Common Questions from Mentees
1. Why should I consider a mentoring relationship? People who have been successful in their careers can often point to specific mentors from whom they learned valuable lessons. The benefits of a mentoring relationship may include:
- Learning things that were not covered in school.
- Gaining a better understanding of their organization or industry.
- Acquiring insights and guidance that helps them perform their jobs better.
2. Is mentoring only for someone who is new to librarianship? No. People at every stage in their careers have found mentoring to be a useful tool to help them succeed. Experienced staff members may find that mentoring helps them overcome a career hurdle or acquire an important skill.
3. How can I find a mentor? A person may find a suitable mentor at his or her place of work, through an industry association, at a workshop or networking event, or through a service that matches mentees and mentors (such as the CLRC mentoring service). Both the mentee and mentor must to agree to enter in the mentoring relationship.
4. How do I ask someone to be my mentor? Just ask! The possible mentor will want to know a bit about what will be expected. Therefore, before asking, a mentee should think about what the goal and expectations of the relationship will be. The result will be that, when the mentee approaches a possible mentor, the mentee can articulate her or his goals and expectations for the relationship. Once the mentor agrees to enter into a mentoring relationship, the mentee should consider completing a Mentoring Memo of Understanding with the mentor. (See below.)
5. Is there a formal process that I need to use with my mentor? No. However, it is advised that a mentee and mentor establish guidelines (using the Mentoring Memo of Understanding), meet regularly, and provide frequent feedback about their relationship. The specifics on how the relationship progresses are up to you.
6. What is the Mentoring Memo of Understanding? A Mentoring Memo of Understanding (MMOU) is a form to be completed by both the mentee and mentor as a way of establishing some basic ground rules concerning the mentoring relationship. Because the mentee is the person who is requesting this relationship, it is important that the mentee make known as many expectations as possible at the beginning of the relationship, so that the relationship can develop appropriately.
Completing a MMOU is not mandatory, but those who have used such a document have found the groundwork it provides to be beneficial in creating a solid and stable mentoring relationship.
7. How often should I meet with my mentor? In order to benefit from the mentoring relationship, the mentee and mentor should meet every two weeks at a minimum. Those meetings may be face-to-face, by telephone or via e-mail (or another communications medium). The meetings may be short (15 minutes) or long (1 hour).
8. Who controls the mentoring relationship? Since the mentoring relationship is born out of the mentee's need and desire, it is the mentee who controls the relationship. For example, the mentee should initiate the meetings and set the agenda.
9. Is mentoring confidential? That is something for the mentee and mentor to discuss at the start of the mentoring relationship, as well as during the relationship itself. Do the mentee and mentor want information from the relationship discussed outside of the relationship? Does the mentee want others to know that she or he is being mentored? Those are questions that should be discussed when the mentee and mentor complete the Mentoring Memo of Understanding.
10. Does my supervisor need to know that I am being mentored? If you are being mentored as part of a work-related activity, then "yes." If you are being mentored through your own initiative and not because it is a job requirement, then your supervisor or manager does not need to know that you are being mentored. However, if you are meeting your mentor doing normal work hours, then you may need to inform your supervisor or manager so that he or she is aware of this on-the-job activity. If you are unsure about the degree that you must keep your supervisor or manager "in-the-loop," please talk to your him or her or contact CLRC for advice.
11. How long does a mentoring relationship last? A mentoring relationship can last for months or years, depending on the goals of the mentee as well as the relationship that is formed between the mentee and mentor. At periodic intervals during the mentoring relationship, the mentee and mentor should review the goals and discuss how the mentoring relationship is helping the mentee reach those goals. Those periodic reviews will help the mentee and mentor assess if the relationship should continue or if it is time for it to end.
12. What activities should I do with my mentor? That is up to the mentee and mentor. See the CLRC handout "Mentoring Activities" for suggestions.
13. Can I have more than one mentor? Yes, it is possible to have more than one mentor at the same time (perhaps one formal mentor and one informal mentor). In this case, the mentee may have mentors that can teach her or him different skills for reaching specific goals.
It is also possible to have many different mentors during a career, with each mentor helping the mentee during a specific stage of career development.
14. What resources are available in order to learn more about mentoring? CLRC maintains books, pamphlets and videos on mentoring in its Library Archive and Resource Center (see the CLRC handout "Mentoring Resources in the Library Archive and Resource Center"). In addition, there are resources available on the CLRC web site.
15. What is CLRC's role in mentoring among library staff members in the region? CLRC recognizes that mentoring can be important in assuring the success of library staff members. In order to foster mentoring in the region, CLRC will assist mentees in finding and connecting with a mentor. In addition, CLRC has created a mentoring toolkit which contains resources to assist mentees and mentors in their relationships. For more information on CLRC's activities in regards to mentoring, go to
www.clrc.org.
CLRC's efforts in mentoring were initially supported by Federal Library Services and Technology Act funds, awarded to the New York State Library by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services.
16. If I have questions about mentoring or concerns about my mentoring relationship, who can I contact? Please contact Penelope Klein (
pjklein@clrc.org) or Nancy Howe (
howe@clrc.org) at CLRC, who are overseeing CLRC mentoring initiative for its members. They are available to answer questions and provide advice, as well as connect you with a mentor.
Posted on 08/16/10