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Annual Report 2000/01

MLA Mentoring Program Task Force

Activities

The Mentor Program Task Force, having determined that a report to the MLA Board was an appropriate and expedient way to deliver the group's work and findings, continued its work towards that end throughout the fall and winter months. Subsequently, a draft report was created and emailed to all Task Force members for advise and comments.

The Task Force convened at MLA Mid-Winter on February 24th at the Summerfield Suites to review the draft report. During that meeting substantive changes were made to the draft. Assignments were distributed and the committee agreed to have a final version available for review on March 17th.

Delivery of the Mentor Program Task Force Final Report was sent to headquarters and to the Board Liaison to the Task Force on about April 20th.

Minutes of the Mid-Winter Meeting, Mentor Task Force, February 24th, 2001

MLA Mentor Program Task Force

Minutes of meeting February 24, 2001

1. Called to order by chair at 8:05 AM

2. Formal report guideline distributed (not MLA)

3. First discussion of draft report (initial impressions):

Julia - basic agreement - did we do a needs assessment?
Add action items to exec summary. Let implementation issues be left to others.
Don't just think of mentoring as for new employees. One can be a mentor and mentoree at the same time.

Mary Fran - let's not emphasize lack of response to promotional materials probably don't need too much more needs assessment.
Too much bureaucracy? Formal training? "Don't fence me in." Give members access to online membership list and experts list

Cheryl - Should task force to more outreach? Do more promotion now.
Re do needs assessment
Internships
Keep it simple, less paperwork
MLA needs to recruit for the profession
Sets up mentoring relationships with library school students

Carla: executive summary crucial, use bullets
Strategies from p. 27 should be in summary
Bring out points in exec summary
Gather current mentors (colleague connection, AHIP mentors)
MLA format
HQ as enablers, marketers
Likes data on aging profession bring this front and center
Submit this as pilot program?

Jean - emphasize key points, package materials for institutional memberships
Incoming MLA president interested in recruitment, also center of excellence for health education (?)
Add concept of mentoring as making your institution more appealing to prospective employees.
Use appendices more Include examples

Craig - can we use Annual Meeting to approach people in person?
How do we institutionalize informal aspects?
Documentation of mentoring for AHIP credit

Ysabel - not just professional-professional can be professional-paraprofessional, librarian-other professional Point out model of new leaders training
Some documentation may be lists of mentors and skills (no longer forms to fill out)

Diane - we can reach mentors, but not mentorees at Annual meetings
Drop junior/senior imagery, drop emphasis on poor response to initial promotion

Beverly - members only section of MLA-net list experts
We can ask on MLA FOCUS, on renewal form, update to membership form on online

4. Second discussion of draft report

Executive summary section:

Non response as limitation, not barrier
Needs assessment in future
Heavily edit executive summary 5 pages not 10
Statement of issues (compelling reasons why we need mentoring program
Data

Introduction section

Page 12, paragraph 4 let's explore - not "Without a wide understanding*"
Page 12 paragraph 3 Change conclusion to summary of introduction
Page 13 move demographics to summary also technology - changing roles

Cheryl: what should be in summary vs report

Carla: summary is short synopsis of whole report

Cheryl - don't call what we did a needs assessment.
Change throughout especially page 15-16 (top of page)
Find alternative to "solicit"

Discuss diversity more on page 12
See purple faculty mentoring guide from VCU.
Also under benefits Jean - take out "etc, etc" on page 14
Appendix - add an appendix with a glossary of terms

Recommendations section:

Recommendations Section 1 mission Page 17-18
In mission statement change medical to health sciences
Mission Statement - move to start of Section I

Omit Paragraph 1 on page 17
Take out first sentence paragraph 2
Change mission statement to:

"*participants share their knowledge and experience to encourage and foster the professional development and recruitment of health sciences librarians.

Mindset

Mindset is one issue
Move mindset recommendations to recommendations section in executive summary

5. Report structure

Executive summary � intro & issues & charge � benefits and limitations � recommendations/actions

Body

Introduction
Charge from p 14 and statement of problem
Background gather from p 11 & 14 (history/definition)
Mindset lit review (21-22)
What is MLA doing (add fellows attending new members reception)
Review of what is being done by other organizations, Pages 23-top of 25
Strengths, weaknesses of model 23-26

Discussion

Methodology (15-16)Issues
Benefits
Limitations
Mentoring mindset
Barriers (p12 and formerly in exec summary p 4)

Recommendations

� Page 9-10, 22,26-27 - to be combined:

Groupings of recommendations:

Key components to get program off the ground:

Mission statement p.17-18
Needs Assessment
Recommend specific needs assessment, not general like task force did.
Concrete ideas, examples of offerings to be endorsed or correct, react to draft plan (to define components of program depending on what people want)
Give examples of simple Web survey form
Financial support
recognition of task force support, need continuing support and other (additional notes on outside funding, foundations, vendors, drug companies)
Leadership participation/support (p20, see notes)
Publicity/Recruitment (p 10, 27, also see notes on publicity, add non traditional sources, such as the new members round table of ALA - Website, posters of real life mentors)
Governance (board should establish committee to implement program)
Options: separate standing committee or sub committee of another committee, such as membership
Recognition/acknowledgment (p 10, AHIP points, certificates, notices on Web and at annual meeting, letters to managers, I am a mentor stickers) Additional components: � Monitoring/evaluation (p 10, 20, 27) keep it simple, little paperwork
Education/training (p 10, 20)
mentoring guide print and on-line,
annual meeting program on mentoring, library schools)
Resource clearinghouse in database form(p.10
Human (expertise) Internship
Print, multimedia
Web
Collaboration (p 26) plus fellows plus library schools, NLM, NNLM, sections, chapters, other associations

6. Task Force actions:

Immediate assignments:
Draft report re-writes due to Chair by March 17, 2001

Executive summary -Julia
Introduction -Ysabel
Background -Cheryl
Limits and benefits -Mary Fran
Recommendations -Craig

Distribute minutes/notes to group -Diane (ASAP)
Re-write minutes as needed and send to Chair - Diane

Possible long term actions:

Redo needs assessment to assist implementation
Use Web form
Distribute key pieces of report to members for response - preliminary recommendations - ask for responses
Do more personal contact � Involve MLA fellows, other MLA mentors (colleague connection, AHIP mentors)
Use MLA News, MLA FOCUS
Needs assessment in Chapter and Section print newsletters, list servs [later comments - this is for implementation group]
NNLM newsletters, list servs, networking with RMLS
At annual meetings, get forms filled out at section meetings
Network with library schools other collaborations
Outreach to other types of librarians, especially public and academic librarians interested in health
Website for task force
Stickers for Annual Meeting name tags: Ask me about mentoring
Direct potential mentors/mentorees to MLA booth
Look for outside funding (like drug companies) for library students [Idea: Ask members to sponsor library student memberships in MLA]
Seek outside funding for mentoring programs
Establish expertise list Meeting adjourned by chair at 2:05 PM

Addendum: List of all recommendations in draft

Needs assessment
Support from other sectors
Monitoring & eval Training
Clearing house Acknowledgment & recommendations
Publicity/recruitment
Evaluation Closure (exit interview)
Support recognition retention
Required meetings
Tracking system
Written records/ rematching process
Education in mentoring
Partner w/other organizations
Ascertain member support
Create governance structure
Allot resources
Support program with communications
Demonstrate positive mentoring behaviors
Reward with AHIP points
Develop statement of purpose/long range plan
Recruitment plan
Develop brochure
Develop process for screening
Develop education program for participants
Develop rematching program

Respectfully Submitted,
Mentor Program Task Force

Ysabel Bertolucci, AHIP
Julia Kochi Diane Wolf, AHIP
Mary Fran Prottsman, AHIP
Cheryl Rae Dee, AHIP
Beverly Bradley, Headquarters Liaison
Jean Shipman, AHIP, Board Liaison
Craig Haynes, AHIP, Chair