Mission to Mentor

ALSC is looking for mentors. Can you help?

Lots of us mentor colleagues and peers everyday. We share and learn from people in the library to people in neighboring libraries and systems to state association colleagues to our networks on social media (Twitter, Facebook blogs) to our cohort from school or workshops or learning opportunities.

People who are mentored have a leg up in dealing with the picayune and the profound.

People who mentor are willing to share their thoughts and networks to help peers - and gain more knowledge and skills from their proteges.

What does it take to be a mentor?  A desire to share and support; encourage and listen; learn and explore.  We can all be mentors.

You don't have to be a decades-long employed librarian to be a mentor.

You don't have to know ALL.THE.THINGS. to be a mentor.

You don't have to have started a thing or achieved a thing or be involved in a thing to be a mentor.

As Nina Lindsay, ALSC President writes,  "Mentors need not be experts. A good mentor has experience, a grounding in standards and trends, a willingness to share and an eagerness to learn.  I have found mentoring to be much more rewarding than I ever anticipated, and I have learned much from my mentees."

If you would like to be a mentor, please consider stepping up to be one for ALSC. Over 30 people have applied to have a mentor - and there is still a need for mentors to match them with. You can apply by Sept 1 to be a mentor (more details and application here)

Youth services folks are effective because of our networking and support of each other. This is an opportunity to make a difference. Hope you will!

Peering at Peer to Peer Mentoring

No matter how long we've been in the profession, we all need mentors.

Pixabay Image

Jessica Olin over at Letters to a Young Librarian has a brief post post about the importance of peer mentoring and it got me thinking about my own experience.

I was lucky, throughout my career, to have experienced librarians take me under their wings in my library jobs, in my state association work and at the national level. Their support helped me navigate alot and taught me a ton.

But I can also say, forty years down my library career path, I have relied - and still rely  - on my peers for a tremendous portion of my professional support. Often referred to as PLNs (personal learning networks), our peer mentors can be life and sanity saving. These men and women, from libraries of all types and sizes, were my go-to reality check, my support, my place to dish, to unload, to problem solve, to listen and learn.

Without these peers who shared the same journey I did and were kind counselors and ardent thinkers, I would have been far lonelier and isolated; unconnected and unchallenged in my practice and my perceptions. I've always said I learn at least one new thing everyday, and my peer mentors often led that learning. Our frequent contact (emails, calls, twitter, FB, in person lunches and visits) informed my career and helped me navigate a thousand good and bad experiences.

I am profoundly thankful to all of you who are/were there for me. And I encourage everyone to reach out to link to your peers and share and grow together.

As I commented in Jessica's post: "While all mentors have had a profound and lasting impact on my long career, my peer mentors have saved my bacon (oh, or tofu) time and time again. The support, commiseration, problem-solving, uplift, shoulder to cry on, bold "let's hatch a plan," collaboration and sassytalk have enriched my practice every day in every way!"

Where Do We Learn?

Of course everywhere.

On social media, through blogs and in social media groups.

Through mentor-protege relationships - whether informal or set up through ALSC or a state association.

Image Pixabay

Through our libraries - in fact this post is inspired by Katie Salo's library asking staff to teach each other about their areas of expertise. Wow, libraries of the world, do this thing! Wouldn't it be great if every library cared to make sure all staff knows what all staff work is about?!?!

Through attendance at state and national conferences - both inside and outside the library world.

Through webinars and online classes like our state's continuing series of webinars with panels of practitioners at libraries large and small; formal CE credit courses through SLIS schools and our statewide Wild Wisconsin Winter Web conference with 10 national speakers.

Through attendance at workshops outside our usual territory - and often relatively nearby. In the past month, four of our YS team have attended three different seminal, breakthrough, slaying-sacred-cow seminars on shaking up summer reading programs around the state. While we already push the envelope in this area, we are inspired by other's stories, experiences and support. And we drove to learn more!

Through reasoned discourse like that going on here and here.

Through conversations with colleagues in the library, patrons and kids.

All our learning, all our sharing (we each have the power to reflect on and teach each other) pushes our practice and grows our understanding. No matter where we learn, we can't help but get better.

Our opportunities are everywhere. Carpe perceptum!!

Mentor, Mentees, Mentotum*

ALSC recently sent out a survey from their Emerging Leader team on being mentored and being a mentor. This tells me that our division is deep in thought on setting up what I hope will be a truly valuable opportunity for all the members: to be a mentor or a protege.

I seldom meet youth librarians who haven't been profoundly affected in their careers by the advice, good counsel and wisdom of a mentor who has guided, suggested - and sometimes pushed - them in the direction of doing better work and opening doors to better opportunities.  We all know those people who give and share and help others reach a higher level of understanding and leadership because of their support.

Mentor/protege relationships don't always involve an oldster and a young thing. Peer-to-peer mentoring works well and is often most visible between cohorts on social media sites (Twitter, Friendfeed, ALA Think Tank on FB among others).  As someone in the twilight of my career, I can say that mentors still guide me and are often younger than I am.  I get inspired by their enthusiasm and learn much in the way of new tech tips and ways to re-look at work through new eyes.

Without mentorship and encouragement, I would never have stepped so far up in ALSC or been awarded the WI Librarian of the Year honor, or been given the opprtunities in my career that I have been given. The wise counsel of my peers, colleagues, veteran librarians (in all fields and disciplines) informed my work and gave it a richness that I could never have achieved on my own.

I have been fortunate in being asked to be a mentor for much of the last fifteen years.  I find that I learn as much as I share.  There is never an end to what can be discovered on any given day, at any given time, from any given person working with youth in libraries.  I find it humbling, energizing and exciting. I hope I have been encouraging to folks in the profession and helped them step up and out in leadership positions within their libraries, communities and the profession.

Informal mentoring/proteging has been the path I've mostly taken. But there are more formal relationships. My state association has a great mentoring program for new leaders, WeLead, that I have been a mentor for. ALAConnect has a mentoring platform, MentorConnect.  And now ALSC is going to step up with opportunities. I hope ALSC members keep an eye out and volunteer both as mentors and proteges.  The benefits are amazing!

Image: 'I wanna hold your hand'  http://www.flickr.com/photos/10488545@N05/1865482908


*Sorry about this title. It's the old Latin conjugator rearing its head and I am never able to resist joking around with this!

Paying-It-Forward Mentoring

I've had some fun conversations lately with colleagues about how important it is to support each other and connect librarians - new and old - to our networks.

Children's librarians in the public library world are a pretty collegial bunch, by and large. We like to share and play well together. Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook and Tumblr have joined PUBYAC and blogs as great ways to connect and pass information and fun ideas around as well as put our heads together to solve problems.

But I think we can all go a step further.  I'd like to see even more support for extending a hand towards our children's colleagues and helping them step up and into our networks and circles of influence.  It's easy to say "Look at me!";  "Look what I did!";  "Look what I invented!"  It's trickier to look around,  listen and say "Look what I discovered from a co-worker!"; "Look what I found from a colleague across the state!"; "Look what this smart and sassy librarian is doing in this small, rural library!" It's a matter of going from ME, ME, ME to HER, HIM, HER and even US, US, US.

Is there someone you know who you can encourage to share their great ideas through guest posting at the ALSC blog or on listservs or Twitter?  Is there an opportunity within your state for a newer librarian to serve on a panel, a committee, a board?  Can you partner with a colleague and encourage them to join you for a visit to a library; a Legislative Day, a conference or a system workshop that allows both of you lots of travel time to talk, hatch ideas and brainstorm? Can you float the name of a colleague to your networks as someone to tap as a speaker?

And once you do this, will you continue to support this colleague through mentoring, conversation, support, advice, a shoulder to lean on and cheerleading to let them know how valued they are and that you stand beside and behind them in their path?  We all can take responsibility, no matter what stage we are at in our careers, to bring our colleagues along and shine a light on their ideas for others. Let's help each other together!

Image: 'soccer practice' http://www.flickr.com/photos/73645804@N00/1384952210

Why Get Involved?

I'm just back from our annual three day Wisconsin Library Association conference.  Once more, I had the chance to attend thought-provoking sessions; chat with friends and colleagues from all sizes and types of libraries; participate in a number of business and board meetings and relax and enjoy some truly fun and funny after-hours events.  I love my state association meetings and would go even if I paid my own way and had to take vacation to get there.  How come?

First, foremost and always, WLA is a huge leadership and advocacy group for libraries in our state.  Without their work during the craziness of the spring and the ongoing legislative madness that continues in our state, we would have had rollbacks on services and funding. And of course, WLA is us so we are able to respond quickly and effectively to legislative alerts and involve our friends, neighbors and family in speaking up for libraries.

My state association is also a leadership incubator.  Opportunities exist - and we all are supported in - chairing divisions, committees, conferences and other work that brings us into contact with our colleagues in becoming leaders. Currently, the president of our 1700 strong association is Rhonda Puntney, a long time mover and shaker in WI youth services. She is joined on the "big" board by other Youth Services advocates (including me as newly elected state chapter councilor to ALA Council) to provide a strong voice for youth and libraries.

Each of us in leadership roles was mentored by colleagues outside of public library youth services (as well as YS folks of course) and have had our visions widened and enriched by this breadth of knowledge from academic, special, school, tech and adult services colleagues. I can say that without a doubt that I am the librarian I am today because of professional associations like WLA, ALA and Wisconsin Women Library Workers that gave me an opportunity to be with, learn from and laugh with dedicated library workers from all types and sizes of libraries.

WLA also provides the framework for youth librarians to gather and advocate for excellent service, collections and initiatives across our state. Together, when we are strong, we help chart the course of Youth Services.  Of course like any membership organization we are only as strong as our active members make us.  I have heard, in this time of tight budgets and staffing, rumblings of "no time, no money, no support- I don't think I can continue to be a member".  We mustn't give up on our state or national professional commitments though. Each of us is the engine that drives greatness in our local and national associations and each and every voice is important.

I hope you are all members of your state and national library associations. We are needed now more than ever to present a strong and coherent leadership and advocacy agenda. And the friends you make, the leadership you step into and the work you do for libraries is an investment that will long remain with you and benefit your library.


 

Caution - Rut in the Road

Even the most committed youth staffer runs into stale times in creative-land.  Burn-out can happen after a long string of successes.  It can hit when you're working in a non-supportive library. It can leap at you when your energy reserves are just plain low. It can descend on you when you feel isolated in a one- or two-person library. It can sneak up on you for no reason you can think of.  What do you do?

For me, staying fresh and involved is a basic part of what makes work fun for me - and keeps me out of a rut.  I need something new - a new way to create efficiencies; a new way to reach out to kids; a new conversation with a youth colleague (whether they are old friends or new acquaintances); a new thing to learn; a new program; a new approach....a "new"!

I have been roundly chastised by some for that changeability and malleabilty.  Working with me can be a crazy experience...perhaps it can be compared to trying to walk on quicksand or through a temblor. Verrrry tricky.  If stability and an even keel is what you're looking for, I am not the co-worker for you. But change keeps me fresh.

Short of driving co-workers insane, though, what can you do to stay out of a rut? There are lots of great ways to get inspired when inspiration seems out of reach. It can be as simple as looking for a new blog to inspire you (check out the ALSC blog -it has reinvigorated itself and is chock-full of ideas or Keeping Up with Kids); joining a listserv like PUBYAC or getting in touch with a colleague near or far to pick their brain. With email, IM, Skype and Facebook, everyone is close. Or check out the #libchat on Twitter Wednesday evenings (7-8:30pm Central time). Ideas will flow and something might sparkle for you. That's where I got turned on to a great post by Meredith Farkas of Information Wants to be Free that addresses ways to stay bright and involved when you work with, well, slackers.

Heading to system level workshops, continuing education and conferences are other fan-tab-ulous ways to get re-invigorated.  And its not just the content of the sessions that can do it.  Time spent talking to people next to you at lunch, in the hallway, before and after the program can introduce you to new folks who love to share ideas and work they are doing.  I never leave these sessions without bumping into strangers and friends who have something new in youth services to chat about. I can't help thinking, "Wow!  I have to try that!"

Chatting with your community members, family and school and organizational colleagues is another amazing way to stay fresh and check for ideas. Even if you can't implement all the suggestions, it gives you direction on where you might want to go and can start the creative juices flowing. 

And if you don't have a mentor, reach out.  It doesn't always need to be an ancient crone paired with a sweet young thing relationship.  You can create a compadre relationship too. Find that idea generator; that enthusiast and that committed youth librarian and partner up to share ideas and creativity.  They can inspire you and you can inspire them.  I think all my best mentor/protege/compadre (yep, been all three) relationships have been give and take from both parties that enriched our work equally.

Ruts are out there to get stale in....but with enthusiastic delving into what's new and what works, each day can be a powerful one with smooth driving and even a challenging hill or two to keep things fun!

Looking Out at the Great Job Market

Abby the Librarian has a wonderfully helpful post for people thinking about going to library school or in the midst of their graduate work.  In it she talks in a very practical way about what a person should consider and how to increase one's marketability.

I want to second her suggestions.  As a mentor for three new librarians on ALAConnect, it is the advice I give again and again.  Finding meaningful volunteer/internship work that relates to the field you want to enter is worth gold. 

It is an opportunity to get practical experience as well as suggest projects that can enhance a library's resources ("Would you like me to develop a booklist on read-alikes for Diary of a Wimpy Kid?"; "I could develop a little book of coupons to give out to families between storytime sessions that encourage them to return to the library in the interim ['Get a hug from the librarian'; '$.50 off your fines';  'Come in for a sticker and a personal book suggestion form your librarian']; "Would you like a resource list of books and websites for that program you are doing on organic gardening?"; "Would you like me to update/redesign that flyer?"). Library staffers just might take you up on it and you get golden experience that translates into a money job search.

We are in the midst of searching for a new children's librarian to join our team and Abby's post reads like a roadmap that all our top candidates seem to have followed.  Taking the extra time to learn, work and play in the stacks and among librarians makes job searchers more valuable to future employers.  And you know you all can do it!!

Image: 'Free 3D Business Men Marching Concept' http://www.flickr.com/photos/22177648@N06/2136948367

Wowser!

The news hit today that I have been selected as this year's Wisconsin Library Association Librarian of the Year!!!  This is such an amazing  - and such an unexpected  - honor.  The confidence that the nominators and colleagues who supported the nomination showed in me really touches me deeply.  And I am humbled.

I think I am not unique in trying every day to do a good job at the library for my public and my co-workers.  As a front-line librarian and most recently manager, I have spent alot of time at the knees of my colleagues and friends in the library world soaking in their thoughts and opinions; their ideas and energy.  I have learned from the families who have come in, from the kids and from the many partners in the community who have helped me see what a library for kids can be. Each day I learn something new that can make my work better.

After a thirty-four year career, I am happy to share and support younger colleagues and those new to the profession to step out and up and shine, shine, shine. So many of my mentors did this for me as a young thing and opened the world of librarianship in a deep and fundamental way that changed me from having a job to having a career.  And I know I am not unique in giving this type of support. So many of my friends and colleagues in my age cohort are doing this and much more for proteges.

I don't think I am very different for any other librarian who works with kids.  And I hope, on behalf of all the hard working children's and teen librarians out there, I can accept this honor for them as well.  Youth folks rock!!

Image: 'Erin [118/365]'   http://www.flickr.com/photos/62359756@N00/1096159720

Giving Back and Learning More

Put half a roomful of young librarians together with  half a roomful of more experienced vets and what do you get - an amazing mentoring-protege gestalt!  Our state library association developed a mentoring program to develop the leadership skills of young librarians. I was fortunate enough to be selected as a mentor this year and yesterday I got to meet my new protege (or mentee...or mentos...or, more like, colleague!) along with four other mentor/protege duos.

Jennifer McNaughton, a reference librarian and youth programmer from the Hartland Library, and I will work together over the next three years.  I hope to learn as much from Jennifer as she learns from me.  New eyes, new views; old eyes, old experience.  We are both pretty excited and have already begun hatching plans. It's all good.

I am passionate about the importance of sharing, learning and mentoring. As a young librarian I was so fortunate to have amazing mentors to start me on my way - Avis Jobrack, my first supervisor at my first job; Jane Botham who introduced me to great librarianship on a national level and Ginny Moore Kruse who guided me through the world of children's books. Since then I have had countless other librarian colleagues who have shared, counseled, laughed and taught me -I am a better librarian each and every day because of these good and sharing people.  Not all have been older than me but all have been generous in listening and pearls-of-wisdom dropping.

If you are a young or new librarian, don't hesitate to ask a more seasoned colleague for advice, instruction, navigation or as a sounding board.  There are alot of librarians out there who have been in the front line trenches and know a thing or two.  If you are a more experienced librarian, don't just chat with your time-honored network of peeps.  Get to know new librarians and see what you can learn and share with them.  It is an experience that will reward you every work day of your life!

A huge thanks to the WeLead task force; WLA, WAPL, WAAL, the WLA Foundation and Embry who supports this effort and created a great program!