The Professional Development Committee oversees the STS Mentoring Program to facilitate connections between science and technology librarians wanting to develop and share their talents/interests, and intentionally expand their professional networks. This is a year-long program where mentees (library students, newer science librarians, librarians experiencing a career change, etc.) are matched with mentors (more experienced colleagues) to work through self-directed goals.

Continue reading for information about the mentoring programs goals, and the steps to participate in the year-long program.

Mentoring Program Goals:

• Facilitate professional support networks for librarians at all stages of their careers
• Provide a way for librarians to learn (and share) skills and interests in a partnership setting
• Offer a flexible but structured way for librarians to engage in professional partnerships

What is a Mentor?

The kind of mentoring relationship that a mentoring pair has will depend on the level of commitment established by both the mentor and mentee, and the mutually decided upon goals of the pair. For example, a mentor could serve a variety of functions for a mentee, such as: 

• Providing advice and encouragement
• Developing talents and skills
• Facilitating networking
• Highlighting opportunities
• Demonstrating leadership and career achievement 

A mentoring relationship can be established based on one or a combination of all of these functions. Typically, a mentoring relationship is developed between someone who is new to the profession and a more experienced person in the field. However, mentoring relationships can involve someone with experience in the field, but who is changing career paths and is looking for guidance and support. It can also be someone who is just looking for support and direction. 

Participating as a mentee

• Step 1: Complete the goals worksheet if you need help determining what you would like to focus on.

• Step 2: Fill out the mentee application form.

• Step 3: The mentorship committee will consider your goals and needs and will find an appropriate mentor. They will contact you once the match is made.

Participating as a mentor

• Step 1: Reflect on your areas of experience, interest, and expertise.

• Step 2: Create your mentor profile.

• Step 3: The mentorship committee will consider your interest and expertise and will contact you when there is an appropriate mentee match.

Entering into the mentoring relationship

• Step 1: Set up a meeting at a mutually agreed time.

• Step 2: Complete the first meeting worksheet to set goals and discuss how you want to communicate, how often you want to meet, etc.

During the mentoring relationship

• Reflect on the progress you are making on your goals and adjust as needed. 

• Throughout the year, the mentoring committee will be checking-in on the progress of your mentoring relationship via email. 

• At any time, feel free to provide feedback or ask questions at mentoring.sts@gmail.com
   

At the end of the year-long mentoring period

• Step 1: Review your first meeting worksheet and decide whether to informally continue or end the relationship.

• Step 2: At your final meeting, discuss the mentoring reflection worksheet.

• Step 3: Complete the STS Mentoring Program survey individually.

Questions

Ask questions at any time: mentoring.sts@gmail.com. This email is monitored by members of the STS Professional Development committee. 

STS Mentoring Program

The Professional Development Committee expresses gratitude to McGill Library and SLA’s Physics Astronomy Mathematics (PAM) Division for allowing the STS Professional Development Committee to borrow and adapt sections of their mentoring program pages.