I am a great believer in experienced professionals sharing knowledge and providing guidance to new professionals. Although I have not yet had an official mentor, I have thought about all the informal mentors I have had.
I like to ask questions. Sometime lots of questions. Sometimes standard ones. Sometimes challenging ones. For me this is one of the ways I learn. My questioning can lead onto my understanding. My professional questioning has often been directed to experience colleagues who have helped to shape my understanding about the librarianship. I thank them for their patience.
My hope is to be able to find an official mentor. Uncertain of how to go about such matters I have found the following articles very helpful, particularly Priscilla Shontz point about not waiting for others to teach you things:
Sophie R. Brookover “Mentors: What Are They Good For?”, on LIScareer.com http://www.liscareer.com/brookover_mentoring.htm
Priscilla Shontz “Be a Proactive Protege’”
(an excerpt from Jump Start Your Career in Library & Information Science) on LIScareer.com http://www.liscareer.com/shontz_protege.htm
I shall continue to ask questions.
