ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries
378 / C&RL News ■ June 2003
C o l l e g e & R e s e a r c h L i b r a r i e s news
M entoring untenured librarians
All it ta k e s is a little Un-TLC
by Dana Keyse, Elizabeth W. Kraemer, and Julie Voelck
A
s a n u n te n u re d librarian, it is natural to have
so m e im p o rta n t, c a re er-a lte rin g q u e stio n s
a b o v e a n d b e y o n d the e n d le ss ro utine q u esti
that arise w h e n learning a job. H aving th e “w h y ”
a n d th e “h o w ” at th e tip o f o u r to n g u e s is easy.
T he p ro b lem is in the k n ow ing w h a t to ask w h o m
w h e n it com es to issues related to th e ten u re p ro
cess, a n d w h e n — if ev er— su c h questions a re a p
propriate.
W h e n th e u n te n u re d librarian is se e k in g th e
w a y to th e H o ly G rail o f te n u re , h e o r s h e o ften
se e k s a m entor. T h e n atural ste p is to find so m e
o n e w h o is in the know , a n d som eone w h o can b e
trusted n o t to note in o n e ’s personnel file the d e p th
a n d b re a d th o f th e stu pidity o f th e inquiry.
At O a k la n d U n iv e rsity ’s K resge Library, w e
h a v e m a n y s u c h p e o p le t o tu r n to fo r s p e c ific
a n sw e rs o r fo r h e lp o n c e rta in p ro jec ts, b u t, at
first, w e h a d n o o n e to bare o u r professional souls
to, so to speak. T hen o u r n e w associate d ean turned
to u s a n d s p e a rh e a d e d a n informal m en to r g ro u p
focusing m ostly o n the tenure a n d prom otion p ro
cess. O n e d a y , s h e th r e w c a u tio n to th e w in d ,
unw ittingly b ro k e all th e rules, a n d in vited u s to
lunch for the p urpose o f establishing such a group.
H a d w e stu d ie d th e literature o n m e n to rin g a n d
k n o w n that w e h a d taken a n unorthodox approach,
w e m ight still b e lugging a ro u n d o u r tru n k full o f
concerns.
T h e l it e r a t u r e
In “M entoring a ca d em ic librarians: T h e ultim ate
in career guidance,” Jetta Carol C u lp ep p e r’s litera
on
ture review serves as a n excellent overview o f the
v a rio u s e le m e n ts in th e m e n to rin g p ro c ess, a n d
s provides m any perspectives a n d approaches from
th e literature. As s h e states, “M e n toring in m a n y
form s a n d styles serves to sm o o th th e w a y ,”1 a n d
o n th is w e m u s t a g re e . Y et m o s t o f th e lib ra ry
lite ra tu re fo c u se s ra th e r a d a m a n tly o n form al,
d o c u m e n te d m en to rin g p ro g ra m s c o n sisting o f
volu n ta rily a ssig n e d te a m s o f tw o, a se n io r te n
u re d librarian, a n d a junior tenure-track librarian.
F urther, m o st p ro g ra m s insist th at a m e n to r n o t
b e a direct su p e rv iso r o f th e m entee.
In “M entoring program s: In search o f th e p e r
fect m o d e l,” M argaret Law also s u p p o rts th e for
m alized o n e -o n -o n e relationship, stating th at this
a p p ro a c h facilitates th e d e v e lo p m e n t o f relation
ships th at m ay n o t otherw ise occur. She indicates
th a t a fte r te s tin g th e g r o u p se ttin g , th e re su lts
w e re n o t particularly successful as “th e g ro u p set
ting m ea n t that th e k in d o f interaction that w o u ld
re su lt in a n e x p lo ra tio n o f a ttitu d e s d id n o t o c
c u r.”2
But exactly w h a t m akes a m entoring program
successful? Law w rites, “… w e t e n d to b e v e ry
v ague a bout w h a t m entoring actually m eans, h o w
it h a p p en s, a n d w h a t organizations c a n d o to fos
te r m e n to rin g relatio n sh ip s. L iterature se a rc h e s
te n d to a d d to th e co n fu sio n ra th e r th a n simplify
things.”3 T here are m any different approaches, w ith
varying d e g ree s o f success. In o u r lack o f a w are
n e s s o f a p e r f e c t m o d e l , w e h a v e s t u m b le d
o n t o s o m e th in g th a t w o r k s p e rfe c tly w e ll fo r
o u r n e e d s . In this article, w e ’d like to sh a re o u r
About the authors
Dana Keyse is reference librarian, Elizabeth W. Kraem er is reference librarian, a n d Julie Voelck is associate dean a t Oakland
University’s Kresge Library, e-mail: juriew @ oakland.edu, kraemer@ oakland.edu voelck@oakland.edu
mailto:juriew@oakland.edu
mailto:kraemer@oakland.edu
mailto:voelck@oakland.edu
C&RL News ■ June 2003 / 379
p ro g ra m at O a k la n d U n iversity fro m o u r p e r
spective, b y d e sc rib in g o u r h istory a n d e x p e ri
e n c e , e x p la in in g w h a t it m e a n s to u s, a n d of
fering so m e reco m m en d atio n s.
B a c k g ro u n d
In o rd e r to e x p la in th e p u rp o s e a n d justify th e
n e e d fo r o u r inform al gatherings, w e m ust p ro
v id e so m e o f th e d etails o f o u r fo rm atio n . O u r
group the Un-TLC, the U ntenured Librarians Club,
w a s established in 2001. O u r focus is o n the ten
ure process, th o u g h w e discuss m u ch m ore. The
mission o f each m em b e r (except for the associate
d e an ) is to b e dism issed from the g ro u p u p o n re
ceiving tenure.
C urrently th e Un-TLC consists o f five m e m
bers: o u r associate dean, the initiator a n d informal
le a d e r o f th e c lub, w h o jo in e d o u r library as a
te n u re d faculty m e m b e r in 2001; o n e lib rarian
w h o jo in e d th e faculty in 1998 a n d h a s p a s s e d
tw o o f th re e re v ie w levels; tw o lib rarian s w h o
fa c e d th e ir first r e v ie w in A pril 2003 a n d w h o
jo ined th e faculty in 2000 a n d 2001; a n d a librar
ian w h o joined us in fall 2002 a n d will have a first
review in April 2004.
W e m e e t a p p r o x im a te ly o n c e a m o n th in
th e university com m ons, usually o v e r so d a a n d
a snack. W e b rin g o u r goals, o u r c o n ce rn s, o u r
frustrations, a n d o u r fears to th e table a n d h ash
t h e m o u t w ith e a c h o th e r . W e ’v e a ls o b e e n
k n o w n to bring the occasional joke, com ic strip,
o r library s o a p o p e ra idea (sh o u ld o u r d a y jobs
n o t p a n o u t). All d iscussions, re g ard less o f rel
evance, o c cu r u n d e r th e g u idance o f o u r sh a red
m en to r, th e asso c iate d ean.
Although she is o u r group leader, she is also an
administrator. H er position is advantageous to us
in tw o w ays: first, s h e is a re p re se n ta tiv e o f the
adm inistration w h o presents re appointm ent a nd
tenure recom m endations to the provost, a n d sec
ond, she is the one w h o m ost closely, o n a day-to-
day basis, oversees a n d supports o u r professional
developm ent. As such, there is n o fear o ver op in
ions expressed during our m eetings because she is
m o re like H arry P o tte r’s b e lo v e d P ro fe ss o r
D u m b led o re th an th e d e te sted Professor Snape.
H e r ultim ate goal is the sam e as ours, i.e., to dis
m iss e a c h o n e o f u s fro m th e Un-TLC, t e n u r e
in-hand. O u r d iscussions d u rin g c lub m eetin g s
a re n e ith e r e v a lu a te d n o r d o c u m e n te d in a n y
ta n g ib le form . O v e r th e last e ig h t m o n th s w e
h a v e fo rm e d a p ro fessio n al b o n d in w h ic h w e
en co u ra g e a n d congratulate, advise, a n d e m p a
thize w h e n th ings g o awry.
T he m em bers o f th e Un-TLC a re in the sam e
situation as m ost u n te n u re d faculty librarians. In
addition to the e x pected duties found in o u r posi
tio n descriptions: p ro v id in g efficient a n d effec
tive reference service, raising th e b a r o f inform a
tion literacy th ro u g h library instruction, a n d e x
p a n d in g th e role o f th e library liaison to th e aca
d em ic d e p a rtm e n ts a n d to stu d e n t services, w e
are faced w ith th e so m e w h a t daunting a n d ever
p resent expectation o f publishing peer-review ed
articles. Each of these elements encom passes m any
sm aller tasks. Moreover, w e m ust accom plish all
w ith a b rave c o u n te n a n c e as w e face the form al
bian n u a l review p ro c ess b e fo re g oing o n to the
university’s ten u re review board. W hile w e have
the skills, enthusiasm a n d am bition, o u r m otiva
tion is clearly fueled by the relentless e ncourage
m ent o f o u r associate dean. As w e toil aw ay in the
research, writing, a n d editing processes, sh e has
a s k e d u s to sto p a n d s h a re o u r p e rc e p tio n s o f
w hat m akes o u r m entorship successful.
H o w t o b e a successful le a d e r o f a n
in f o r m a l m e n to r s h ip p r o g r a m
From o u r perspective as un ten u re d librarians, w e
offer to m e n to rs th e fo llo w in g r e c o m m e n d a
tions, w h ic h , if fo llo w e d , c a n h e lp e n s u re th e
s u c c e ss o f b o t h th e m e n to rin g g r o u p a n d th e
individual m em bers.
1. A s s e m b l e y o u r g r o u p o f u n t e n u r e d
l i b r a r i a n s i n a c a s u a l a n d n e u t r a l e n v i
r o n m e n t . N e u t r a l i t y i s k e y . It is im p o rta n t
th at th e u n te n u re d faculty m e m b e rs feel free to
discuss their frustrations, talk th ro u g h their anxi
eties, a n d ask q uestions. A casual setting is also
v a luable, as a less form al e n v iro n m e n t is m o re
likely to encourage “bonding” b etw een m em bers,
w h ich will allow th e m to feel m o re com fortable
sharing their successes a nd achievem ents, as well
as their doubts a n d concerns.
2 . S h a r e y o u r o w n i m p r e s s i o n s , f e e l
i n g s , a n d y e a r s o f e x p e r i e n c e s a s a o n c e -
u n t e n u r e d l i b r a r i a n a n d a g a i n f r o m t h e
t e n u r e d v i e w p o i n t This will com e to be know n
as sage advice. Having colleagues relate tales from
their o w n te n u re pro cess c an b e a comfort: it re
m in d s th e u n te n u re d librarians th a t o thers h ave
(successfully) p assed this w ay before. Just as help
ful are the realizations that m ay co m e from h ear
ing a n o n ju d g m e n ta l te n u r e d v ie w p o in t o n a
project o r experience— especially o n e that is par
ticularly troubling o r stressful.
3 . E n c o u r a g e a c t i v e p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n
c o m m i t t e e m e e t i n g s l e d b y t e n u r e d f a c
380 / C&RL News ■ June 2003
u l t y , w h e r e a p p r o p r i a t e . It is e a s y fo r a n
untenured librarian to w atch m eetings from a safe
a n d q u iet d istance in o rd e r to a v oid p otentially
contentious discussions with tenured faculty m em
bers; therefore, it can b e useful to have a tenured
colleague encouraging th e “n e w b ies” to partici
p a te so th at their o p in io n s a re n ’t o verlooked. It
m u st b e sa id th at it c a n b e just as u seful, if n o t
m o re so, to offer a k in d w o rd to the m o re vocal
u n te n u re d folk to tak e a b it m o re c are in w h a t
they say in tense situations.
4 . S h a r e y o u r o w n w r i t i n g a n d r e
s e a r c h f i n d i n g s . Suggest topics o r pass a round
ideas that y ou h ave always w a n te d to p u rsu e or
ideas that could use another approach. It is always
valuable for u n te n u re d faculty to h e ar w h a t oth
ers are researching. This can serve as motivation,
inspiration, a n d e n couragem ent in their o w n re
search process. Additionally, brainstorm ing among
the un ten u re d g roup not only can bring topics to
light, b u t can also create writing partnerships b e
tw een the members.
5 . P r o v i d e f i n a n c i a l m e a n s f o r
u n t e n u r e d l i b r a r i a n s t o a t t e n d c o n f e r
e n c e s , d o r e s e a r c h , a n d p r e s e n t t h e i r
w o r k . W hen u n te n u re d librarians are ex p ec te d
to p a y travel a n d m em b e rsh ip fees o u t o f their
o w n pockets, the n e ed to get involved at the local
and national levels can be easily overshadow ed by
the n e ed to pay rent, buy groceries, a n d otherwise
survive outside o f w ork. Providing financial su p
p ort in such situations not only allows for partici
p a tio n a n d travel, b u t also is a g reat w a y to e n
c o u ra g e a n d re w a rd th e h a rd w o rk o f th e
untenured faculty members.
6 . A d v i s e d u r i n g t h e d r a f t p r o c e s s . C r i
t i q u e a n d e d i t f i n a l p a p e r s . T h is is a ctually
great for all faculty members, not just the untenured
folk. It’s vital to have som eone to share ideas with
w h o is willing to read, adjust, reread, readjust, and
reread again a piece o f writing.
7 . P r o v i d e w r i t t e n ( o r a t l e a s t u n w r i t
t e n ) q u a n t i f i a b l e g u i d e l i n e s f o r t e n u r e .
T h e re ’s alm ost n o th in g th at c a n o v e rw h elm a n
untenured faculty person m ore than not having an
actual goal. All the w riting a n d publishing in the
w o rld w o n ’t d o a ny g o o d if y o u ’re n o t w riting
a n d p u b lish in g e n o u g h o f th e ty p es o f articles
that the tenure com m ittee a n d d e a n are looking
for. Quantifiable guidelines provide the untenured
librarian w ith a focus a n d dramatically reduce the
stress o f the u n k now n.
8 . C o n s u l t w i t h o r a d d r e s s c o n c e r n s
w i t h t e n u r e d c o l l e a g u e s a n d t h e a d m i n i s
t r a t i o n o n b e h a l f o f u n t e n u r e d li b r a r i a n s .
Being an advocate for untenured librarians serves
tw o p u rp o se s. First, it assures that their opinions
a n d p e rsp e c tiv e s are h e ard , e v e n in forum s in
w hich they cannot speak for themselves. Second,
a d v o c a c y p ro v e s to th e u n te n u re d faculty that
their opinions and perspectives are valuable enough
to b e heard.
9 . H e l p u n t e n u r e d l i b r a r i a n s m e n t o r
e a c h o t h e r . T h e r e a re s o m e s itu a tio n s th a t
are to o troubling to share, e v e n w ith y o u r very
o w n P r o f e s s o r D u m b le d o r e . As w ith H a rry
Potter, in c ases like th e s e it’s h e a rte n in g to b e
able to com m iserate w ith a Ron o r a n Herm ione.
Encouraging untenured librarians to support each
other ensures that they will always have som eone
to tu rn to for advice. As a b o n u s, this also gives
th e m e x perience th at will h e lp th e m to o n e day
m entor the n ext cro p o f u n ten u re d librarians.
1 0 . C o n t in u e t o e n c o u r a g e m e m b e r s t o
r e s e a r c h a n d p u b li s h , e v e n a f t e r t h e y h a v e
a c h i e v e d t e n u r e . It’s n atural fo r a finally te n
u re d librarian to sit b a c k a n d e n joy th e leisure
tim e that w as so rarely available as a n un ten u re d
faculty m em ber; how ever, b y c o n tinuing to e n
c o u rag e h im o r h e r to research a n d p ublish not
o nly are y ou p rom oting the re p utation o f the li
brary, b u t y ou are also providing role m odels for
th e n e x t class o f th e Un-TLC.
C o n clus io n
Despite being an informal group led by an admin
istrator, th e Un-TLC h as b e e n a very successful
venture thus far, affirmed by the enthusiastic com
m itm ent o f its m em b ers to the club a n d o n e a n
other. Through this close-knit mentoring network,
w e sh a re in e a c h o th e r’s p rofessional w in s a n d
losses a nd have forged bonds that will last through
out our careers. This group environment will surely
m ak e o u r final ex p u lsio n from th e Un-TLC that
m uch m ore trium phant a n d meaningful, n ot only
because w e ourselves will have at long last achieved
tenure, b ut also because w e will have successfully
m odeled a n d shared the process w ith colleagues
w h o are to follow.
N o tes
1. Jetta Carol Culpepper, “Mentoring academic
librarians: T he ultim ate in c areer guidance,” Col
lege & Undergraduate Libraries7 , no. 2 (2000): 72.
2. M argaret Law, “M e n to rin g p ro g ram s: In
se a rc h o f th e p e rfe c t m o d e l,” Feliciter 47, no. 3
(2001): 147.
3. Ibid., 146. ■
C&RL News ■ June 20 0 3 / 381
Events at the ALA Annual Conference in Toronto
Creating Change in Scholarly Communication:
Best Practices in Campus Advocacy
Saturday, June 21, 4:30 p.m .-6 p.m.
In this lively forum presented by SPARC and ACRL, librarians and
faculty will discuss their experiences in deploying campus advo
cacy initiatives to create change in scholarly communication. Join
us and gather practical ideas on how to launch your own success
ful program. Register at .
LibQUAL+™ Process Management Workshop
Two sessions on Friday, June 20: 9 a.m.-noon OR 1 p.m .-4 p.m.
Thinking of participating in the 2004 ARL LibQUAL+™ survey?
Interested in hearing more? This free workshop is for those who
want to learn about the LibQUAL+™ survey process. Register at
.
Visit ARL & SPARC at booth 4435 in Toronto!
New Development Opportunities from ARL/OLMS
Designing fo r the Web
July 14-August 8, 2003, ARL/OLMS Online Lyceum course
A companion to the Accessible Web Design course, this new course
focuses on goal-directed design to provide an overview of basic
Web design principles, usability issues, and key questions to
consider when designing online. You will learn how to:
• Tailor your Web site to your users’ needs
• Apply content & organization design principles as well as
aesthetic design concepts
• Improve your site’s usability
Register at .
Library Leadership fo r New Managers (LLNM) Program
Apply by July 7, 2003
This new program helps emerging leaders who have little or no
management experience gain insight and skills for managing the
relationships of a leader in the academic library environment.
See .
file:///www.arl.org/sparc/%E2%80%BA
http://www.libqual.org
http://www.arl.org/
http://www.arl.org/training/institutes/managers.html%e2%80%ba