Call for Mentors

Overview

The NYU/LIU Dual Degree Mentoring Program facilitates connections between GLAM professionals with MLIS students seeking to develop and share their interests and expand their professional networks. This is a year-long program during which mentees (NYU/LIU Dual Degree Program MLIS students) are matched with New York metropolitan area-based GLAM Professionals as mentors to work through self-directed goals. Formal mentoring begins September 3, 2024 and ends May 14, 2025. Mentors are paid a stipend of $500 for their participation. Mentorship activities take place virtually and in person. Mentors and mentees will be paired based on expertise, interest, and need.

Accepting applications for the 2024-2025 mentor cohort. You can find the mentor application form here. Deadline for applications is June 2, 2024. Mentor applicants will be informed whether they have been matched with an incoming student in late July.

Mentor Eligibility

Mentors are gallery, library, archive, or museum (GLAM) professionals who offer significant experience or an exceptional knowledge base in the field of library and information science. Mentors of all expertises or specialties will be considered, although the program is often in need of mentors working in archives, arts institutions, costume studies, fashion, or food and nutrition subjects. Prior experience as a mentor is not required. Most importantly, mentors are enthusiastic about the profession and eager to give back to it by offering their time and counsel as mentors.

Mentor Requirements

      • Ability to meet with mentee 10 hours per semester for two semesters (about once per week, virtually or in-person)
      • Attend mentor training and orientation in late summer 2024
      • Support mentee on the development and submission of publishable scholarship such as a blog post, conference poster or paper, or other publishable material that will be submitted to the student’s portfolio.
      • Attend culminating ceremonies at the end of the fall 2024 & spring 2025 semester (dates TBD in-person)
      • Availability to lead a one-hour module session on mentor’s area of work or topic of expertise

Mentoring Relationships

The kind of mentoring relationship that a mentoring pair has will depend on the level of commitment established by both the mentor and mentee, and the mutually decided upon goals of the pair. For example, a mentor could serve a variety of functions for a mentee, such as:

      • Providing advice and encouragement
      • Developing talents and skills
      • Facilitating networking
      • Highlighting opportunities for career development, exploration, and advancement
      • Demonstrating leadership and career achievement

Goals for Mentors

To support mentees:

      1. Setting professional development goals
      2. Exploring areas of professional interest
      3. Getting feedback and insight into job searching
      4. Understanding and fostering connections with colleagues and in the wider professional field
      5. Providing a reference letter or recommendation (if appropriate) by getting to know the student or evaluating the student’s work

To benefit mentors:

      1. Facilitating professional support networks for librarians at all stages of their careers
      2. Providing a way for librarians to learn (and share) skills and interests in a partnership setting
      3. Offering a flexible but structured way for librarians to engage in professional partnerships
      4. Strengthening and expanding the reach of the library profession

Mentor Support

Mentors receive training during an orientation session. Mentorship coordinators are available to support mentors throughout the program. All mentors have access to an email list for the purposes of sharing information and advice among mentors.

Timeline

May 1, 2024 – Call for application begins
June 2, 2024 – Application period ends
Late July 2024 – Mentor notified of acceptance and paired with mentee
Late August 2024 – Training/Orientation to the mentoring program begins
September 3, 2024  – Formal mentoring program begins
May 14, 2025– Formal mentoring program ends
May-June 2025 – Assessment and feedback from participants

NYU Libraries Commitment to Anti-Racism

At NYU Libraries, we are​ ​committed​ ​to ​building​ ​and​ ​sustaining​ ​a​ ​diverse,​ ​inclusive,​ ​and equitable​ community that fosters a sense of belonging among our staff and everyone we serve. The NYU Division of Libraries works actively as a community to build an explicitly anti-racist space and culture. This means holding ourselves accountable for the shape and inclusiveness of our instruction and our work environment. Further information about our mission, values, and commitment to anti-racism are available at the following sites:

Mentorship Task Force at NYU Libraries Members

Michelle Demeter, Head of Undergraduate Services & Instruction
Laurie Murphy, Reference Associate
Roxane Pickens, Community Engagement Librarian & Head of External Engagement and Mentorship Co-Coordinator
Alexandra Provo, Research Curation Librarian and Mentorship Co-Coordinator
Shawn(ta) Smith-Cruz, Assistant Curator and Associate Dean, Teaching, Learning, and Engagement

Ask questions at any time: dualdegree@nyu.edu. This email is monitored by members of the Mentorship Task Force.