employees in the Archives

Morgan R. Davis      69

11. Making a Connection: Mentoring High School Students in Special Collections

Keith Phelan Gorman      75

12. Mentoring on the Fly: Seizing Moments

Pat Duck      83

13. Mentoring Undergraduate Students: Examples, Steps, and Collaborative Campus Efforts

Wen-ying Lu      88

14. My One Room Schoolhouse: Mentoring in a Diverse Classroom

Stacy Russo      98

15. Putting Interest Where the Work Is: Mentoring Students through Library Digital Production Activities

Bradley J. Daigle      105

Part III: Mentoring Students in Library School

16. Creating a Structured Program to Help Staff Earn Their MLIS

Matthew Pacer      113

17. Mentoring MLIS Students in Collaborative Virtual Reference: The AskColorado Program

Kris Johnson      120

18. Mentoring MLIS Graduate Students

Jodee L. Kawasaki      129

19. Early Career Librarians Helping LIS Students and Recent Graduates

Lisa Campbell      134

20. Librarians as Mentors for Adults and Students

Mary Jo McKeon      140

21. Beyond the Classroom: Mentoring MSLIS Students in an Academic Library

Katy Kelly      145

22. The Job Search: Application to Negotiation
Jennifer O’Brien Roper      151

Part IV: Mentoring Librarians

23. The Art of Mentoring Across Disciplines
Thomas Caswell      163

24. Betwixt and Between: The Junior Academic Librarian as Mentor

Norda Majekodunmi      169

25. Mentoring the Library Assistant in an Independent School Library

Janet L. Silvano      176

26. Mentoring at a Distance

Aline Soules      183

27. Mentoring a New Distance Education Librarian

Annie Knight      191

28. Mentoring Librarians One-on-One as an Experienced Cataloger

Ruth Elder      199

29. Trickle Down Teaching: Encouraging Collaborative Teaching by Using a Peer Model of Mentoring New Instruction Librarians

Martinique M. Haller      206

About the ContributorsS      213

Index      219

“a valuable resource…strengthens the case for mentoring systems to be much more widely established as a normal and formal feature of our professional life”—The Australian Library Journal; “Mentoring offers a roadmap for experienced librarians to pass on their knowledge to students and early career librarians who are ‘still in growth mode.’ This book is especially timely in light of the number of experienced librarians who will retire and exit the profession in the next few years as it offers concrete guidelines to continue the chain of knowledge.”—Lois Stickell, Research Services Librarian University of North Carolina at Charlotte; “Mentoring in Librarianship provides innovative, timely, and practical tips on implementing mentor/mentee relationships in all types of libraries. This book provides a fresh perspective on what it means to be a mentor in today’s libraries.”–Erin Davis, Assistant Librarian, Utah State University; “This anthology is a valuable resource for those considering entering into a mentoring relationship. These articles provide insight into what is expected from both mentor and mentee and how to structure a mentorship based on the needs of both parties.”—Heather Zabriskie, Youth Programs Coordinator, Orange County Library System, Orlando, Florida; “This book will be an important resource for both new and experienced librarians in any stage of their careers.”—Allan Cho, University of British Columbia Library. “Mentoring in Librarianship is an excellent collection of what works on all aspects of mentoring.”—Regina Koury, Electronic Resources Librarian, Idaho State University; “This anthology contains a wealth of information and is the perfect mentor for how to go about mentoring!”—Lisa L. Crane, Western American Librarian, Claremont Colleges Library; “Mentoring in Librarianship is a great resource for all types of librarians or libraries developing a mentoring program. Those new to the profession or those thinking of creating a mentoring program will find easy plans with ideas of what works and what doesn’t to save you time.”—Victoria Lynn Packard, Coordinator of Instructional Services & Distance Learning, Texas A&M University–Kingsville; “The authors give a cohesive view of mentoring that understands and promotes this artful practice as a way to communicate the enduring values and core competencies to emerging talent.”—James Lund, Director, Red Wing Public Library, Red Wing, Minnesota; “All-in-one guide to the concept of mentoring for library professionals, this book outlines not just practical considerations but philosophies and meditations for librarians in mentoring positions. If you’re interested in being a steward, mentor, guide or friend to someone considering a career in librarianship, this collection of essays from academic and special librarians will give you plenty of angles to consider and stories to take to heart.”–Jessamyn West, author, Without a Net: Librarians Bridging the Digital Divide.