From Treading Water to Smooth Sailing: Mentoring for New Academic Librarians

The two authors were paired as part of a formal mentoring program for orientation and to prepare for eventual promotion and tenure. One author has over twenty-five years’ experience on campus, and the other author has completed one year in her current position. During that first year, various themes emerged to remind both librarians that the more things change, the more they remain the same. As the mentoring experience evolved, it became difficult to distinguish the mentor from the mentee because both librarians understood that discussing common issues was mutually beneficial.