OLA MENTORING COMMITTEE
TERMS OF REFERENCE

Terms of reference should describe the scope of the committee’s responsibilities,
the limits of its authority, the results it is expected to achieve and the reporting required.

Mandate:

Reporting to the OLA Board of Directors through the Executive Director, the OLA Mentoring Committee (the committee) is responsible for developing and implementing sustainable mentoring-related activities and services. These activities and services support OLA members’ needs and also the needs of library and library technician programme students, The committee’s activities and services are related to career choices within libraries and librarianship, skills development related to the job application process and career-related guidance and support for new, mid, and late-career librarians and library technicians.

Responsibilities/Objectives:

  • Provide career-focused support resources for OLA members at all career levels.
  • Develop relationships with educational institutions that provide programmes for librarians and library technicians, and with other library-related organizations that provide support to practicing librarians, library technicians, and other individuals working in libraries.
  • Develop a pool of volunteers able to provide mentoring and career planning support.
  • Promote mentoring as a responsibility of OLA members and as a valued professional activity.

Deliverables:

  1. Coordinate a mentoring program that creates formal mentorship matches
  2. Plan for and manage SuperConference activities, such as the Career Centre and mentoring sessions.
  3. Support library schools with career and mentoring tools, services, and resources.
  4. Develop and deliver other mentoring and career support resources, activities and services.

Composition:

  • Incoming committee members are appointed by the existing committee. The incoming chair is appointed by the committee and approved by the OLA board. The newly selected member(s) will then be contacted by the chair of the Mentoring Committee.
  • Members will serve on the committee for initial terms of two years which are renewableat the committee’s discretion.
  • Membership will be comprised of the following:
  • Chair
  • Secretary and Communications Officer
  • Web Content and Social Media Coordinator
  • Mentoring Program Coordinator (2)
  • Super Conference Planners (2)
  • Members-at-Large (2)
  • Ex-officio: OLA Executive Director and Manager of Member Services
  • Committee members may not miss more than two) meetings per calendar year without just cause. Should a member be unavailable to attend a meeting, the member must provide the committee with reasonable notice of the absence (at least 24 hours).
  • Each member is asked to convene at least one mentoring committee session at OLA Super Conference each year.
  • Individual committee members’ roles and responsibilities will be outlined in the OLA Mentoring Committee manual. This manual will be updated by the committee as necessary.
  • Information about current membership is posted and updated on the OLA Mentoring Committee Web site.

Resources and budget:

Funding is required for the following:

  • Travel for committee meetings and formal mentoring activities
  • Meals for meetings
  • Teleconferencing
  • Promotional materials

Timelines

The committee will meet five times per year. Three meetings will take place in person and two meetings will be by Skype.

Meeting dates are confirmed and posted by the Secretary and Communications Officer.

Agendas for each meeting will be prepared and distributed by the Chair.

Communication between meetings is facilitated by the OLA Mentoring Committee listserv: .

Meeting Minutes are hosted on a private page on the committee’s WordPress web site. Public minutes are posted on thecommittee’s web site at:

Regular reports on findings and progress will be submitted to the OLA board either directly or through the appropriate division.

Type of Committee:

Standing Committee (responsible for a specific program or function)

Task Forces (time-limited tasks on a specific topic)

Action Groups(development of a limited program or activity)

Term of Appointment:

Ongoing/indefinite.

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