The ACRL Dr. E.J. Josey Mentoring Program for Spectrum Scholars provides an opportunity to assist with the development of the next generation of academic librarians. The goal of this program is to link participating library school students and newly graduated librarians who are of American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern and North African, and/or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander descent, with established academic librarians who will provide mentoring and coaching support, serve as a role model in academic librarianship, and provide guidance in seeking a career path and opportunities for leadership in the profession. This program pairs recipients of ALA's Spectrum Scholarship Program with mentors from ACRL.
Spectrum Scholars who would like to be matched with an ACRL mentor should contact the ALA Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services, at spectrum@ala.org or (800) 545-2433, ext. 5020 for application instructions.
ACRL members who would like serve as mentors should meet the following criteria:
- Be a personal member of ACRL.
- Commit to being a mentor for a minimum of one year and a maximum of three years.
- Commit to participate in an online mentoring tips session.
- Assume a proactive role towards the achievement of your mentee's goals.
- Agree to communicate with the mentee on a mutually-agreeable regular basis (such as monthly).
- Consider spending time together at conferences when both the mentor and mentee attend.
- Complete and submit brief assessment surveys, provided by the mentoring committee, about the mentor/mentee relationship.
Please complete the online application form to participate.
If you have additional questions about the ACRL Dr. E.J. Josey Spectrum Scholar Mentor Program, please contact David Connolly at ACRL at dconnolly@ala.org or (800) 545-2433, ext. 2513. This program is administered by the ACRL Dr. E. J. Josey Spectrum Scholar Mentor Committee.