A possible incentive for mentoring could be a registration slot at the
conference (not paid for, just not having to join the stampede).  It might
encourage participation.

Annette

On Wed, Nov 28, 2012 at 9:19 AM, Becky Yoose <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> 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.
> > >
> > > [log in to unmask]" target="_blank">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
> >
>