With the ongoing pandemic, it’s more important than ever to create new connections in the library and information profession. The Visible Minority Librarians of Canada (ViMLoC) Network is happy to announce we are now accepting applications for the 2021 Mentorship Program session! This mentoring session will run from May 3rd to July 2nd, 2021. To apply as a mentor or mentee, please fill out the mentor application form or mentee application form. 

*** Applications will close on March 31, 2021 ***

About this program

The Visible Minority Librarians of Canada (ViMLoC) Network recognizes the need to help visible minority librarians, especially new librarians and new immigrant librarians, develop their professional careers, as well as the need to encourage and guide visible minority library students with career planning. Lack of mentorship is often cited as a challenge among visible minority librarians and through our 2018 and 2020 mentorship program we found that small acts of mentorship were able to make an impact for our mentees. Applying for this program will help create a larger network of visible minority librarians and increase our representation in the library profession. The 2021 ViMLoC mentoring program will recruit experienced visible minority librarians as potential mentors, as well as facilitate the matching of potential mentors to mentees. ViMLoC membership is NOT required to participate in this program, however, you are encouraged to sign up for ViMLoC membership. Please visit https://vimloc.wordpress.com/mentorship/ for more information.  

Should I apply?

This program is open to visible minority librarians at all stages of their career, and visible minority library students. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as “persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour”. The visible minority population in Canada consists mainly of the following groups: Chinese, South Asian, Black, Arab, West Asian, Filipino, Southeast Asian, Latin American, Japanese and Korean. Participants with the intersectionality of these backgrounds are welcome to apply. We need mentors with all kinds of experience and skills. In recognition of your contribution to the mentorship program, we would be happy to provide mentors with a reference letter. 

Expectations

Applicants to the program are expected:

• To commit to the full term of the session;
• To keep in touch with their mentorship partner a minimum of twice per month (by email, phone, Skype or other means of communication upon mutual agreement);
• To complete an exit survey (online) at the close of the session.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at vimloc@gmail.com. 

ViMLoc Mentorship Committee

Yanli Li, Valentina Ly, Xuemei Li