TLA Mentor Match: Meaningful Partnerships for Library Professionals

A great mentorship is a two-way street. It’s a powerful way to share ideas, collaborate, and work through challenges in a mutually supportive environment. Based on member feedback, TLA has launched TLA Mentor Match, a new member benefit designed to help connect members with peers to learn and grow together.

The Impact of Connection

As TLA member Terri Harkey, Dallas ISD Mentor Librarian, talks about in the Fall 2025 issue of the Texas Library Journal article, Cultivating Excellence, The Power of Mentorship in School Libraries, “Mentorship matters. In our profession, we are often the only librarian on a campus, an island with no one else doing exactly what we do. Mentorship helps bridge that isolation, offering connection, encouragement, and a sense of shared purpose.”

How the Program Works

Whether you join as a mentor or a mentee, you’ll participate in a dedicated three-month program from July through September.

• Members enroll as a mentor or a mentee.
• Build a profile based on your interests, experience, and goals
• Search and match with your Mentor or Mentee
• Check-in regularly through a structured series of check-ins
• TLA will provide the structure, templates, and conversation guides needed to navigate your partnership with ease.

Grow Your Career & Community

By connecting with peers who truly understand your daily work, you’ll exchange specialized skills and fresh perspectives that spark new ideas. It’s a space to cultivate leadership and build the confidence needed to take that next step in your library career.

Program Timeline

• Mentor Recruitment: May 1 – 31, 2026
• Mentee Recruitment & Matching Period: June 1 – June 30
• Program Duration: July – September (3 months)

Curious about how to get started?

Visit our Mentor Match webpage and register for our upcoming webinar on May 20, 3:00 – 3:30 pm (Central) for a walkthrough of the program and tips for a successful match.

Share Your Expertise as a TLA Member

Mentor Match is available to TLA members. Not a member yet? Join TLA to add your voice to the community and participate in benefits like Mentor Match.