Speed Mentoring: Kick Start Your Mentorship Adventure Seed

Short Session Description:

“Find a mentor” is a common piece of professional advice, especially for early-career librarians. This can feel intimidating, especially when you are new at an institution trying to keep up with experienced librarians. Many mentorship programs are available through professional institutions that can be expensive and selective. We signed up for ACRL’s Instruction Section mentorship program and were paired together for a remote mentorship, which soon evolved into a peer mentorship relationship. After reflecting on our experience, we wanted to create a session that will facilitate conversation between those who have participated in mentorships and those who are interested in starting a mentorship.

Session Format & Style

We took our inspiration for the format of our session from speed dating. We will set up tables for our “mentors” (people who have been in a mentorship before) and “mentees” will rotate tables. Each table will have a set of questions that will help facilitate conversation. In the spirit of speed dating, everyone will get cards so that they can share their information with those they want to continue a dialogue.

Takeaways:

We want our audience to get a sense of our experience and process, as well as begin possible mentorship relationships in a welcoming environment. It is our hope that this session will be a good experience for those who have wanted a mentor, but do not have the resources to find someone who is compatible. Additionally, when you are not part of ALA, ACRL, or another big organization, we want you (our audience) to be able to:

• Discuss mentorship barriers, successes, and advice
• Begin dialogues about interests and goals
• Leave with new relationships that may lead to mentorship

Organization

The presenters will be the facilitators of the workshop, sharing our experience in the beginning and then making sure the workshop goes smoothly. We are putting out a Call for Participation for individuals who have experienced a mentorship and would like to share their experience (good, bad and in-between) with those who are interested in mentorship.

Contact Information

Jaena Manson

Instruction & Outreach Librarian

University of Houston-Victoria

361-570-4176

mansonj@uhv.edu

Quetzalli Barrientos

Arts & Humanities Research and Instruction Librarian

Tufts University

617-627-2073

Quetzalli.Barrientos@tufts.edu