Hosting Benefits and Responsibilities

Supervisors, also referred to as mentors, should have a depth of experience and a strong professional identity as an information professional.  The supervisor and other library staff should be able to provide adequate time for training, supervision, and mentoring of the student in a professional setting.  Although the amount of supervision will vary from situation to situation, the students and supervisor should meet a minimum of once per week to discuss activities, monitor progress, and discuss any challenges of problems.  Supervisors should have an MLS/MLIS degree or equivalent substantial experience (i.e., teacher librarians should have a library media endorsement).  Also, the supervisor should be more knowledgeable than the student for most of the Directed Fieldwork tasks.

Here's what some of our mentors have said about working with Directed Fieldwork students:

"I continue to find this program very well designed and managed. It is a tremendous service to us in the field to be able to hand over a project or assignment and have it taken to a successful conclusion."
-- Glenda Pearson, University of Washington Libraries, Washington, 2007

"I was impressed by the whole package. I was initially skeptical about this type of long-distance, cross-continental program. You have obviously put a great deal of thought and planning into how to make these internships work and it shows. They are well-designed with appropriately timed and effective reporting and evaluation processes. Your students have a sustaining sense that they are members of an academic community with frequent and supportive access to teachers and fellow students as they pursue their individual fieldwork projects."
-- John Teahan, Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Connecticut, 2007

Potential benefits to host sites and supervisors include:
  • Developing and implementing special projects
  • Accessing high-quality, professional-level assistance
  • Gaining exposure to new perspectives and insights from students currently studying
  • Interacting with students and faculty of the Information School

Responsibilities of the host site include the following:

  • Working with the student to identify learning objectives and task/project descriptions that will characterize the fieldwork experience. 
  • Providing appropriate supervision and guidance, including regular meetings with the student, to ensure a successful fieldwork experience.
  • Submit a mid-quarter evaulation of the student and fieldwork.
  • Completing and returning the Final Supervisor’s Evaluation of Directed Fieldwork.

Relevant forms may be found at www.ischool.uw.edu/mlis/fieldwork/forms.aspx.

Becoming a Directed Fieldwork host site/supervisor:

Those interested in becoming a Directed Fieldwork host site supervisor should contact the MLIS Academic Advisor, Marie Potter, at mardup@uw.edu. Directed Fieldwork opportunities are distributed to MLIS students via their e-mail accounts and include information on the position title, name and location of organization, description of duties, required skills and preferred abilities, quarter(s) in which the fieldwork is available, and contact information for the host site supervisor/mentor.