Hi everyone!
Happy TeenTober! I hope all of you are enjoying YALSA’s nationwide celebration to celebrate teens, promote year-round teen services and the innovative ways teen services helps teens learn new skills, and fuel their passions in and outside the library.
First, a reminder that our Board Development committee is looking for candidates for next year’s slate for the following positions: President-Elect, YALSA Division Councilor, and two Board Directors at Large. Successful candidates will stand for election in the spring of 2024 and begin their term on July 1, 2024 during the ALA Annual Conference in San Diego, CA. For more information on the responsibilities of each role on the Board, please visit the Governance page which includes some handy links under the topic Get Involved in Governance. If you are ready to put your name forward, please submit via the online nomination form.
Symposium Registration is open!
Highlights include: Jason Reynolds, MAE Award winner, speaking on Saturday, November 11th at the Awards luncheon reception (*tickets are an additional cost). TWO excellent Pre-Conferences “Supporting Teens to Fight For Their Right To Read” and “Level Up Your Graphic Game” (*not included with general registration, sign up for an extra fee). A wide variety of sessions focusing on trends and issues in teen services and literature, our popular galley grab and book blitz, and a free tour of the St. Louis public library! Not to mention the fabulous authors who will be there, including but not limited to:
Edward Underhill, Lynn Painter, Mason Deaver, Crystal Maldonado, Alexene Follmuth, Kasie West, Terry J. Benton-Walker, Ari Tison, Dale Walls, Federico Erebia, Jaime Jo Hoang, Deb JJ Lee, Sarah Myer, Thien Pham, Victoria Ying, Edward Underhill, Samantha Markum, Margaret Owen, and Kelly Andrew
Congratulations to J Hodnett and Valerie Tohom as they have been selected to receive the 2023 Young Adult Services Symposium library worker (J Hodnett) and student stipend (Valerie Tohom) from YALSA!
Make sure to get your room at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis Arch by Wednesday, October 18 to get the YALSA room rate! Get your room here.
Completed Activities
- The YALSA Board determined our next membership meeting will be held to introduce our new YALSA Executive Director to our membership. An announcement is still forthcoming, so please continue to watch the YASLA eNews and the ALA website. There will also be an in person membership meeting this summer at the ALA Annual conference.
- I completed onboarding our 2023-2024 YALSA Board Fellow. An announcement of appointment will be in the upcoming YALSA eNews. I also started onboarding our 2023-24 YALSA Board Advocate who will also be announced via YALSA eNews soon.
Ongoing Activities
- Working to fill a Director at Large vacancy as well as managing two short term leave absences from the Board
- Completing tasks for YALSA 2023 Symposium as well as preparing for a panel presentation “How to Navigate Book Challenges in the Teen Services Space”. I presented this panel with colleagues at ALA Annual in partnership with Booklist, and I am very excited to bring it to Symposium. Please join me, Sheila Michaels, Shannon Vanderhyde, Rachel Colias, and Kathleen Breitenbach on the morning of Saturday 11/11, as we discuss working with challenges and censorship as library staff working with teens.
- Discussions continued with the Board regarding the update of the operating agreement and how this will affect overhead costs. In September, I also met with other Division Presidents so we could share our questions and concerns with each other.
–Respectfully submitted by Colleen Seisser, YALSA President
