Category Archives: Governance

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: Matt Layne,

Title & Library: Patron Experience Librarian, O’Neal Library

Role on the Board: Director-at Large

Year on the Board:  1st year

1.    What does YALSA mean to me?

 ML: YALSA means advocacy. Advocating for young adults and for the librarians who serve them. I try not to lose sight of the importance of our work in creating safe spaces and experiences for young people and librarians around the United States and the world.

What are your hopes for the future of teen services?

ML: I hope for a future where all young people are able to freely be their authentic selves while being treated with the respect and admiration they deserve. I hope for libraries and schools that are able to offer unbiased and well-researched non-fiction resources. I hope for books that reflect the beautiful diversity of the young people we represent.

What is your favorite YALSA Committee or Committee that you would love to be on again?

 ML: I have been lucky enough to serve on three committees; Morris, Printz, and Best Fiction for Young Adults.. Each one has offered me unique opportunities to build friendships with other teen advocates from all over the world. I would happily serve on any of the committees again, but for my next act, I would love to delve into Great Graphic Novels.

What’s your ultimate comfort food?

 ML:  I am a sucker for ice cream. I love to get vanilla ice cream and doctor it up with all sorts of weird things like hot honey, or balsamic reduction, or even sea salt and olive oil.

What TV show or Movie do you watch on repeat? Or a book you love reading when you’re between new books?

ML: I LOVE Star Trek, so I’m always turning on classic episodes when I’m between books and other shows. Bookwise, I have read the Lord of the Rings series multiple times over the years. When we first went into lockdown, it’s the series whose pages I first returned to.

What would you do or where would you go if you won the lotto?

ML: If I won the lottery, I would open a really cool bookstore with lots of space for folks to study and groovy drinks. I might even call it The Library.

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.

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.

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: Kelly Czarnecki

Title & Library: Teen Loft Manager, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

Role on the Board: Immediate Past President

Year on the Board: 3rd year

What does YALSA mean to me?

KC: A national resource for serving teens in libraries

What are your hopes for the future of teen services?

KC: That all teens will be welcome no matter what library they are at.

What is your favorite YALSA Committee or Committee that you would love to be on again?

KC: Teen Tech Week was fun!

What’s your ultimate comfort food?

KC: Chili served with spaghetti noodles.

What TV show or Movie do you watch on repeat? Or a book you love reading when you’re between new books?

KC: I don’t have time to watch or read on repeat!

What would you do or where would you go if you won the lotto?

KC: I would travel. Japan is in the queue. 

Want to run for YALSA Board?  We’re looking for candidates for the 2024 ALA Election. If you will be attending the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago this summer, join us at YALSA 301 to learn more about YALSA Governance. Want to find out the duties and responsibilities of the YALSA Immediate Past-President? 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.

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: Ziba Pérez

Title & Library: Young Adult Librarian, Los Angeles Public Library

Role on the Board: YALSA Liaison

Year on the Board: 1st year

What does YALSA mean to me?

ZP: To me YALSA means bringing great minds together from across the nation to brainstorm the best ways to serve our community of young adults.

What are your hopes for the future of teen services?

ZP: My hopes for the future of teen services are being able to attract more teens to the library by providing resources, collections, and programming that they want to see.

What is your favorite YALSA Committee or Committee that would love to be on again?

ZP: I love being a YALSA Liaison and representing YALSA at all of the ALA Committees I get to be a part of such as the ALA Conference Committee. That is why I’m taking on a second year as YALSA Liaison.

What’s your ultimate comfort food?

ZP: Persian Food in general but specifically Albaloo Polo.

What TV show or Movie do you watch on repeat?

ZP: The movie I watch on repeat is Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. 

What would you do or where would you go if you won the lotto?

ZP: If I won the lotto I would go to Japan for a month and travel to different neighborhoods each week!

Interested in becoming the YALSA Liaison to ALA?  YALSA Members can apply to become the Liaison to ALA in January each year.  The Liaison is appointed by the Executive Committee of the YALSA Board. If you will be attending the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago this summer, join us at YALSA 301 to learn more about YALSA Governance. Want to find out the duties and responsibilities of the Liaison to ALA? Find them in the YALSA Handbook here.   Applications will open in January 2024 with March 2024 deadline.  To apply for the Liaison position or to see who has served as the Liaison to ALA click here.

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: Stacey Shapiro

Title & Library: YA/Programming Librarian, Cranford Public Library

Role on the Board: Director-at-Large

Year on the Board: 1st year in this position

1. What does YALSA mean to me? 

SS: YALSA means access to a network of other young adult librarians who I can collaborate with and brainstorm with, all people who are dedicated to serving teens.

2. What are your hopes for the future of teen services?

SS:  I hope that libraries all over the country realize how important it is to have a dedicated teen librarian and that welcoming them at this age means they’ll be library patrons for life.

3. What is your favorite YALSA Committee or Committee that you would love to be on again?

SS: It’s impossible, but I loved my Printz Committee, both the work, no matter how tiring, and the friends I made.

4. What’s your ultimate comfort food?

SS: Probably pizza!

5. What TV show or Movie do you watch on repeat? Or a book that you love reading when you’re in between new books?

SS: Well last year I reread the Locked Tomb series twice before Nona the Ninth came out. I keep hoping a character death won’t happen the second time….

6, What would you do or where would you go if you won the lotto?

SS: I would take at least a month off work (being realistic here!) and travel to the other side of the world: Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea. I want to do Hobbiton especially.

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.

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: Melanie Wachsmann

Title & Library: Library Director, Lone Star College-CyFair

Role on the Board: Director at Large

Year on the Board: 1st year, 2nd year, 3rd year: (MW: Not really sure how to answer this one since I have been filling in for people who drop off)*

What does YALSA mean to me?

MW: YALSA feels like home. As a brand new librarian, YALSA was the group that welcomed me and gave me the opportunity to get involved in meaningful ways. It allowed me to meet people from all over the country and to advocate and provide services to my teens. I love that I still get to work with people I met almost 20 years ago. 

What are your hopes for the future of teen services?

MW: My hope is that all teens find what they need, whether it’s a place of acceptance, support, or a place to simply be a teen. Teens truly are the future, and I hope the work that we, the members of YALSA, do will inform and advocate for this amazing group of young people. 

What is your favorite YALSA Committee or Committee that you would love to be on again?

MW: Amazing Audiobooks will always have my heart. I hope to one day be able to serve on the Odyssey Award committee. 

What’s your ultimate comfort food?

MW: Turkey, brie, and apple sandwich

What TV show or Movie do you watch on repeat? Or a book that you love reading when you’re in between new books?

MW: Schitt’s Creek for TV and Dirty Dancing for the movie.  Depending on my mood: Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt, Denton Little’s Death Date by Lance Rubin, or For Everyone by Jason Reynolds

What would you do or where would you go if you won the lotto?

MW:  I would like to spend my time being a professional volunteer at an animal shelter and take a cruise around the world. 

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.

*Note: Melanie began this term as the Chair of O&B, but stepped up to fill a vacancy when a Director-At-Large had to resign.

Ever wanted to get to know the YALSA Board of Directors more? Here’s your chance! All month long, we’ll be posting fun mini-interviews with each board member so you can get to know them a little better. 

Name: Colleen Seisser

Title & Library: Assistant Director, Westmont Public Library

Role on the Board: President-Elect

Year on the Board: 1st year

1. What does YALSA mean to me?

CS: I was a teen librarian for almost ten years and YALSA was a resource rich organization I could turn to when I needed help with things like collection development, programming, and reviewing standards and best practices for teen services in libraries. Now it is an organization that I want to give back to because it had such a huge impact during those years. I also really have found that volunteering for YALSA has allowed me close friendships that span the US, and I am so thankful for those.

2. What are your hopes for the future of teen services?

CS: I hope that the future of teen services continues to see library staff and services turn towards equity, diversity, and inclusion. We continue to embrace values that protect teens’ freedom to read and equitable access to information. I hope that today’s teen services in libraries can be just one of the pillars in a teen’s life that empowers the teens of today to become the leaders of future generations that embrace the values of equity.

3. What is your favorite YALSA Committee or Committee that you would love to be on again?

CS: I really loved being a blogger for the Hub Blog. I was a blogger before we had moved the Selected Lists to the Hub Blog and when I was blogging, I decided my goal or focus was going to be on creating mini-genre guide posts. They were so much fun to create and really helped me polish my reader’s advisory skills and forced me to keep reading outside my comfort zone. I know our new Hub Manager, Rachel Milburn, wants to start incorporating more posts on the Hub in addition to the Selected lists posts, and I am so looking forward to what she and her Hub Advisory Board will be able to accomplish this year (you can volunteer now for the Hub Advisory Board too–we still have spaces to fill, click here to apply via our Volunteer form)

4. What’s your ultimate comfort food?

CS: Garlic-stuffed olives

5. What TV show or Movie do you watch on repeat? Or a book that you love reading when you’re in between new books?

CS: Parks and Recreation

6. What would you do or where would you go if you won the lotto?

CS: Move somewhere in the woods by a lake and then travel the world

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 the duties and responsibilities of the YALSA President-Elect? Find them in the YALSA Handbook here.   If you’ve been thinking about running, why not fill out the nomination form today? Just click here.

Ever wanted to get to know the YALSA Board of Directors more? Here’s your chance! All month long, we’ll be posting fun mini-interviews with each board member so you can get to know them a little better. 

Name: Kate Denier

Title & Library: Senior Branch Manager, Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library- North Central Branch

Role on the Board: Fiscal Officer

Year on the Board: 3rd year as Fiscal Officer

What does YALSA mean to me?

KD: I have been an active YALSA member for several years now. I’ve been on many different types of committees and have been chair of committees and a taskforce. I’m really thankful to be on the Board now. Not only has YALSA helped build my leadership skills, being on Board allows me to give back to an organization that has done a lot for me and the teens I have served. I think I have used just about every resource YALSA has to offer and I try and encourage others to do the same. YALSA has directly impacted my ability to serve teens at my organization and my ability to lead.

What are your hopes for the future of teen services?

KD: My hope is that ALL teens have a space to go to in their local library (wherever that library may be) where they can be safe, be themselves, be heard and get the resources and information they need without judgment. I hope teen services staff are given the support they need to provide the highest level of service to teens. I also hope that people who work with teens continue to advocate for teen services, both locally and nationally.

What is your favorite YALSA Committee or Committee that would love to be on again?

KD: Morris Award Committee. It was really fun and rewarding.

What’s your ultimate comfort food?

KD: Apple Cider Slushies- because if they are available, it means it’s fall!

What TV show or Movie do you watch on repeat? Or a book that you love reading when you’re in between new books?

KD: Schitt’s Creek!

What would you do or where would you go if you won the lotto? 

KD: I would buy a beach house on Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

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 the duties and responsibilities of the YALSA Fiscal Officer? 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.

Ever wanted to get to know the YALSA Board of Directors more? Here’s your chance! All month long, we’ll be posting fun mini-interviews with each board member so you can get to know them a little better.  Our next interview is with the YALSA Board Secretary.

Name:  Joel Shoemaker

Title & Library:  Associate Director of Library Services, Methodist College

Role on the Board: Secretary

Year on the Board: 1^st year

 What does YALSA mean to me? 

JS: YALSA is an amazing organization that is extremely important and relevant today, especially when considering the challenges that we face with regards to young adult books and young adult authors. The advocacy is always meaningful, but especially so today.

What are your hopes for the future of teen services? 

JS: I hope to see us finding ways to really engage teens and bring them into the library. I know it’s hard for many in the public sector, but it’s also difficult with our young adults in academia. We need to be creative and innovative in finding ways to better serve our teens.

What is your favorite YALSA Committee or Committee that would love to be on again?

JS: I think my service on the Morris committee was my favorite. Debut novels are the BEST. And the YALSA members I served with were just incredible humans.

What’s your ultimate comfort food? 

JS: I just love cheese. Not all kinds of cheese. I don’t understand blue cheese. I’m not mad at people that like blue cheese – my husband likes blue cheese. It just isn’t for me. All other kinds of cheese for me though, please.

What TV show or Movie do you watch on repeat? Or a book that you love reading when you’re in between new books? 

JS: The greatest TV show of all time is Boston Legal. The pairing of William Shatner and James Spader is unmatched and the depiction of male friendship is not often seen. Incredible television. Five seasons. I own them all. You can borrow them!

What would you do or where would you go if you won the lotto?   

JS: If I won the lottery I would go to New Zealand. They have a Lord of the Rings tour that we’ve been eyeing for a long time.

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 the duties and responsibilities of the YALSA Board Secretary? 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.