Starting a Mentorship Program for Academic Librarians

1. Starting a Mentorship Program for Academic Librarians An abbreviated version Of the luc 2008 presentation Rob bremer Mike matthews Megan lowe

2. Who We Are • Rob Bremer: LLA Academic Libraries Section Liaison with ACRL-LA • User Services Librarian, Louisiana Tech University Library • Megan Lowe: Chair, Mentoring Committee • Reference Librarian, University of Louisiana at Monroe • Mike Matthews: President, ACRL-LA • Information Literacy/Online Learning Services Librarian, Northwestern State University of Louisiana

3. What This PowerPoint Includes • The Working Hypotheses • The Survey Data • Additional Data Compiled by Mike Matthews • The Next Steps • LLA’s Connection • What Can You Do?

4. ACRL-LA’s Working Hypotheses • Older librarians will be retiring at an alarming rate; 79% will retire by 2024 • Younger librarians need guidance in the cultures and philosophies of the academic librarian profession • Older librarians will want to share their knowledge with their younger colleagues • Younger librarians could (should?) learn how to perform complex tasks on the job; an older librarian’s guidance could be the solution • Librarians, regardless of age, are interested in improving their skills

5. The Survey Data with observations

6. Majority Do Not Have Mentoring Program

7. An Experienced Workforce

8. With a Strong Sense of Professionalism

9. Who Want to Help

10. And Who Need Skilled Colleagues

11. But who are too busy or feel they don’t know enough to be of assistance. (Huh?)

12. Librarians Know What They Need/Want

13. What the Survey Data Tells Us • 66% of respondents have 5 or more years of experience • Yet, 37% do not believe they are experienced enough to be mentors • And, 37% are simply “too busy” to be a mentor • 50% of respondents want to be a mentor • Only 15% (6) want to have a mentor • Yet, 61% would like to participate in a continuing education opportunity directed to mentees

14. Additional Data Compiled by mike matthews

15. Kirkland, Janice. The Missing Women Library Directors: Deprivation versus Mentoring C&RL July 1997

16. Possible Long-term Benefits of a Mentoring Program

17. Possible Long-term Benefits of a Mentoring Program

18. The Next Steps

19. Revisit the Hypotheses • The graying of the profession is undeniable – but librarians retiring doesn’t mean that new librarians are taking the empty places • Seasoned librarians are moving into vacated positions – they are librarians in transition • The need for mentorship is not limited to new or young librarians – more seasoned librarians are looking for assistance as well • The traditional new professional-experienced professional model does not seem appropriate for the needs of Louisiana librarians

20. The Last Thing First • The traditional model won’t work – seasoned librarians in transition might chafe at the idea of someone telling them “the business” • Librarians willing to be mentors may only feel comfortable mentoring in certain areas • Librarians who want mentors may not need wholesale help • Peer assistance may be the answer

21. What Peer Mentoring Looks Like

22. Related Possible Options • Directory of experts • Allows the person seeking assistance to seek help from multiple professionals • Allows librarians who may not feel comfortable mentoring in all areas to mentor in areas where they do feel comfortable • Allows librarians who may not feel that they have the time to mentor one person one-on-one the opportunity to mentor in other ways • The peer-colleague model, as well as the directory of experts, is a more informal structure; a casual model is more flexible and adaptable

23. But to implement the model effectively… • …we need more information • We’ve done one survey – but one was not enough • The survey did not affirm our hypotheses • The survey opened our eyes to other issues • Other surveys we have in mind • Mentorship Committee Inventory • Demographics • Career Information • Expertise

24. Changes Based on the Survey • The target group, new librarians, has changed to librarians in transition • The structure is changing from mentor-mentee to peer-colleague • The purpose is even changing: in the beginning was pure mentorship, now we’re also looking at continuing education opportunities

25. Feedback from Pre-LUC and LUC • More immediate solution for SLIS students • Post resources on the ACRL-LA website • Volunteers to serve on the mentoring committee • Focus groups

26. Definite Outcomes • Planning more workshops like our Pre-LUC workshop, “Publish & Flourish: Writing for Academic Librarians” • Focusing on technology-oriented workshops, covering such topics as Flash, Camtasia, and Moodle • Pursuing our vision of a mentorship program, but adapting as new information becomes available via follow-up surveys and focus groups

27. Louisiana Libraries Association Sharing the vision

28. Sharing the Vision • LLA wanted to create a mentoring program to reach new librarians, which led… • …to the LLA Liaison to ACRL-LA, Rob Bremer, to meet with the ACRL-LA Executive Council and throw LLA’s hat into the ring, which led… • …to the joint presentation given at LUC 2008 by Rob Bremer (representing LLA), Mike Matthews (ACRL-LA president), and Megan Lowe (chair of the mentoring initiative) – our first step in collaboration!

29. Latest Work to Date Between ACRL-LA & LLA • On September 8, 2008, today’s presenters met, shared information … including ACRL-LA’s initial finding that two-thirds of its “new” librarians have no interest in a “mentor” … tossed around ideas, and concluded that more information and suggestions are needed to determine • if the Louisiana library community in fact has a need for a mentorship program and • if there is such a need, what should be the nature and scope of such a program.

30. What Has Been Gleaned from Sharing • A librarian’s need for a mentor arises when her/his library career is in transition as much as when the established librarian is learning a new skill, as when the newly minted librarian is entering the profession.  • A librarian may also on occasion need confidential, unbiased advice in dealing with a workplace issue/crisis not at all connected with any career transition. • The terms “mentoring” and “mentor” may be unnecessarily limiting and have a negative connotation for some “mentees,” who may chafe at the suggestion that, though professionals, they still need a “guide” … perhaps, “conferring” and “colleague” are better terms (“Conferring with a Colleague”).

31. What Has Been Gleaned from Sharing • To be successful, any mentoring/advising program must be:  • Need-generated - what do our colleagues need, not what do we think they need • Well-planned - but not so over-planned the program dies from inaction • Realistic - the goal should be to have effective mentoring/advising available when needed – not all mentors/advisors will be engaged all the time (not being busy is a good thing) and not all mentors/advisors will prove helpful (so assign another one)

32. What Can You Do? How you can contribute to the process

33. What Can You Do? • Join ACRL-LA and LLA – after all, membership in professional organizations is a good way to meet peers and seek help • Take our surveys, when they come down the pipes • Participate in focus groups • Volunteer to serve on committees (like the mentorship committee!) • Serve as mentors/peer colleagues/whatever we end up calling the participants in the mentorship program • Don’t be afraid to contact us with ideas, input, suggestions, etc. We want to hear from you!

34. Contacting Us • Rob Bremer: rbremer@library.latech.edu • Mike Matthews: matthewsm@nsula.edu • Megan Lowe: lowe@ulm.edu • LLA: http://www.llaonline.org • ACRL-LA: http://www.acrlla.org/

35. We hope this has been informative! Remember, we thrive on input – Don’t hesitate to contact us!