Mentoring

MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

Goals | Guidelines | To Participate | For More Information


Overview:

Many special librarians have benefited greatly from the advice and guidance of an experienced colleague or coworker, or professor. Because a mentoring relationship benefits not only the mentor and mentee, but the profession as a whole, UNYSLA provides this mentoring program to encourage the formation of strong professional relationships among library students and graduates and seasoned special librarians. The opportunity to share ideas with and learn from others is rewarding for all involved. UNYSLA believes that the chapter and its members will benefit greatly from a formal Mentorship Program. After a trial mentorship program at Syracuse University, UNYSLA chapter members are delighted to offer the program to all upstate graduate library students and all UNYSLA chapter members.

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Goals:

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Guidelines:

  1. When a mentee application has been received from a student, it will be reviewed by the Mentorship Committee. A match will be made with a suitable mentor as soon as possible and both parties will be apprised of the match.

  2. When the match has been announced to both parties, the mentor will contact the mentee within two weeks. At their first meeting (either in-person or by telephone), they will consider:

    1. frequency and format of communication (for example, a phone call once a month, weekly e-mails, lunch once every semester, etc.)

    2. key goals for the match (resume advice, networking support at association meetings, course project suggestions, etc.).

  3. The match is expected to last until the student graduates. The mentorship coordinator will contact both the mentor and mentee after 6 months to ensure that the pairing is a positive one.

  4. If either the mentor or mentee does not feel that their pairing is working well, they should contact the Mentorship Committee. The committee will evaluate the situation. No-fault conclusions are endorsed.

  5. Students may be paired with a mentor who does not live in their immediate area, thus allowing for distance mentoring.

  6. Pairs are encouraged to attend UNYSLA (or other) meetings and mentoring events together.

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To Participate:

Mentor Application (PDF - 42kb)
Mentee Application (PDF - 43kb)

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For More Information:

Updated May 6, 2004

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