It’s that time of year again! As YALSA President-Elect, I’ll make appointments in February for the following virtual YALSA groups that will begin work in early to mid 2018.

  • AASL/ALSC/YALSA Interdivisional Committee on School/Public Library Cooperation (1 year term): This joint committee will design and conduct a project of mutual interest and benefit to the three participating ALA Divisions, working from a platform identified by the AASL/ALSC/YALSA Presidents-Elect.
  • Division and Membership Promotion Committee (1 year term): 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 Strategic 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.
  • YALS/YALSAblog Editorial Advisory Board (1 year term): To serve as advisor to the co-chairs of the Advisory Board, the editor of YALS and the YALSAblog Member Manager, on the overall content of the print journal and the blog. To take an active role in determining content for both publications and an annual editorial calendar that identifies timely topics as well as authors for articles and blog posts. To create messages and content to promote the blog and the journal and to cross-populate each to highlight the content and focus of each publication. To work to ensure that key YALSA guidelines, resources, initiatives, etc. are integrated into the blog and the journal. To assist with the search process for a new editor or member manager, when appropriate.
  • Financial Advancement Committee (1 year term): 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 $16,000 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 a least one member from the previous year.
  • JRLYA Advisory Board (1 year term): YALSA’s Research Journal Advisory Board oversees the peer reviewing process as outlined in the Refereeing Process Guidelines that were approved by the YALSA Board of Directors. The Board also serves in an advisory capacity to the Member Editor of the journal by assisting with the solicitation of contributors and articles as well as generating ideas for topical articles or themes, when requested from the Member Editor.
  • Organization and Bylaws Committee (1 year term): To revise the Bylaws in order to clarify them 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 advise on the organization handbook; and to make recommendations on other appropriate organizational matters.
  • Research Committee (1 year term): To stimulate, encourage, guide, and direct the research needs of the field of young adult library services, and to regularly compile abstracts, disseminate research findings, update YALSA’s Research Agenda as needed and to liaise with ALA’s Committee on Research & Statistics.
  • 2019 Summer Learning Taskforce (1 year term): To leverage state and local networks to promote the applications for summer learning grants. To vet the applicants for the grants and by February 12, 2018, choose the 20 applications that best meet the eligibility requirements as measured by their responses to questions on the application.  To vet the applicants for the summer intern grants and choose the 20 best by February 26, 2017. To compile and/or create resources focused specifically on assisting library staff with implementing summer learning programs and activities and add them to YALSA’s wiki as they are developed.  To seed discussions and share resources on the Summer Learning Ning.
  • Teens’ Top Ten Committee (1 year term): 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 Read Week; and 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.
  • The Hub Advisory Board (1 year term): The Hub Advisory Board participates in the development and maintenance of the Hub and follows the guidelines for the site as set out by the YALSA Board of Directors. The Advisory Board also serves in an advisory capacity to the Member Manager of the site and assists with the collection of content for the site, generates ideas for content, works on getting teen and librarian input and feedback, facilitates marketing and PR as needed, and writes for the site as needed.
  • YA Symposium Planning + Marketing Taskforces (6 month term): To assist YALSA’s Program Officer with the planning and marketing of the conference, including vetting papers and proposals, vetting scholarship applications, assisting the Program Officer with identifying authors and keynote speakers, and leveraging social media tools to promote the event and scholarship opportunities, and more. Members will regularly share content via social media and through their state and local networks to build excitement for and share information about the event. Members will work with YALSA’s Communications Specialist to assist with the implementation of a marketing plan.

Learn more about serving on advisory boards, committees, juries and taskforces via this FAQ.  You can gain valuable YALSA and professional development experience by volunteering to be on YALSA group.  You will also be helping YALSA achieve its mission to  “support library staff in alleviating the challenges teens face, and in putting all teens ‒ especially those with the greatest needs ‒ on the path to successful and fulfilling lives.”

Fill out the Committee Volunteer Form by Feb. 1, 2018. 

Thanks for all the time and talent you volunteer to YALSA!  If you’re looking for other ways to get involved, visit the YALSA web site for more opportunities or check out this brand new video from Jack Martin and Kate McNair!  If you have questions feel free to get in touch with me (crystle.martin@gmail.com).

Crystle Martin,  YALSA President-Elect

 

 

 

Have you wanted to get involved in YALSA but don’t know where to start? Are you a committee pro but don’t have the time to commit to a full year committee term? Are you a YALSA member who likes a shorter term volunteer opportunity?

Member award juries and short-term groups may be just what you are looking for! These opportunities range in length from 3 to 6 months.  What does a jury do?  They vet applications for a particular member grant or award and choose a winner.

Juries (3-month appointment, starting in Nov.1; 4-month appointment for chairs, starting Oct. 1)

Short Term Groups

The jury and short-term group volunteer window is open until July 14. Use this quick form to volunteer! Once you have been appointed to a committee or jury you will receive an email from the Membership Marketing Manager. Accept your place on the committee or jury by responding to the email and be ready to jump in when you here from the chair.

Read More →

Happy New Year to you, amazing YALSA members!

Have you made any professional resolutions for 2014? Perhaps to learn a new skills outside of the purview of your day to day work? Maybe to help advance the profession? If so, please consider volunteering for a strategic committee! These committees are a fantastic way to see all the work that YALSA does to advance teen services, build up your skills, and learn something new. But don’t just take my word for it! See what other people have to say:

Read More →

YALSA members, I have a question for you – have you filled out your volunteer forms yet? I’ve been working with the amazing Letitia Smith to begin looking at committee volunteers, and have noticed that I’m not seeing all the people who talked with me in Chicago or online and who expressed interest in volunteering their time to serve on a selection committee. So, please, please, please make sure that you’ve completed the volunteer form! And for the committee members who are eligible to serve a second year, be sure you’ve filled out the paperwork too!

Read More →

While we are all caught in the throes of summer reading, I want to take a minute to remind everyone to look forward to the fall! That’s because, as President-Elect, I’ll be making appointments to the following YALSA committees and taskforces:

*Please note that the PPYA Committee is being piloted as an all-virtual committee for the coming year. YALSA members with book selection and evaluation experience and who are comfortable working in an online environment with tools like ALA Connect, Google Docs, Skype, etc. should put their names forward for consideration.

The Fine Print Read More →

As President-elect I’ll be making appointments to YALSA’s *virtual* juries and process committees in the very near future. Help move the organization forward, learn something new, and work with amazing people by serving on one of these:

Books for Teens Jury
BWI/YALSA Collection Development Grant Jury
Conference Travel Scholarships Jury
Frances Henne/VOYA/YALSA Research Grant Jury
Great Books Giveaway Jury
MAE Award for Best’ Literature Program for Teens
Continuing Education Advisory Board
Division and Membership Promotion
Editorial Advisory Board
Executive Committee
The Hub Advisory Board
Financial Advancement
Joint School/Public Library Cooperation
Legislation
Annual Conference Marketing (Las Vegas, 2014)
Nominating
Organization and Bylaws (conference travel is required)
Publications Advisory Board
Research
Research Journal Advisory Board
Strategic Planning (conference travel is required)
Teen Read Week
Teen Tech Week
Teens’Top Ten
Website Advisory’ 

Not sure which one to volunteer for? Just fill our the volunteer form as completely as possible and I’ll do my best to find the right fit for you. Appointments will be made through March. Questions? You can find me at shannon.peterson@gmail.com.’  Please note: book award & selection committee appointments are made in the fall, and the volunteer form for those will not open until June.
Thanks!

Each spring, the YALSA President-elect appoints members to serve on process committees and juries. These groups are the backbone of the organization, making sure that core initiatives like Teen Read Week and Teen Tech Week happen in a suitably dynamic YALSA fashion and select recipients of awards and grants. They also find ways to engage new members, support our amazing blogs, plan conference programs, maintain our wikis, and implement genius plans to support the organization, its members, and initiatives financially. ‘ And… much much much more.

In my own experience, these groups provide a perfect opportunity to get your feet wet, learn something new about the division, develop your professional chops, and of course, work with genuinely awesome people. Plus, they’re entirely virtual, so conference travel (though welcomed) is not mandatory. ‘ Volunteer forms will be collected through the beginning of February and appointments will be made in March. A list of committees and juries as well as the volunteer form, can be found here: http://www.ala.org/yalsa/workingwithyalsa/yalsacommittee.

Please feel free to get in touch with current Chairs with questions http://www.ala.org/yalsa/workingwithyalsa/committees/committeechair or contact me at shannon.peterson@gmail.com.

Thanks, and I look forward to serving with you!

Happily, my appointments taskforce and I are swimming in applications for this fall’s selection and award committees as well as several important taskforces. For those of you that submitted a form, thank you for being willing to share your time and expertise with YALSA in this way.

Throughout the month, we’ll be filling slots with an eye toward creating strong and diverse committees. We hope to have all our work completed by the end of the October.

‘ And please remember, if we are unable to place you at this time or if you weren’t able to meet the September 30th deadline for these committees, there are a myriad of ways to be an engaged member in YALSA including:

‘ Of course, these aren’t your only options. For more information and ideas, take a few minutes to watch a Get Involved webinar.

YALSA needs you! And yes, there is STILL time to get involved in YALSA’s Process Committees.

Between now and March 1, 2012 YALSA is accepting volunteer forms for process committees, advisory boards and juries that begin work July 1, 2012! These virtual committees are great opportunities for members who can’t make it to conference to contribute to the work of YALSA. You can find out more about specific committees, juries and boards at the Working with YALSA member groups webpage.

Which committees can you serve on? Find out here:

http://www.ala.org/yalsa/workingwithyalsa/yalsacommittee

Interested in serving? Fill out the process committee volunteer form here:

http://yalsa.ala.org/forms/process_com.php

Please don’t hesitate to contact Jack Martin (jackmartin@nypl.org) about specific opportunities or Letitia Smith, lsmith@ala.org, to inquire about your eligibility.