Learning Outcomes for Student Workers? Perceived Mentoring and the Gap Between Training and Educating Library Student Workers

Abstract

Individuals enter graduate programs for a variety of reasons, many have a mentor to help guide or focus interest in a program or specialization. This is particularly important for masters programs in library and information science, an interdisciplinary degree that combines theoretical and practical components to educate information professionals for work in a technologically oriented and knowledge-based society. MLIS students at Institutions X, Y, and Z were surveyed in 2013 about professional identity, LIS experience and mentoring. From the 365 responses, fewer than 40% of respondents had a mentor, however, more than 70% of participants worked in an LIS environment as staff members, student workers, pages, and volunteers prior to entering a program. This implies that either staff are not mentoring student workers or that the students do perceive their interactions with fellow library staff as mentoring. Formalizing a mentoring relationship through learning outcomes may provide a deeper understanding of the profession and identify future MLIS students.