CCL Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force

Mentee applications will be solicited from full-time and part-time library faculty and professional (HEO line) staff in historically under-represented groups from all CUNY libraries, who are interested in exploring library leadership at or beyond CUNY and/or research and scholarship.

Mentees commit to:

• Be available for at least monthly meetings with mentors during September 2025-June 2026
• Submit an end of semester evaluation and reflection
• Commit to confidentiality in the mentee-mentor relationship
• Attend the required Zoom orientation session in September 2025 (date/time TBD)
• Bring questions about skills, knowledge, and career paths in library leadership to mentoring meetings
• Prepare for the mentoring meetings by reading the resources below

Mentors will be recruited from the Council of Chief Librarians and from CUNY tenured library faculty with expertise (and a willingness to share it) in these leadership areas:

• Handling challenging workplace situations
• Advocating for library resources and personnel
• Job shadowing (a mentee will accompany a mentor for part of their workday)
• Leadership in any position (leading from where you are)
• Research & scholarship
• Searching for and applying to leadership or other library positions
• Service in the library, institution, or profession (local, national, or international)
• Supervising library faculty and staff

Mentors commit to:

• Be available for at least monthly meetings with mentees during September 2025-June 2026
• Submit an end of semester evaluation and reflection
• Commit to confidentiality in the mentor-mentee relationship
• Attend the required Zoom orientation session in September 2025 (date/time TBD)
• Share skills and knowledge from your professional experience
• Provide career advice and counseling based on related experience
• Offer encouragement and inspire self-confidence and excellence
• Prepare for the mentoring meetings by reading the resources below

• May 1-May 30, 2025: call for applications open, solicit mentees and recruit mentors
• June 2025: CCL DEI Task Force reviews applications for mentees and mentors and creates mentorship pairings, mentee and mentor pairs notified
• September 2025, date/time TBD: required meet & greet/orientation via Zoom
• September 2025-June 2026:
  • mentee and mentor pairs meet at least monthly
  • monthly check-ins from CCL DEI Task Force Chair
• June 30, 2026: mentoring initiative reflection and evaluation due from mentees and mentors
• Summer 2026: CCL DEI Task Force reviews evaluations and reflections, and proposes revisions for the following academic year

Please note that dates are subject to change if needed.

Apply to be a mentee

Apply to be a mentor

Mentoring Initiative Resources

Mentors and mentees should plan to read these brief articles before their first meeting.

Lee, Y. (2020). Mentorship as a Tool for Growth, Inclusion, and Equity. Idealist.
Bergen, A. (2018). Want to be a Mentor? Here's How | Part 1. Idealist.
Bergen, A. (2018). Want to be a Mentor? Here's How | Part 2. Idealist.
Knokh, I. (2022). Becoming a Mentor: 10 Things to Ponder. EDUCAUSE Review.