One of the words which arose at the IATUL Conference was reverse mentoring. As many younger people look at me pityingly when I disclose ignorance of some absolutely fundamental, axiomatic, known-to-every-child-over two technological skill, the need for this expression becomes plain. Mentoring makes sense, but it works both ways, and isn't only an older to younger (or experienced to inexperienced) thing. How do you start it off? There is already a website dedicated to it, run by a US company which "offers products, training and tools for organizations with a mix of a younger and older generations in the workplace." There are lots of articles like this one in the Financial Review. I'm sure a sensible enterprise could work out the principle and some strategies for itself.
IATUL, of course, is the International Association of Technical University Libraries, and it met in Auckland Next year Ludo Holans is organising its meeting, which is at the University of Leuven, in Belgium.
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