YALSA is currently looking for volunteers for our Strategic Committees. The purpose of a strategic committee is to help carry out the business of the association by handling matters such as membership recruitment, fundraising, and much more. If you have not served on a committee before and would like to help YALSA carry out the work of the association, strategic committees are where you can get your start. All Strategic Committees are 100% virtual.
We are looking for volunteers for the following Strategic Committees:
- Board Development Committee
- To develop in conjunction with the board activities and materials for: board orientation, on-going board training, and annual board member self-assessments, board assessments, and board roles and responsibilities.
- To pay attention to board composition and needs and assess board effectiveness.
- To identify and cultivate members for leadership positions, and to annually develop a slate of candidates for board positions. When building the slate, seek out the most qualified individuals and provide for broad representation, as outlined in YALSA’s Statement on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
- To educate members about governance and service on the YALSA Board, including conducting necessary outreach via an array of avenues to ensure diverse representation.
- To assist members in preparing for the election such as through a candidates’ forum or candidate interviews.
- To review the process after each election and make recommendations for the next cycle.
- Membership: 5-7 virtual members, who have governance experience, including the chair. At least one member will have served on a recent Board Development Committee, and no more than two may be current members of the Board. The immediate past president will serve as chair during their term.
- Term: July 1 through June 30.
- Division & Membership Promotion
- To work with staff to develop and pursue an aggressive and continuous campaign to recruit and retain members for YALSA
- To promote the association to colleagues and to key partners as defined in the YALSA Implementation Plan
- To promote and maintain good relations with existing members through activities such as the member booth at conferences, recognition of member anniversaries, and outreach to lapsed members.
- Committee Size: 5-7 virtual members, including chair
- Term: July 1, through June 30
- Financial Advancement
- Provide oversight and continued enhancement of the Friends of YALSA program, including promotion, fundraising and donor recognition.
- Work with the Board year-round to create and implement virtual fundraising campaigns and fundraising efforts at conferences, aimed at both members and nonmembers, to support the $195,000 worth of scholarships and stipends YALSA gives out annually.
- Periodically review YALSA’s Fundraising Toolkit and make updates, as needed.
- Size – 1 chair, who sits ex-officio on the YALSA board, and 6 virtual members
- Term: July 1, through June 30
- Interdivisional Committee on School/Public Library Cooperation
- Charge: This joint committee will identify, develop, promote and disseminate information on effective cooperative or collaborative projects that link schools and public libraries.
- Function:
- Maintain and update the resources that have been compiled on the ALSC website
- Develop training workshops and/or programs on cooperative or collaborative projects and present them at conferences, institutes, online, and for other organizations serving youth
- Detail findings in articles, books, blogs, etc. for division publications
- Update the School/Public Library Collaboration Toolkit as needed
- Term: 1 year
- Organization & Bylaws
- To periodically review the Bylaws and, when necessary, to recommend revision and amendment to improve them for the effective management of the Division, for the achievement of its stated objectives, and to keep them in harmony with ALA Constitution and Bylaws
- To study and review committee functions, recommending changes in committee structure
- To regularly review and when necessary recommend and draft revision of content for the YALSA Handbook
- To make recommendations on other appropriate policy and process matters.
- Size: 1 chair, who sits ex-officio on the YALSA board, and 6 virtual members including at least two members from the previous year.
- Term: July 1, through June 30
- Outstanding Books for the College Bound
- To support lifelong learning by preparing a revised and updated edition of the annotated Outstanding Books for the College Bound booklist to guide students of all ages planning to continue their education beyond high school. The booklist is updated every five years.
- Size: 15 members, and an administrative assistant, if requested. Up to five members from ACRL may be appointed.
- Term: May 1 through April 30 the following year
- Social Media Marketing
- Widely market YALSA selection lists (Amazing Audiobooks, Best Fiction for Young Adults, Great Graphic Novels, and Quick Picks) for the current and previous years and the Teens’ Top Ten list.
- Share member recognition of volunteer efforts, and support for the YALSA Symposium and the Youth Media Awards events.
- Members complete weekly assignments, for which volume can vary based on the output and needs of the Chairs of the YALSA selection lists.
- Term: 14-month term from November 1, 2023 to the following December 31, 2024.
- Size: 3-4 committee members and one chair.
- Teens’ Top Ten
- To facilitate the exchange of information and galleys of books published within the current and previous publishing years among the voting teen group members as well as the non-voting members
- To annually prepare the “Teens’ Top 10” list for Teen Tober
- To coordinate the public electronic vote.
- To assist with the collection and vetting of applications from libraries who wish to host an official reading group.
- Committee size: 7 virtual members including the Chair and at least two members from the previous year.
- Term: July 1 through June30
If you are interested in volunteering, you can access our YALSA Volunteer form with this link: https://www.ala.org/CFApps/volunteer/form.cfm
As you fill out the nomination form, please refer to my post from last fall: How to Fill Out YALSA’s Volunteer Form. Please email me (President-elect, Colleen Seisser) with your interest as that will expedite the review of your application and ensure I have eyes on it. You must be a current YALSA member and you must not already have three ALA volunteer commitments.
Respectfully submitted by YALSA President-Elect, Colleen Seisser
