<div dir="ltr">The OLA Mentoring Program is designed to help early career OLA members working in libraries and related organizations grow professionally by being paired with seasoned library staff willing to share their professional experience and guidance. Mentors and mentees will be partnered based on similar interests, professional experience, and/or goals. The mentoring relationship will develop over the course of a year (or nine months) and contact can take place in-person or over phone, email, or web conferencing. <br><br>We currently have some fantastic mentors available from public, academic, and school libraries. If you are an early career library staff-person looking for support related to your work, with less than five years of experience <span style="font-size:12.8000001907349px;line-height:13.381817817688px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">please consider</span><a href="https://ola.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mc&view=mc&mcid=form_140871" target="_blank" style="font-size:12.8000001907349px;line-height:13.381817817688px;text-decoration:none"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span><span style="font-family:Arial;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">applying to be paired up with a <span class="il">mentor</span></span></a><span style="font-size:12.8000001907349px;line-height:13.381817817688px;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. </span><div><font face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.8000001907349px;line-height:13.381817817688px;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></font></div><div><div><font face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.8000001907349px;line-height:13.381817817688px;white-space:pre-wrap">To be eligible for the program, you must meet the following requirements:
</span><ol style=""><li style=""><span style="font-size:12.8000001907349px;line-height:13.381817817688px;white-space:pre-wrap">Have worked as a paraprofessional or professional in a library (or related organization) for fewer than five years.</span><br></li><li><span style="font-size:12.8000001907349px;line-height:13.381817817688px;white-space:pre-wrap">Be an OLA member.</span><br></li><li><span style="font-size:12.8000001907349px;line-height:13.381817817688px;white-space:pre-wrap">Currently be working in a library in some capacity (volunteer, paraprofessional, professional).</span><br></li><li><span style="font-size:12.8000001907349px;line-height:13.381817817688px;white-space:pre-wrap">Commit to at least one year (or nine months for library staff on nine-month contracts) with the program. Mentors and mentees can continue their relationship beyond the required time period if they choose.</span><br></li><li><span style="font-size:12.8000001907349px;line-height:13.381817817688px;white-space:pre-wrap">Have a strong interest in professional development.</span><br></li><li><span style="font-size:12.8000001907349px;line-height:13.381817817688px;white-space:pre-wrap">Be willing to share goals and challenges.</span><br></li><li><span style="font-size:12.8000001907349px;line-height:13.381817817688px;white-space:pre-wrap">Be open to feedback and advice.</span></li></ol></font></div></div><div><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8000001907349px;line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Additional links:</span></p><ul style="font-size:12.8000001907349px;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><li style="margin-left:15px;list-style-type:disc;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline"><p style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><a href="http://www.olaweb.org/mentor-program" target="_blank" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Information about the <span class="il">mentoring</span> <span class="il">program</span> and its requirements</span></a></p></li><li style="margin-left:15px;list-style-type:disc;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline"><p style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://ola.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mc&view=mc&mcid=form_140871" target="_blank" style="text-decoration:none">Mentee <span class="il">application</span></a></span></p></li><li style="margin-left:15px;list-style-type:disc;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline"><p style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><a href="https://ola.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mc&view=mc&mcid=form_140898" target="_blank"><span class="il">Mentor</span> <span class="il">application</span></a></p></li><li style="margin-left:15px;list-style-type:disc;font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline"><p style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><a href="http://www.olaweb.org/mentoring-guidelines" target="_blank" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Guidelines and best practices for the <span class="il">mentoring</span> relationship</span></a></p></li></ul><br style="font-size:12.8000001907349px"><a href="http://www.olaweb.org/mentoring-guidelines" target="_blank" style="font-size:12.8000001907349px;text-decoration:none"><span style="font-family:Arial;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></a><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8000001907349px;line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Have questions? Contact us at </span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="mailto:mentor@olaweb.org" target="_blank"><span class="il">mentor</span>@olaweb.org</a></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-size:12.8000001907349px;line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></p><p style="font-size:12.8000001907349px;line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">Best wishes,</p><div><br></div>Meredith Farkas, Portland Community College Library<br>Lisa Molinelli, Portland State University Office of Academic Innovation<br>Emily-Jane Dawson, Multnomah County Library<br>Chris King, Hillsboro Public Library</div><div><br><p style="font-size:12.8000001907349px;line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt">For the OLA Membership Committee</p>
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