Revitalizing a Mentoring Program for Academic Librarians

Farmer, Diana; Stockham, Marcia G.; Trussell, Alice

doi:10.5860/0700008

Cited by 16 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…The most succinct answer can be found with Farmer, Stockham, and Trussell (2009), who said that a "formalized mentoring program is a way to meet the needs of new employees and effectively impart the information and advice in a coordinated, ongoing process" (p. 8). Informal mentoring may leave some people or groups disenfranchised from the process, whereas formal mentoring offers an equal opportunity to all new faculty members.…”

Section: Formal Vs Informal Mentoringmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There are studies which bring to light the percentage of mentoring programs which are voluntary for both mentor and mentee (Wittkopf, 1999), and those that discuss programs which are voluntary for mentors, but compulsory for tenure-track mentees (Kuyper-Rushing, 2001). Farmer, Stockham, and Trussell (2009) suggest that mentoring that involves compulsory involvement from faculty will foster resentment and a lack of commitment to the process.…”

Section: Formal Vs Informal Mentoringmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Their mentoring program is open to all librarians, regardless of geographical location or membership in the organization (New England Library Association [NELA], 2008). External mentoring, whether formal or informal, is not compulsory, and therefore addresses the issues of possible resentment brought up by Farmer, Stockham, and Trussell (2009). This is specifically addressed by the NELA mentoring website, which states that participation in the program is "completely voluntary and any party for any reason may terminate relationships" (NELA, 2008, para.…”

Section: Alternatives To Traditional Mentoringmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

First-Year Library Mentorship Opportunities

Goldman¹

2011

ULJ

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The first-year experience at any university library sets the foundation for the future relationship between the new faculty member and the library as a whole. Not only is the librarian being acculturated to the organization, but he or she must decide if the library and university will provide a supportive environment for his or her career goals. In this probationary process, the tenured librarians evaluate their tenure-track colleagues' professional progression and merit.Many libraries institute a formal first-year mentoring program in order to facilitate the immersion of new faculty members into the organizational culture of the library and university. There are excellent examples of flourishing mentorship programs in libraries, but one can also find examples of informal mentoring that aids in the success of tenure-track faculty.This article discusses the benefits and drawbacks of various forms of library mentorship and how one can make the most of being mentored in diverse university settings.

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Section: Formal Vs Informal Mentoringmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Formal Vs Informal Mentoringmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Alternatives To Traditional Mentoringmentioning

confidence: 99%

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First-Year Library Mentorship Opportunities

Goldman¹

2011

ULJ

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“…Surveys were the most common quantitative evaluation used, but only one case study appended the instrument for peer review and replication. 16 The case studies failed to report the questions asked at group discussions and interviews, and most indicated the administrators of the mentoring programs conducted the interactions, rather than facilitators who had no investment in the programs.…”

Section: Two Case Studies Identified By Lorenzetti Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the Success of a Mentoring Program for Academic Librarians

Harker¹,

Keshmiripour²,

McIntosh³

et al. 2019

Proceedings of the 2018 Library Assessment Conference: Building Effective, Sustainable, Practical Assessment: December 5–7, 201

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A continuous cycle of assessment contributes to the success of a mentoring program, as illustrated in this case study from a large academic library. The Mentoring Competencies Assessment, the Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, a satisfaction survey, and a focus group are used to assess the program. The assessment results indicate that the program is meeting its goals of facilitating the professional development of protégés, improving mentor competencies, increasing the confidence of participants, and expanding future participation in the program.

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“…Farmer, Stockham and Trussell commented on the importance of a mentoring program to "meet the needs of new employees and effectively impart the information and advice in a coordinated, ongoing process." 23 It is understood that the successful transition from a library school graduate program to a practicing academic librarian requires a complex combination of skills. 24 Knowing that a mentoring program is available for a new librarian may be appealing.…”

Section: Mentoring and New Librariansmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analyses of Mentoring Expectations, Activities, and Support in Canadian Academic Libraries

Harrington

Marshall

2014

CRL

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Mentoring expectations, activities, and support in Canadian college and university libraries were investigated by surveying 332 recent MLIS graduates, practicing academic librarians, and library administrators. Findings indicate that the presence of a mentoring program will help attract new librarians, retain them, and aid in restructuring efforts that are currently facing many academic libraries. Preferred mentoring activities include those belonging to psychosocial support, career guidance, and role modeling themes. Other results find that librarians who were mentored as new librarians, have more than 10 years of experience, and work in large academic institutions are significantly more likely to mentor others. Although currently not well-supported by academic administrators, this research shows that mentoring programs could be sustainable. Mentoring improves the professional experience for librarians who are more satisfied and engaged with their careers, which in turn benefits the organization with less turnover. Practical information from this research will guide academic library practitioners in current mentoring relationships, and library leaders can extrapolate results to support planning and implementation of mentoring programs. Implications for LIS education are also discussed.entoring is an activity, whether formal or informal, that is frequently associated with many professional occupations, but what does it look like in Canadian academic libraries? Informal mentoring is an independent activity initiated by a mentor, the person who acts as a guide, adviser, and provider of support, or by a mentee, the person who receives guidance, advice, and support. In contrast, formal mentoring relationships are often those organized by administration with the expectation that both mentees and mentors will participate. The present research investigates how both formal and informal mentoring is operationalized in Canadian academic libraries, as well as specific characteristics of, and attitudes toward, mentoring. The present study focuses on Canadian colleges and universities, although the implications of this research may apply more broadly.

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Revitalizing a Mentoring Program for Academic Librarians

Cited by 16 publications

References 0 publications

First-Year Library Mentorship Opportunities

First-Year Library Mentorship Opportunities

Assessing the Success of a Mentoring Program for Academic Librarians

Analyses of Mentoring Expectations, Activities, and Support in Canadian Academic Libraries

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