At many libraries, technical services (TS) is a small department, often with just one librarian or staff member handling all the acquisitions and cataloging work. Even at larger institutions, the number of technical services librarians and staff are often much smaller than other units. Combined with the fact that most of the work is solitary, it’s easy for new librarians in TS to feel isolated. Also, some TS librarians and staff may struggle to figure out how to move up in larger organizations. This e-Forum will provide time for participants to discuss ideas on how to mentor specific to technical services work. Some topics include, successful (and not successful!) mentoring at the same institution, mentoring through a professional organization, formal and informal mentoring opportunities, mentoring at different points in a career, and more.
Learning Outcomes
In this e-Forum, attendees will:
- Share experiences in mentoring initiatives (both informal and formal)
- Discuss approaches and challenges to mentoring in technical services
- Brainstorm ideas for mentoring beyond traditional new-career mentoring (librarians from underrepresented groups, mid-career librarians, etc.)
Who Should Attend
Librarians and library staff interested in mentoring experiences and opportunities in technical services
Hosts
Jay L. Colbert was the 2017-2019 Resident Librarian at the University of Utah's J. Willard Marriott Library. They are one of the authors of Developing a Residency Program: A Practical Guide for Librarians, which has a dedicated chapter on mentorship. As an early-career librarian, they have benefited from both formal and informal mentorship.
Jeannette Ho is a Cataloging/Metadata Librarian at Texas A&M University Libraries, where she catalogs monographs and participates in managing metadata for digital projects in her institution’s repository. She has served as a mentor for untenured librarians in her library’s mentoring program.
Euemduan Osmera is a Cataloging and Metadata Librarian at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She has worked in both public and academic libraries. Euemduan has participated in one formal mentorship with two different mentors: 1) a general one, and 2) a Technical Services one. On occasions, she informally mentored junior faculty in all aspect of needs. Euemduan is exploring being coached – a new program on her campus.
Nicole Smeltekop is a Special Materials Catalog Librarian at Michigan State University. In her role, she is also a member of the metadata team that works with the digital repository team. Prior to coming to Michigan State, she was an archivist at a small liberal arts college in the Midwest. She has participated in two formal mentoring initiatives at Michigan State as a mentee, and is currently participating in her first role as a mentor.
Registration
Cost
Free
How to Register
You must register your email address to subscribe to or access an electronic discussion list on ALA's Mailing List Service. Find instructions for subscribing online.
Once you have registered for one e-Forum, you do not need to register again, unless you choose to leave the list. Find instructions for unsubscribing.
ALCTS Code of Conduct
Please review the ALCTS Statement of Conduct before registering.
Tech Requirements
Internet connection with email address. You can manage your subscription to this list following the online instructions.
Credits
None
Contact
For questions or comments, contact Megan Dougherty, ALCTS Program Officer, Continuing Education at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 5038 or mdougherty@ala.org.