MENTORING AWARD:

The award recognizes a more experienced library employee (mentor) for taking a special interest in the development of a newer library employee (mentee). This relationship should include some or all of the following:

• Actively building a cooperative, guiding, and nurturing relationship with the mentee;
• Providing opportunities for the mentee to learn how the UGA Libraries works and to gain valuable insight into some of the unspoken subtleties of the organization or the institution in a safe and nurturing environment;
• Passing on valuable lessons, knowledge, and attitudes to the mentee;
• Serving as a teacher, trusted counselor, loyal advisor, or a coach;
• Sharing ideas and opportunities for growth (training, professional/staff development), and
• Encouraging a mentee to develop to his/ her fullest potential.

NOMINEES:

Caroline Barratt

Over the past year, I was lucky enough to be paired up with Caroline Barratt in the PDRC's UGA Libraries New Faculty Mentoring program. Caroline is a wonderful mentor and one any new (or seasoned) faculty member can learn from.

Caroline is a great asset to the Libraries and is a role model simply in the course of going about her work. As a mentor, she is patient, thoughtful, and always ready to listen. She gives great advice, but knows when not to push.

She has always been ready to celebrate my accomplishments and to make suggestions when I run into problems. She has made many helpful suggestions about ways to develop professionally, and they aren't generic: they relate to my interests, abilities, and goals.

Caroline's support did not end with the conclusion of the formal mentor-mentee pairing, and I am grateful that I will continue to have her support and example. Thank you, Caroline!!

Florence E. King

Florence King has exemplified the role of mentor for a new generation of UGALibs library personnel through her willingness cultivate and scout out home grown library talent. While it could be said that this is a part of her duties as the Assistant University Librarian for Human Resources, she takes this task seriously and gives it her all.

Thanks to the years that Florence has worked here, her knowledge of the culture of our workplace allows her to steer new employees in the right direction, whether it is to pursue an advanced degree or just change their workflow. While it is her duty to know what each person does here at the Libraries, she makes it a habit to keep up with the latest trends in each field so that she can give the best advice possible. Florence' s office door is always open. She is consistently open-minded and willing to sit down with anyone seeking balanced feedback regarding their thoughts and concerns. This culture of trust not only promotes a truly open and friendly work environment; it serves as an example of how to professionally yet personally interact with our colleagues.

Working with Florence on a variety of committees, from search committees to ASSET, confirms her abilities as a mentor. While some consider mentoring to be a one-on-one relationship, her work with different groups proves that mentoring goes far beyond just a single person. Committee work can be like herding cats and results in members being frustrated. Florence consistently steps up to the plate and guides, not steers, a committee to fulfill its mission. Earlier this year I took a seminar about hiring employees. For each point that was mentioned regarding interviewing and contacting candidates, I had seen Florence in action doing that very thing. She constantly leads and mentors by action and not word.

Florence' s mentees comprise a long list of current and past Libraries employees as well as several people in the community. No matter whom the person and what their desire is, she does her best to help everyone fulfill their potential and make our workplace the best it can be.

Sheila McAlister

Sheila McAlister has been key in my progress as an employee of the library. She has always been available in helping me become a more knowledgeable and efficient employee. In particular, Sheila has been extremely supportive in my professional development. When I showed interest in becoming a certified archivist, she pointed out professional conventions for me to attend and suggested readings that have increased my understanding of archives and archival studies. Sheila introduced me to the idea of attending the Georgia Archives Institute. She even helped me search out scholarships and wrote a recommendation letter. I eventually got the scholarship and I'm excited be attending the Institute this summer, thanks to her guidance.

Tim Peacock

He's better than that guy who drove Billy Batson around in the Winnebago.