Mentoring Program

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Statement of Purpose

The mission of the mentoring program is to facilitate the creation, development and maintenance of mutually satisfactory mentoring relationships between new CALL members, or those CALL members pursuing new professional development opportunities, and their experienced colleagues. Our mentors will be committed individuals, working one-on-one with librarians for at least one year on a consistent basis. Their mutual goal will be to maximize the librarian's potential.

The mentoring program is organized and facilitated by the CALL Mentoring Committee.

About Us

At the CALL Annual Conference 2008 in Saskatoon, the idea of introducing a mentorship program was expressed at the CALL Annual General Meeting, at the Law Library Leadership Institute, and at the Education Committee meeting. Throughout, newer and mid-career librarians indicated an interest in developing their potential through mentorship.

As a result, Beth Millard and Jennifer Walker, of the Education Committee, were charged with the task of exploring the idea of a mentorship program. A new Mentorship Program Subcommittee of the Education Committee was created and co-Chaired by Jennifer Walker and Annette Demers. Aproposal was created by Beth, Jennifer and Annette, and it was approved by CALL Executive at its meeting in November, 2008.

The Mentorship Program was rolled out on March 1, 2009.

The program is funded entirely through CALL membership.

Program Overview

The CALL Mentorship Program is an initiative intended to connect law library professionals pursuing new professional development with more experienced professionals. Mentees can come from any background in legal librarianship, or even straight from a library program at the university or college level. There is no maximum number of years in the profession for mentees - if you feel that you would like to grow as a professional in your job or your new tasks, and would benefit from the guidance and support of another professional, then being a mentee could be for you. Similarly, mentors can come from any of the areas of legal librarianship, with no set minimum number of years in the profession. As a guideline, however, we suggest five years experience. Mentors have the opportunity to help in the professional growth of a colleague, and by extension, the strength of legal librarianship as a profession. Mentors may also find the partnership enables their own professional growth, and heightens engagement in the profession and the CALL community.

All partnerships are encouraged to review the contents of this website to help define their relationship. It is important for each pair to develop goals for their mentoring partnership, and establish how often they will communicate and by which means. The Mentorship Program Subcommittee has gathered and created materials for you to use to give structure to your relationship, and which will help make it a successful venture for both mentor and mentee.

Description of Eligibility

Mentee Eligibility

- A member of CALL;

- Interested in learning more about legal librarianship as a profession, about a particular type of legal librarianship, or a more specific task within legal librarianship;

- Willing to ask questions and engage in conversation about the profession.

Mentor Eligibility

- A member of CALL;

- Recommended five years experience in legal librarianship;

- An enthusiasm for guiding and supporting others in the profession;

- A willingness to share experiences and ideas, and to learn from your mentee in turn.

Screening Process

Both mentors and mentees are asked to complete the online application form. These forms will be screened by the Mentoring Program Subcommittee, and partnerships will be made with the aim of connecting the best pairs based on the criteria supplied by the applicants.

Level of Commitment Expected

The level of commitment necessary to participate in the program depends on many factors, but everyone applying to the program as either a mentor or a mentee should come prepared to maintain a regular correspondence, be enthusiastic for the potential for professional growth, and flexible in terms of communication strategy.

It may not be possible to have a mentor or mentee within your geographic area. As this program is a Canada-wide program, there is a chance your partner will be located in another city, or even province. Alternatively, your mentor could be across town! Since any of these scenarios are possible, it will be necessary for you to be prepared to keep up a partnership that may be dependent on email or phone. You may be able to do in-person meetings as well.

Your time commitment to the program will be dependent on the communication you use, and the goals that your partnership establishes. For some pairings, a monthly or biweekly email or phone call may be what is required; in other cases, you may want to commit to a monthly lunch meeting. The combinations are endless, but it in any case, it is important to know that entering into this program means you understand that there is a time commitment involved.

In all cases, enthusiasm for the program is a must!

Length of Mentorship

Participation in the program is a one year minimum commitment. After the matches are made, mentors and mentees are encouraged to maintain their relationship for one year. At that point, either party may reapply to the program and receive a new match. If, however, the relationship is strong and both partners wish to continue working with each other, we encourage your continued professional development growth as a team!

Expectations and Restrictions

The Mentorship relationship must be considered a safe space by both Mentor and Mentee.

Accordingly, the principles of respect and confidentiality of all communications must govern the relationship at all times.

Mentors or mentees who recognize that a mentorship relationship is not fulfilling their needs, or that they are unable to continue their commitments are asked to notify the other person in writing of their intention to end their involvement in the mentorship relationship.

Mentors or mentees who decide to end their mentorship relationship are asked to notify the Mentorship Program.

Mentors or mentees who wish to continue under the Mentorship Program should state this in written form to the

Mentorship Program, however, note that the Program may not be able to immediately find a new match for you.

Mentorship matches will be limited by the number of applicants. The Mentorship Program will give best efforts to find a match for all participants, however, this may not always be possible.

Please note that the Mentorship Program treats all applicants as professionals. The only screening we will do is ensuring that applicants are CALL members.

Accordingly, neither CALL nor the Mentorship Program shall be held responsible for the actions of any program participant.

Benefits and Rewards

- To learn new skills, techniques, or theories of legal librarianship

- To assist in the professional growth of new library staff

- To help a new generation of librarians navigate the profession

- To make professional connections within the legal library community

Evaluation Process

This element will be decided during the year 2009-2010. If you have any suggestions for how the program should be evaluated, please submit them to the Members Forum, below.

FAQ's

Why Should a Person Become a Mentor?

Your influence can help build the skills and attitudes of other professionals, as well as their

career goals and approaches to achieving those goals. Focusing on individual professionals

helps to build our profession as a whole, and encourages the important principles of continuing education, professionalism and contribution.

Who Can Be a Mentor?

CALL Members.

What Does A Mentor Do?

A Mentor commits to meet regularly with another professional. A mentor will become a

friend, advisor and role model to the Mentee.

Where Do I Mentor?

Mentorship relationships will be effective when a combination of communication and meeting methods are used.