Mentoring and Collaboration by LIS Educators for Effective Teaching and Good Practice in Library Schools in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examined mentoring and collaboration of Library and Information Science (LIS) educators for effective teaching and good practice in library schools in Nigeria. The study conceptualised mentoring, types of mentoring, advantages of mentoring, and the needs for mentoring. It delved into the concept of collaboration, types of collaboration, benefits of collaboration and the reason for collaboration among LIS educators. Reviewed literature shows that LIS educators are concerned with the development of inexperienced educators and to provide a supportive structure that will enhance their career development in the academia. Mentoring is an avenue through which the senior educators have to teach and guide the new and young educators how to carry out research and pass the right knowledge to students through lecturing. Collaboration among LIS educators is a process of educators coming together to brainstorm on the courses taught and in the area of research. This study concluded that the synergies realised through collaborative expertise, will actualise more benefits than individual effort. Mentoring and collaboration should be a means of successful progression in the academia. This paper has recommendations for some stakeholders in the training of LIS professionals.