Team 19

Fostering Growth Through Mentorship: A Nationwide Coordinator Network for Librarians

Building Sustainable Mentorship Opportunities Across the Librarian Career Lifecycle

Addressing the evolving professional needs of librarians throughout their careers, the team honed in on the challenge of developing sustainable mentorship opportunities. Their refined problem statement questions how libraries might facilitate mentorship that adapts to the dynamic landscape of the library and information science (LIS) profession.

How might we help libraries create sustainable mentorship opportunities for librarians across the career lifecycle to address changing professional needs.

Innovative Mentorship Coordinator Network:

1. National Scope and Collaboration: The team’s solution visualizes a nationwide initiative, metaphorically represented as the United States, underscoring the broad reach and collaborative nature of this mentorship program. This ambitious scale aims to unify efforts across the country, fostering a coherent and impactful mentorship culture within the LIS field.

2. Mentorship Coordinators as Catalysts: At the heart of their proposal is the creation of a network of mentorship coordinators. These key individuals would be tasked with developing, curating, and disseminating mentorship resources and best practices across the network. By centralizing the coordination, the initiative ensures consistency and quality in mentorship efforts.

3. Utilizing Digital Platforms for Coordination: Acknowledging the geographical spread of participants, the team envisions utilizing digital platforms, such as Zoom, for the mentorship coordinators to convene, collaborate, and exchange ideas. This approach facilitates regular communication and the sharing of resources without the constraints of physical distance.

4. Graduation and Community Building: A distinctive feature of the proposal is the concept of ‘graduation’ for mentorship coordinators, envisioning a cyclical process where coordinators, upon completing their training and collaboration phase, move on to guide mentors. This progression ensures a continuous flow of experienced professionals who can foster community building among mentors and mentees alike.

5. Focus on Sustainability: The emphasis on a coordinators’ network highlights the team’s commitment to creating a sustainable mentorship framework. By equipping coordinators with the tools and knowledge to support mentors, the initiative promises a long-term impact on the LIS profession, continually addressing the changing needs of librarians at various stages of their careers.

This team’s presentation introduces a visionary approach to mentorship in the library profession, proposing a structured yet flexible network of mentorship coordinators to bridge gaps across the career lifecycle of librarians. By leveraging digital platforms for collaboration and focusing on the sustainable development of mentorship practices, the proposal sets the stage for a transformative shift in how mentorship is facilitated within the LIS community. This network not only aims to enhance professional growth and development but also strengthens the sense of community and support among librarians nationwide.

Team 19 Members

Thanks to these project team members for their collaboration with DATALIS and their contributions towards innovating professional development.

• Kay P Maye
• Farshad Sonboldel
• Dani Cook
• Ricardo Ferrante

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