Mentoring for Success in Academic Libraries

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Mentoring for Success in Academic Libraries

• OLA Super Conference
• February 4, 2005

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What is Mentoring ?

• Developmental, caring, sharing and helping
  relationship
• Investment of time, know-how and effort
• For growth, knowledge, skills
• To meet critical needs
• To prepare for the future

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Why Mentoring?

• A lot has been written
• Many types of programs
• Urgent need
• Call to action

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Canadian Situation

• Canadian Library Human Resource Study
• What we know
• majority of library workforce is older
• 200 to 400 librarians retiring each year
  2002-2014
• 4000 retirements

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Projected Number of Retirements Per Year to
2014 (Red at age 60 Blue at age 65)
Age 60
Age 65
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Whos Doing What?

• Association mentoring
• Informal Library mentoring
• Formal Library mentoring

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Benefits of Mentoring

• To the Mentee
• Shape own growth and career planning
• Advice on issues beyond day to day work
• Exposure to new areas
• Support

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Benefits of Mentoring

• To the Mentor
• Contribute to the growth of potential future
  leaders
• Intellectual stimulation of new ideas
• Transfer of knowledge

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Benefits of Mentoring

• To the Library
• Improved performance of mentee
• Enriched perspective of mentor
• Continuum of organizational history / knowledge
• Positive atmosphere

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Context

• Orientation
• Tenure/Permanent Status/Promotion
• Leadership
• mid-career

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Mid-careerMentorship

• A balancing act
• of mentor
• and mentee

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Introduction

• Why focus on mentoring in regards to mid-career
  librarians?

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What is mid-career?

• Characteristics
• Transitions

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Making the transition, pt. 1

• Are you ready to mentor others?

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Making the transition, pt. 2

• Are you thinking about the next
• stage of your own career?

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Developing a plan

• Customization is key
• a. Dos and donts
• b. Mentoring toolkit
• c. Our plan

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a. Do / Dont

• DO.
• Consider the type of program you want
• State what goals and objectives are
• Do your homework
• DONT
• Make program one-size-fits all
• Require participation of senior librarians
• Set up false expectations

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b. Mentoring Toolkit

• Brochure on mentoring at different career stages
• Best practices
• Bibliography
• Website

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c. Our plan

• Focus group
• Wider consultation
• Working group
• A draft plan

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Conclusion

• Website - arc.utsc.utoronto.ca/ola/
• Questions
• Thank you