ABSTRACT
Mentoring is an important socializing process for the library profession. The huge professional changing of the guard gives mentoring even more urgency. Professional associations can help new members of the profession connect with more experienced professionals. Much of the literature on the topic of mentoring for library professionals consists of case studies describing mentoring programs in academic libraries or articles advocating mentoring as a professional development tool. Mentors and mentees are matched based on interests, type of library, type of position, and geographic location. The ideal arrangement is one where mentor and mentee meet at conferences. Mentors are recruited by announcements on discussion lists. Mentors and mentees are surveyed, and the instrument includes opportunities for comments. Several leaders commented on the valuable “reverse mentoring” or “mutual mentoring” that has occurred in their own mentoring relationships. Mentoring can be used to promote membership in an organization.
