Kwasik Hanna, Fulda Pauline O
John P. Isché Library, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 433 Bolivar Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA.
J Med Libr Assoc. 2006 Jan;94(1):19-29.
The main objective was to determine to what extent the Medical Library Association (MLA) mentoring initiative was implemented in the South Central Chapter of the Medical Library Association (SCC/ MLA) and to identify the needs, improvements, and adjustments in mentoring services for the future to improve the practice of librarianship.
The data were collected by administering an anonymous structured survey designed by the authors. The survey was mailed to all 335 chapter members. The authors elicited responses to determine the chapter members' mentoring needs, awareness of available resources, satisfaction with existing services and resources, needs for the future, and suggestions to meet those needs.
Of the 335 delivered surveys, 184 were returned, yielding a return rate of 55%. Eighty percent had a mentor or mentors in their careers, and 74% were either very satisfied or satisfied with the relationship. The majority considered having a mentor a critical part of the professional experience. The mentoring activity chosen by respondents as the most important was improvement of job performance through skills development. Over 50% were aware of SCC/MLA's mentoring activities, and less than 50% were aware of MLA's mentoring Website.
The rate of response and the wealth of comments provided by respondents document the high level of interest in mentoring by medical librarians in the region. The following mentoring services were equally important to SCC/MLA members and were recommended for improvement or development at the regional level: a formalized mentoring program in the region, Web-based mentoring resources on the SCC/MLA Website, and a continuing education course for mentors. Members are aware of mentoring activities in the region; however, participation levels need to be increased in activities that SCC/MLA and MLA provide. Mentoring continues to evolve as a service in the profession.
主要目的是确定医学图书馆协会（MLA）的指导计划在医学图书馆协会中南部分会（SCC/MLA）的实施程度，并确定未来指导服务的需求、改进措施和调整方向，以提升图书馆学实践水平。
通过开展作者设计的匿名结构化调查来收集数据。该调查被邮寄给所有335名分会成员。作者征集反馈意见，以确定分会成员的指导需求、对现有资源的认知、对现有服务和资源的满意度、未来需求以及满足这些需求的建议。
在335份发放的调查问卷中，有184份被返还，回复率为55%。80%的人在职业生涯中有过一位或多位导师，74%的人对这种关系非常满意或满意。大多数人认为有导师是职业经历的关键部分。受访者认为最重要的指导活动是通过技能发展提高工作绩效。超过50%的人知晓SCC/MLA的指导活动，不到50%的人知晓MLA的指导网站。
回复率以及受访者提供的丰富意见表明该地区医学图书馆员对指导的高度兴趣。以下指导服务对SCC/MLA成员同样重要，建议在地区层面进行改进或发展：该地区的正式指导计划、SCC/MLA网站上基于网络的指导资源以及针对导师的继续教育课程。成员知晓该地区的指导活动；然而，对于SCC/MLA和MLA提供的活动，参与度需要提高。指导作为该行业的一项服务仍在不断发展。
