Mentoring in Librarianship: Essays on Working with Adults and Students to Further the Profession

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 protege 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.

Table of Contents:
Table of Contents Preface      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      2. Creating Good Karma through Mentoring and Passing It Christina Stoll      3. Developing Criteria and Goals for a Mentoring Program Allison T. Coltin      4. The Importance of Structured Time Between Mentors and Mentees Jamal L. Cromity      5. Mentoring from the Perspective of Mentees Nicole Pasini      6. Learning Outcomes and Cultural Context of Mentoring Danielle M. Colbert-Lewis      7. Mentoring with Leaders: Tips Vandella Brown      8. “Serendipitous Mentoring” in Small College Libraries Kyle M.L. Jones and Jacob Hill      9. Steps Involved in Being a Mentor Myrtis Cochran      Part II: Mentoring Students 10. Begin at the Beginning: Mentoring Student Employees in the Archives Morgan R. Davis      11. Making a Connection: Mentoring High School Students in Special Collections Keith Phelan Gorman      12. Mentoring on the Fly: Seizing Moments Pat Duck      13. Mentoring Undergraduate Students: Examples, Steps, and Collaborative Campus Efforts Wen-ying Lu      14. My One Room Schoolhouse: Mentoring in a Diverse Classroom Stacy Russo      15. Putting Interest Where the Work Is: Mentoring Students through Library Digital Production Activities Bradley J. Daigle      Part III: Mentoring Students in Library School 16. Creating a Structured Program to Help Staff Earn Their MLIS Matthew Pacer      17. Mentoring MLIS Students in Collaborative Virtual Reference: The AskColorado Program Kris Johnson      18. Mentoring MLIS Graduate Students Jodee L. Kawasaki      19. Early Career Librarians Helping LIS Students and Recent Graduates Lisa Campbell      20. Librarians as Mentors for Adults and Students Mary Jo McKeon      21. Beyond the Classroom: Mentoring MSLIS Students in an Academic Library Katy Kelly      22. The Job Search: Application to Negotiation Jennifer O’Brien Roper      Part IV: Mentoring Librarians 23. The Art of Mentoring Across Disciplines Thomas Caswell      24. Betwixt and Between: The Junior Academic Librarian as Mentor Norda Majekodunmi      25. Mentoring the Library Assistant in an Independent School Library Janet L. Silvano      26. Mentoring at a Distance Aline Soules      27. Mentoring a New Distance Education Librarian Annie Knight      28. Mentoring Librarians One-on-One as an Experienced Cataloger Ruth Elder      29. Trickle Down Teaching: Encouraging Collaborative Teaching by Using a Peer Model of Mentoring New Instruction Librarians Martinique M. Haller      About the ContributorsS      Index     

About the Author :
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.

Review :
“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.