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> Having a sort of "speed dating" setup might help make better fits between mentors and mentees, as well. +1, not only to satisfy the 'room full of nerds' case, but also the fact that people spend their free time @ code4libcon in a variety of ways, and not everyone might want to, e.g., wind up in the hospitality suite. On 11/28/2012 09:45 AM, Ross Singer wrote: > On Nov 27, 2012, at 9:33 PM, Cynthia Ng <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> Getting traction for mentoring online is always difficult, but what >> about starting that mentorship at code4libcon? >> > +1 - being face-to-face might help ease the tension. > > Having a sort of "speed dating" setup might help make better fits between mentors and mentees, as well. > > That is, a roomful of nerds deferring passively to one another might not get us very far :) Something more structured about what people want to learn and what mentors know and how they get along together would probably make for a more productive outcome. > > -Ross. > >> 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