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Library Mentoring Program

This guide provides tools, templates, and resources to help participants in the UNT Libraries' Mentoring Program make the most of their mentoring experience.

Mentorship Resources

These resources provide mentoring activities and materials to help mentors and mentees explore career development, librarianship, scholarship, and service through shared learning and practical experience.

Mentorship Documents

Mentees and mentors may find the following documents helpful for organizing and documenting their mentoring relationship.

Discussion Topics & Activities for Mentoring Meetings

Mentoring is most impactful when it extends beyond conversation into collaborative, experiential learning. Purposeful activities create opportunities for both mentors and mentees to explore ideas in practice, share insights, and build confidence in real-world contexts. The following list offers potential topics and activities to guide mentoring meetings and strengthen the relationship over time. Drawn from examples across several universities, these suggestions can be customized to meet the unique needs, goals, and contexts of each librarian.

  • Offer guidance on library, university, and college policies and procedures.
  • Support mentees in developing a clear career trajectory with short- and long-term goals and actionable steps for achieving them.
  • Explore strategies for building professional visibility, credibility, and engagement within the field of librarianship.
  • Discuss the promotion process, including dossier preparation when applicable.
  • Provide insight into departmental and library culture, offering advice on cultivating positive relationships with colleagues, faculty, and students.
  • Review annual evaluation materials and provide constructive feedback to support growth and reflection.
  • Talk openly about managing the challenges, pressures, and unexpected crises that may arise throughout a librarian’s professional journey.
  • Identify sources of professional support and development opportunities within the University of North Texas Libraries and the broader university community.
  • Share and review materials, workflows, or approaches that enhance library services and user engagement.
  • Observe each other’s work environments, meetings, or instruction sessions to gain insight into different roles and perspectives across the library.
  • Explore tools, systems, and methods that support productivity, innovation, and collaboration in librarianship.
  • Review time management strategies for balancing librarianship, scholarship, service, and administrative responsibilities.
  • Collaborate on research projects, manuscripts, presentations, or conference proposals.
  • Attend webinars, workshops, or conferences together and discuss key takeaways and applications.
  • Review abstracts, proposals, manuscripts, CVs, or grant applications and exchange constructive feedback.
  • Explore strategies for publishing, peer review, and scholarly communication.
  • Identify sources of internal or external funding and discuss approaches to grant development.
  • Develop a research plan that includes publication goals, collaboration strategies, and venues for dissemination.
  • Share experiences and insights about working with journal editors, reviewers, and collaborators.
  • Discuss effective research management practices and methods for sustaining scholarly productivity.
  • Identify meaningful service opportunities at the library, university, and professional levels (and community level if applicable).
  • Discuss which types of service are most valued for promotion and long-term career advancement.
  • Provide guidance on evaluating and prioritizing service commitments, including when and how to decline requests thoughtfully.
  • Identify sources of support and professional development opportunities that strengthen leadership capacity.
  • Reflect on personal leadership styles and explore ways to lead effectively from any position.
  • Share strategies for collaboration, team management, and navigating challenges.
  • Participate in a committee meeting or project together to observe leadership and decision-making in action.

References

  1. University of Texas: Mentorship Planning Resources
  2. University of Michigan-Dearborn: Faculty Mentoring Tips & Resources
  3. Michigan State University: Mentoring Toolkit
  4. University of Buffalo: Elements of Effective Mentoring
  5. Georgetown University: Guidelines for Mentors and Mentees