CALA Midwest Chapter Mentorship Program

Program Guideline | Application Form | Evaluation Form | Forum

The goal of this program is to help new and junior librarians be successful in library careers, to help students in library and information science to develop a library career, and to encourage seasoned CALA-MW members to pass on their excellent experience.

This program is to help you as a CALA MW Chapter member jump start your career in library science, to promote your profession, to give individual input for your tenure process, to provide input of a career change, and to guide in leadership training. The Mentorship Program will help you meet more seasoned CALA professionals and help your library career start on the right track. CALA-MW members within the first five years of their profession and current library science students are encouraged to join the program.

A mentor is an experienced and trusted advisor. A mentor is someone who can help a new or junior librarian or a library & information science student in professional development and to suggest career path choices among the numerous opportunities.The qualifications for being a mentor are to have a sincere interest in helping fellow members in their questions related to librarianship and to have the years of experience to be a thoughtful advisor and a role model.

A mentee may be a library science student, a new librarian, librarians in a tenure-track position, or anyone who needs advice from more seasoned CALA members in a similar career path.

Mentors are encouraged to contact mentees in ways that they feel most efficient and convenient. Contact during the Midwest annual conference and throughout the year is strongly encouraged. Both mentors and mentees should be current CALA members.

A program discussion forum was created to provide and share information on the program. The Forum allows program participants to view email correspondence, hold discussions, and share experiences between mentors and mentees, and with other program participants. The Forum also includes a Q&A section (in Forum Document folder) which provides valuable information on issues of librarianship.

Complete the application form in order to participate as a mentor or a mentee. If your browser does not support forms or you would like more information, please contact CALA-MW Membership Committee Xiaohong Xiao at xiaohong.a.xiao@stls.frb.org or Haipeng Li at pli@oberlin.edu.

Mentors and mentees will be matched based on the information provided. Both mentors and mentees are encouraged to initiate contacts once the match is finalized.

Thank you.

CALA-Midwest Chapter Membership Committee, Mentorship Program
Xiaohong Xiao
Haipeng Li


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