Mentor Programs

shortcuts
•	search/index
•	admissions
•	financial aid
•	distance education
•	class schedule
•	student FAQs
•	computing help
the university
•	U of A home
•	student link
•	library / SABIO
•	SLA homepage
•	LSO student handbook

home>

Mentoring/Professional Partnership Program

The Mentoring/Professional Partnership Program has been established to give SIRLS students a point of contact with a practicing library or information professional involved in a specific area that matches their interest. The aim of the program is to encourage and inspire dialogue between students and professionals and to promote personal and professional development through a supportive mentoring relationship. It also provides SIRLS alumni and professionals the opportunity to share their knowledge, experience, and expertise with enthusiastic students.

Getting Started

There are several ways to find a mentor. This website is designed to guide you to the various programs available and to help you find a mentor best suited to your interests.

Look at the Frequently Asked Questions for a good summary of the objectives of the program. The Mentoring Tutorial PowerPoint presents a thorough overview of the role of mentors and mentees, the benefits of being in a mentoring relationship, and tools for an effective mentoring relationship. We also suggest reading Tips for Finding a Mentor (below) to gain an idea about the different avenues available for identifying and obtaining a mentor.

Tips for Finding a Mentor

Finding a mentor is as easy as first determining what you are seeking in a mentor relationship. Are you undecided about what type of library or information setting you want to work in? Do you have a specific area of interest and definite career goals? Are you a distant student looking to make contacts in your geographic region? Establishing your needs first will make it easier to move to the next step: finding a mentor.

We have identified two major resources for finding a mentor: the SIRLS Alumni Database and the Listing of Professional Organizations with Mentoring Programs (below). The SIRLS Alumni Database is a listing of alumni who have expressed an interest in being mentors to SIRLS students. The menotrs are organized by geographic region or area of interest. The advantage of selecting a SIRLS alumnus as a mentor is that they have been through the same program as you and can offer SIRLS-specific advice. The Listing of Professional Organizations is a compilation of national professional organizations who offer mentoring programs as a benefit of membership. Most of these organizations will match you with a mentor and only require that you fill out a short application form to indicate what type of mentor would best match your needs. The Listing of Professional Organizations only lists organizations with formal mentoring programs in place. We have not listed every professional organization pertaining to library and information science.

Mentoring does not have to happen face-to-face. In fact, many mentoring relationships these days happen almost exclusively via email. Email is an effective and efficient mode of communicating and a great medium for sharing resumes, ideas, advice, and projects. Being open to a mentoring relationship via email allows you to choose a mentor from anywhere! If you prefer a mentor with whom you can meet face-to-face on a regular basis, there are ways to locate a mentor within your geographic region .

Tips for Finding a Mentor in Your Geographic Region

If you are using the SIRLS Alumni Database, limit your search to geographic region. If searching the Listing of Professional Organizations, search the Regional Organization listings or email a national organization's mentoring program to see if they can match you with someone in your geographic area. Most national organizations with large pools of mentors to choose from will give you the option of being matched with someone in your region. If an organization in your area is not listed in this website, contact the local chapter of the organization you would like to be a part of (e.g. your state's chapter of ALA or your regional chapter of SLA for example). They may be able to help you locate someone in your state or region who would like to be a mentor.