Ever wanted to get to know the YALSA Board of Directors more? Here’s your chance! We’ll be posting fun mini-interviews with each board member all month long so you can get to know them a little better.
Name & Library: Susannah Goldstein Upper Division Librarian, Horace Mann School
Role on the Board: Director-at Large
Year on the Board: 3rd year
What does YALSA mean to me?
SG: YALSA has been a lifeline for me in my career. I’ve always relied on the expertly curated booklists for my collection development, and the webinars on demand are so great because you can watch them whenever you want!
What are your hopes for the future of teen services?
SG: I think that the past three years have taught us two major things: one is that we have no idea what any kind of future will bring, and the other is that teen-serving library staffers are amazingly creative and find ways to reach teens where they are (which we already knew, but we got to see it in a really incredible way). I have no idea what the future of teen services is, but I am loving the present– youth librarians on TikTok, creative programming that brings teens into the library physically or virtually, and thoughtful discussions about literature. My real hope, however, is that teen collections will be protected by communities and legislation because we know that the most important value for all teen-serving librarians is to collect and promote inclusive literature for all teens.
What is your favorite YALSA Committee or Committee that would love to be on again?
SG: I had the most fun on Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers– it was my first selection committee, we had fabulous members, and we got to read such a wide and varied range of literature. We read more genres and formats in one year than I ever have since.
What’s your ultimate comfort food?
SG: Fresh bread with butter! There is truly nothing more comforting.
What TV show or Movie do you watch on repeat? Or a book that you love reading when you’re in between new books?
SG: I watch way too much TV to actually pick one show, but a book I read when I’m in a reading slump or just feeling sad is Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchey. I borrowed it from my grandmother when I was a teenager, and I still have her copy many years after her death. It’s well-worn and smells like a good book, and I love diving back into the world of Jack, Benny, Nan, and the rest of their circle. I’ve probably read it once every year or two for the past 20 years.
What would you do or where would you go if you won the lotto?
SG: As a New York City resident (who has often commuted for hours a day), my first automatic response is the environmentally irresponsible one– I’d want a driver to take me everywhere! Barring that, I’ve always dreamed of going to Japan!
Want to run for YALSA Board? We’re looking for candidates for the 2024 ALA Election. If you will be at ALA Annual Conference in Chicago this summer, join us at YALSA 301 to learn more about YALSA Governance. Want to find out what the duties and responsibilities of the Director at Large are for the YALSA Board? Find them in the YALSA Handbook here. If you’ve been thinking about it, why not fill out the nomination form today? Just click here.
