 |
 |
Some observations about conference-y stuff: - Newcomer dinner groups tend to see a disproportionate n/v ratio, even with some prodding to get more established members to participate and disperse themselves out in the groups. Then again, I can't make things mandatory, lest I get pelted with book snakes. - Since 2009, I've noticed that the number of first time attendees range between over 1/3 to roughly 1/2 of the conference crowd. [1] - Even when it's not their first code4lib conference, people at their second or third conference still identify as newbies, so these folks might not be comfortable being mentors quite yet... [1] Count taken from raised hands when asked the annual "How many code4libcons you've attended" question Thanks, Becky, uncaffeinated On Tue, Nov 27, 2012 at 8:33 PM, Cynthia Ng <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Getting traction for mentoring online is always difficult, but what > about starting that mentorship at code4libcon? > > Maybe almost like a buddy system, so that the first meeting between a > mentor and mentee is at a code4libcon (national, regional, or > otherwise) if possible. > > This might simply be a good idea for first timers who are not going > with colleagues too. > > Just throwing out some ideas here... > > On Tue, Nov 27, 2012 at 7:49 PM, Nick Ruest <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > Matt McCollow proposed something like this a while back. We have a page > up > > and everything! But, it never got much traction. > > > > http:[log in to unmask] > > http://wiki.code4lib.org/index.php/Mentorship > > > > -nruest > > > > On 12-11-27 07:30 PM, Bess Sadler wrote: > >> > >> +1 to this idea. I have benefited tremendously over the years from kind > >> people taking me under their wings. Many of us try to do this > one-on-one, > >> but some kind of introduction service would be a huge benefit for the > >> community, I would think. > >> > >> Mentorship is a great example of a robust solution - a solution that > >> addresses more than one problem at once. I suspect that this would not > only > >> improve our diversity as a community, it might also solve some tech > >> leadership / succession planning problems and maybe expose some training > >> needs. > >> > >> Bess > >> > >> On Nov 27, 2012, at 4:20 PM, Nathan Tallman <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> > >>> This is a slightly different topic, but relates to Kelley's post: Does > >>> code4lib have a mentor program where more inexperienced geeks can pair > up > >>> with someone to guide their development? I don't have anyone like that > in > >>> my network, but would really like to. I don't mean to discount the > >>> existing > >>> resources on code4lib or this list, which both have been very useful. > I'm > >>> sure I could just start by attending some of the conferences, but for > >>> more > >>> inexperienced people they can be a bit intimidating, albeit inspiring. > >>> > >>> It would also be a way to directly engage minorities. > >>> > >>> Just a thought. > >>> > >>> Nathan > >>> > >>> > >>> On Tue, Nov 27, 2012 at 6:20 PM, Kelley McGrath <[log in to unmask]> > >>> wrote: > >>> > >>>> I'll second the idea of approaching people individually and explicitly > >>>> asking them to participate. It worked on me. I never would have > written > >>>> my > >>>> first article for the Code4Lib Journal or become a member of the > >>>> editorial > >>>> committee if someone hadn't encouraged me individually (Thanks > >>>> Jonathan!). > >>>> > >>>> It would also be good to find a way to somehow target the pool of > >>>> lurkers > >>>> who maybe aren't already connected to someone and get them more > >>>> involved. > >>>> > >>>> As far as anonymous proposals go, we recently had a very good workshop > >>>> on > >>>> implicit bias here. Someone brought up that found significant changes > in > >>>> the gender proportions in symphony orchestras after candidates started > >>>> auditioning behind screens. There are also lots of studies about the > >>>> different responses to the same resume/application depending on > whether > >>>> a > >>>> stereotypically male/female or white/black name was used. Probably > it's > >>>> impossible to make proposals completely anonymous, but it would be an > >>>> interesting experiment to leave off the names. > >>>> > >>>> Kelley > >>>> > >>>> PS Interestingly, I wouldn't instinctively self-identify as a member > of > >>>> the Code4Lib community, although my first thought is that that has > more > >>>> to > >>>> do with not being a coder than with being a woman. > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> ************************** > >>>> Kelley McGrath > >>>> Metadata Management Librarian > >>>> University of Oregon Libraries > >>>> 1299 University of Oregon > >>>> Eugene, OR 97403 > >>>> > >>>> 541-346-8232 > >>>> [log in to unmask] > >>>> > > > > -- > > -nruest >