Music Library Association

Career Resources

MENTORING

 

  • Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (a division of ALA). "Mentoring Library Science Graduate Students: A Guide." Available at http://www.ala.org/ala/alctscontent/catalogingsection/catcommittees/
    educationtrainin/mentoringguidelines.htm.

    At the 1996 American Library Association conference, the Association of Library Collections & Technical Services, Cataloging and Classification Section, Committee on Education, Training and Recruitment for Cataloging (CETRC) developed the premise that more contact between practicing catalog librarians and library graduate students would provide the students with a realistic view of the work and responsibilities of catalog librarians. . . . [It] is intended to be a resource for mentors. The guide includes a variety of current issues and approaches that mentors may find useful. A brief bibliography and sample job advertisements are also included.

  • Aulik, Judith, Holly Ann Burt, Michael Geeraedts, et al. "Online Mentoring: A Student Experience at Dominican University." Cataloging & Classification Quarterly 34, no. 3 (2002): 289-92.

    This paper explores the online learning experience of seven students in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Dominican University. In a class entitled Metadata for Internet Resources, the students developed a distance learning relationship with professional catalogers. Student assignments included posting bibliographic records on the WebBoard for mentor input. In an online exchange, the mentors responded by posting their suggestions for improving students records. The interaction between students and mentors is discussed, as is the education value of distance learning.

  • Bonnette, Ashley. "Mentoring Minority Librarians up the Career Ladder." Library Administration & Management 18, no. 3 (Summer 2004): 134-39.

    The library and information science (LIS) profession, like most other professions, has addressed the issue of minority recruitment through a variety of efforts over a number of years. Recently, library literature has documented an aging and shrinking library workforce. Recruitment of a new, competent, and multicultural workforce is one widely touted strategy intended to counter the effect of anticipated large numbers of librarians approaching retirement. While a proactive recruitment program is an essential component to maintaining and promoting overall growth and diversity within the library profession, a new, competent, and diverse workforce at the entry level cannot hope to replace the managerial experience from the soon-to-be retiring administrative ranks. The American Library Association's (ALA's) Office for Diversity has recognized an apparent lack of upward mobility for minorities within the profession and has designated that issue as one warranting further research to fill critical gaps in the knowledge of diversity issues.

  • Borchert, Carol Ann, and Jana Futch Martin. "Developing a Mentor Program at the University of South Florida." The Southeastern Librarian 50, no. 2 (Summer 2002): 3-11.

    This is an excellent in-depth article on the importance of mentoring. The University of South Florida implemented a program as part of its Diversity Plan 2000, and a year later, they present, in this article, the challenges and difficulties they faced, as well as a summary of where the program stands now. The article also includes the results of a survey of the mentors and mentees who participated in the program. An extensive bibliography on mentoring is included.

  • Bullington, Jeffrey, and Susanna Boylston. "Strengthening the Profession, Assuring our Future: ACRL's New Member Mentoring Program Pairs Library Leaders with New Professionals." College & Research Library News 62, no. 4 (April 2001): 430-32.

    In 2000, ACRL launched its New Member Mentoring Program. New librarians were paired with experienced professionals during this year-long program in order to prepare them for leadership roles. The participants subsequently evaluated the program, and their responses are presented here.

  • "Chronicle Careers"in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Available at http://chronicle.com/jobs/archive/advice/mentor.htm.

    "Ms. Mentor: Words of Wisdom About Academic Culture" is a regular advice column, often quite humorous, covering a multitude of topics, many of which address job searching. Ms. Mentor is really Emily Toth, Professor of English and Women's Studies at Louisiana State University. Previous columns dating back to 1998 are archived online. Dr. Toth is also the author of Ms. Mentor's Impeccable Advice for Women in Academia, published by the University of Pennsylvania Press (1997).

  • Gibson, Rita, comp. "Mentoring & Libraries: A Bibliography." Available at http://colt.ucr.edu/bibmentoring.html.

    Rita Gibson, Library Specialist/Access Services Supervisor in the State Law Library of Montana, is a well-known advocate for paraprofessionals and mentoring. Last updated in May 2003, this bibliography offers citations to over 100 books, journal articles, and web sites that focus on mentoring for support staff, as well as professionals. Publication dates range from 1980 to the present.

  • Harcourt, Kate, and Susan Neumeister. "Online Distance Learning with Cataloging Mentors: The Mentor's Viewpoint." Cataloging & Classification Quarterly 34, no. 3 (2002): 293-98.

    Cataloging experts from across the United States were asked to critique assignments from students enrolled in Professor Gertrude Koh's classes at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois through the use of an Internet bulletin board (WebBoard, O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.). This paper examines the mentors' perspective on teaching cataloging and their experience in teaching future colleagues via the WebBoard. [This is a companion to the Aulik article cited above.]

  • Martorana, Janet, Eunice Schroeder, Lucia Snowhill, and Andrea Duda. "A Focus on Mentorship in Career Development." Library Administration & Management 18, no. 4 (Fall 2004): 199-202.

    Academic librarians have long recognized the importance of ongoing professional and career development for achieving their personal and professional goals and contributing to the success of the libraries in which they work. As in other professions, professional and career development in academic librarianship involves a mix of many different issues that vary at different stages of individual careers. For entry-level and mid-career librarians as well as veterans with many years of experience, the immediate, day-to-day challenges of fulfilling core job responsibilities in a complex and demanding environment play out against a background of broader concerns: assessing potential career directions, channeling energies effectively, setting long-term goals, and enhancing leadership skills.


    ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR MENTORING ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE NOVEMBER 2004 JOB LIST (see EVANS, KEYSE, AND KUYPER-RUSHING citations).