Welcome to the Mentorship Program for the Pennsylvania Library Association.
About the Program
What: PaLA Mentorship Program
When: Registration Deadline: December 1, 2024
Program runs January 2025-September 2025
How: Register here
Why: To facilitate leadership growth and potential in the association as well as help newer librarians build their careers in librarianship
Who: Mentees: PaLA members who are new to the profession (less than 5 years)
Mentors: PaLA members who are veteran librarians excited to share their knowledge and expertise (at least 5 years experience)
2024-2025 Mentorship Subcommittee
Current Members: Brenda Beikert (Membership VP), Rebecca L. Dzikowski (Chair), Dana Barber, Alana Bubnis, Melisa Gallo, June Houghtaling, Emily Reed, Amy Resh
GOAL:
The original goal was to create a PaLA mentorship program to facilitate leadership growth and potential in the association and across the state.
DESCRIPTION/CHARGE:
PALS group will create a career mentoring program that pairs experienced librarians who are PaLA members with less-experienced PaLA members interested in taking more of a leadership role in the association and/or the library profession. PALS will consider other mentor programs from across the country. PALS will select and develop a program that best suits Pennsylvania’s needs. PALS group will advertise and develop avenues to ensure sustainability.
According to the most recent Pennsylvania Library Association Strategic Plan, Goal #3, Point 3 is:
"To increase the number, quality, and variety of delivery methods for professional development programs provided by Chapters, Divisions and Roundtables. "
In designing the program, it is our hope that mentees will grow in their profession, get assistance in reaching their goals, and in the future consider offering their knowledge to a younger member of the PaLA community, thereby creating a self-sustaining network of mentors.
OUTCOME:
Mentor program that supports new emerging leaders and volunteers to help PaLA meet its mission.
History of the Program
In 2016, Pennsylvania Leadership Academy (PALS) participants were asked to create a PaLA mentorship program to facilitate leadership growth and potential in the association and across the state. In response, the 2016 PALS group surveyed PaLA membership for feedback about a state-wide mentoring program and put together a pilot based upon their research and survey responses.
The pilot program ran from February 1, 2017 - August 1, 2017 and matched a total of 16 mentor/mentee pairs. Based on the data collected, the pilot was very fruitful for both mentors and mentees while providing valuable feedback to project planners moving forward.
In August 2017, the previous PALS group who started the pilot program passed it down to the 2017-2018 PALS group along with all the feedback needed to grow the program.
In summer 2018, the program was officially absorbed by the PaLA Membership Committee with a sub committee dedicated to planning, promoting, and executing mentorship for the organization. The program for 2025 will run January through September 2025. The deadline for applications is December 1, 2024.
2018 PALS Group
2017-2018 PALS Project Planners: Rebecca Calfe, Nick Cerroni, Shannon Connor, Andreana Duffy, and John Nelka
2017-2018 PALS Project Mentor: Barbara Zaborowski
PILOT PALS Group
2016-2017 PALS Pilot Project Planners: Adam Haigh, Matt McNelis, Joyce Platfoot and Emily Reed
2016-2017 PALS Project Mentors: Carrie Turner and Tina Hertel