We need you!  Volunteer for YALSA’s Strategic Committees & Task Forces

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We’re currently looking for volunteers to serve on YALSA strategic committees and task forces.  What’s a strategic committee?  These are all the committees that help move our association forward. They include both a year commitment or less.  This is a list of the current volunteer opportunities:  

AASL/ALSC/YALSA Committee on School & Public Library Cooperation: This joint committee will identify, develop, promote and disseminate information on effective cooperative or collaborative projects that link schools and public libraries.

Division & Membership Promotion: Help spread the word about YALSA and welcome our new members! 

Editorial Advisory Board (for YALS & the YALSAblog): 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 journal and 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.

Education Advisory Committee/Board :  The role of the Education Advisory Committee is to assist with providing appropriate and timely topics for continuing education offerings to the Executive Director and Program Officer for Continuing Education and Development and to identify qualified individuals to facilitate continuing education sessions.

Financial Advancement: This is the committee that helps supports YALSA mission by fundraising.  The part of the work is writing thank you notes to members who have donated.  They also help raise money through silent auctions at conference and at the symposium.  One year we had shot glasses!  

Hub Advisory Board: 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 library staff input and feedback, facilitates marketing and PR as needed, and writes for the site as needed.  

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; and to make recommendations on other appropriate policy and process matters.  The O&B Committee will be instrumental in the coming year as we begin to implement our new strategic plan.

Research:  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 National Research Agenda as needed.

Research Journal Advisory Board: Oversee the peer reviewing process as outlined in the Refereeing Process Guidelines as approved by the YALSA Board of Directors.  The JRLYA 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

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 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.

Teen Programming HQ Taskforce: This is a new taskforce that will assist the Teen Programming HQ manager find and assist with putting teen programs into the HQ. 

Social Media Marketing Committee:  I chaired the taskforce prior to this became a committee, if you are a social media maverick at your library this is the committee for you!  The mission is to help promote and share the work of our selection lists and awards though various social media platforms, i.e., twitter, Instagram, Facebook.  

Teen Civic Engagement Committee:  To create resources, training, and events that support members in centering engaging diverse teen voices and elevating the issues that are important to them; to highlight all aspects of civic engagement programming, with a special focus on teens being heard, counted, and active during elections; explore partnership opportunities with other ALA divisions or groups to develop trainings, toolkits, or other resources.

CALA YALSA Joint Taskforce:  This is a very exciting new task force: To determine a booklist to highlight and promote Chinese American creators and characters to commemorate the 50th anniversary of CALA. To select titles for the list in conjunction with ALSC (to begin work in February 2022). To provide recommendations to the board for review. To make changes as necessary depending on feedback from the YALSA Board. 

President’s Program Planning Taskforce:  This last one is for me.  When I go from President-Elect to President, this task force will help me shape my theme and eventual program for Annual 2023 in Chicago.  This is from the charge of the task force: To provide support, guidance and advice to the YALSA President in the implementation of their theme.  Activities may include working with the President to review Organizational and Implementation Plans to develop and coordinate appropriate theme-related goals, activities, and initiatives.

If you have questions about the committees or task forces feel free to email the chair of each group, you can find their contact info here. 

Any other questions don’t hesitate to email me.  You can fill out the volunteer form here.  

I look forward to working with you! 

Franklin Escobedo
President-Elect 2021-2022
fescobedo@cityoflarkspur.org
Follow me on twitter: @adrithian

Meet the YALSA Financial Advancement Committee Chair!

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Hello there! My name is Joel Shoemaker and I’m the new chair of the Financial Advancement Committee for YALSA. I’m very excited about this new endeavor and thought I’d utilize this opportunity to introduce you to our charge and our committee members. 

If you’ve never heard of it, the Financial Advancement Committee supports the Friends of YALSA and works to create and implement various fundraising efforts, both virtually and, when the time comes, at in-person conferences and events! This work is an effort to support scholarships and stipends that YALSA gives out annually.

We are a small but mighty group! Here is a bit about a few of our members:

Angelique Kopa is a Collection Development selector for the Baltimore County Public Library in Maryland. She loves serving YALSA and ALSC by volunteering for committees and is also a committee member for ALSC’s Children and Technology committee. In her free time, she enjoys being active and doing anything outdoors.

Celeste Swanson (she/her) is the Youth Services Coordinator for the Lane Libraries in Ohio. In addition to the Financial Advancement Committee, she also serves as chair of the Selection List Oversight Committee. She is currently reading (and loving!) Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley. 

Yvette Garcia has served in various roles throughout her career with Chicago Public Library, with nearly twenty years of experience advocating for patrons of all ages in libraries. Outside of CPL, Yvette has contributed to the field of librarianship by taking on leadership roles with the young adult division of ALA, YALSA. Additionally, she has presented in a variety of settings and topics. Yvette graduated with an MLIS from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a B.A. in Economics from Knox College. 

As for me, I’m the library director for the Illinois Prairie District Public Library and a magician. I’m in my second year of a three-year term on the Rebecca Caudill Committee, which is a statewide committee that chooses books for fourth through eighth graders to vote on a favorite each year! I’m married and have a dog named Maximus. One day, I long to have a smaller dog called Minimus.

We’re looking very forward to serving our members this year!

Volunteer on a YALSA Group!

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This fall, President-Elect Kelly Czarnecki will appoint members to the following volunteer groups:

Blogging Teams – Term: 12/1 to 1/1

  • Amazing Audiobooks Blogging Team
  • Best Fiction for Young Adults Blogging Team
  • Graphic Novels Blogging Team
  • Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers Blogging Team

Book Awards – Term: 2/1 to 1/31

  • Alex Awards
  • Margaret A. Edwards 2022 Award
  • Michael L. Printz 2022 Award
  • Morris Award 2022
  • Non-Fiction 2022 Award
  • Odyssey Award

Juries – Term: members – 3 month appointment, starting 11/1; chairs – 4 month appointment starting 10/1

  • Conference Travel Scholarships Jury
  • Collection Development Grant Jury
  • Great Books Giveaway Award Jury
  • Henne Research Award Jury
  • Best Literacies Program Award Jury
  • Writing Award Jury
  • Innovation Award Jury
  • Volunteer of the Year Award Jury

Other Groups:

  • Advocacy Resources Community Listening Taskforce (Term 9/15 to 3/31)
  • Board Development Committee (Term 1/1 to 12/31)
  • Book Awards Oversight Committee (Term 2/1 to 1/31)
  • Midwinter Paper Presentation Planning Committee (Term 9/15 to 2/1)
  • Selection Lists Oversight Committee (Term 12/1 to 1/1)
  • Symposium Planning and Marketing Taskforce (Term 11/1 -10/31)

If you are interested in volunteering on any of the above groups, please submit a volunteer form by September 15 the September 23 extended date. You must sign into your ALA account in order to access the form. Learn more about each group at http://www.ala.org/yalsa/workingwithyalsa/yalsacommittee. Questions? Contact Kelly Czarnecki, YALSA President-Elect at kellyczarnecki1@gmail.com.

Volunteers Needed for Advocacy Resources Community Listening Taskforce

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Greetings, YALSA members!

All of us are advocates. When we are promoting books and resources to our teens, staff, and community, we are advocating. When we are supporting a cause or group by speaking and/or writing about it, or donating to it, we are advocating.  When we are urging, championing, advancing, and pleading for our teens, communities, library, programs, services, and funding, we are advocating..  Advocacy utilizes many ways, styles, forms, and people.  Now, more than ever, we need to increase our advocacy, and at the same time, be more diligent and strategic in our advocacy efforts.

We need you! We need writers, talkers, listeners, researchers, doers, planners, organizers, analyzers and critics, Whatever your strength and skillset, we need you!  Individually we need your skills, knowledge, and resources, collectively we need many of you to serve on a task force to learn more about the advocacy needs of library staff and teens in preparation of accessible and relevant YALSA resources. 

For more information about the task force, click here:  YALSA Advocacy Resources: Community Listening Task Force

Volunteers will be working on a timeline.  The timeline is listed below:

  • Taskforce is formed and work begins: September 1, 2020
  • Taskforce reports results to YALSA board March 15, 2021 
  • YALSA Board Advocacy strategic committee develops next steps for implementation April 15, 2021

If you have additional questions, please contact: YALSA President, Amanda Barnhart at AmandaBarnhart@kclibrary.org.

If you are interested in serving on this task force, please  contact Letitia Smith at lsmith@ala.org by Friday, August 21.

Thank you for volunteering and your service to YALSA!
Sincerely,
Your YALSA Board

Committee Volunteer Form Open! Apply by Feb. 1

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Get leadership opportunities and be a part of moving YALSA forward while networking with colleagues. Serve on one of YALSA’s strategic committees, advisory boards or taskforces!

President-Elect Amanda Barnhart will appoint members for the following 2020-2021 groups:

  • AASL/ALSC/YALSA School/Public Lib Coop. – 7/1 to 6/30
  • Organization and Bylaws – 7/1 to 6/30
  • District Days – 2/1 to 6/30
  • Division and Membership Promotion – 7/1 to 6/30
  • YALS Editorial Advisory Board – 7/1 to 6/30
  • Financial Advancement – 7/1 to 6/30
  • Annual Conference and Local Arrangements – 1/1/21 to 6/30/21
  • Research Committee – 7/1 to 6/30
  • Research Journal Advisory Board – 7/1 to 6/30
  • Teens’ Top Ten Committee – 7/1 to 6/30
  • The Hub Advisory Board – 7/1 to 6/30
  • YALS/YALSAblog Editorial Advisory Board – 7/1 to 6/30

Learn more about each committee here. All terms are for one year unless indicated otherwise. Term start and end dates are indicated above. Before submitting the form, view the committee FAQ and the committee responsibilities section in the YALSA handbook. Fill out the form (must log into your ALA account) by Feb. 1. Questions? Please email Amanda Barnhart.

YALSA Member Task Force Volunteer Opportunities – Apply By 11/12

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Greetings, YALSA Members,

Do you consider yourself to have strong organizational qualities, nurture a creative mindset to problem solving, and are savvy with social media? Does it sound appealing to participate on a national committee, but perhaps shine the spotlight on someone else? Consider your strengths to serve on the YALSA’s Task Forces for the YA Services Symposium Marketing & Planning, ALA Conference Marketing & Local Arrangements, and Midwinter Marketing & Local Arrangements Committee. Complete and submit your Committee Volunteer Form by Tuesday, 11/12. 

Do remember that to serve on any of these committees, applicants will need to have a current YALSA membership. Also, much of the work is accomplished virtually, but some do require attendance to the event for ensuring the smooth running of YALSA activities. Committee members will soon begin work and run for roughly 6 months of work. 

Committee member duties can be found here and here. A few examples of committee life might include:

  • Vetting applications and selecting winners for the Symposium stipends.

  • Make arrangements for local teens to participate in the live Best Fiction for Young Adults feedback session that takes place at Midwinter where teens share their critical comments on literature with Best Fiction for Young Adults committee members.

  • Write posts for the YALSAblog to inform conference attendees of local places to eat, visit, or support their interests.

  • Research, collate, and recommend resources for YALSA’s activities and presence at conference to be posted to a wiki page.

If you are still reading this post, what are you waiting for?! Go ahead. Fill out your Committee Volunteer Form. However, should the timing of this volunteer opportunity not fit your schedule, do consider volunteering for the next round of opportunities, including one of the many YALSA strategic committees. Volunteer forms for strategic committees will open between January through February 1, 2020. 

If you have any questions, head over to the Committee FAQ or feel free to reach out to me AmandaBarnhart@kclibrary.org. 

Thank you for considering YALSA service,
Amanda Barnhart, YALSA President-Elect (2019-2020)

YALSA Board at #alaac19: Selection List Marketing

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It was brought to the attention of the YALSA Board regarding a lack of knowledge and marketing for the current selection lists created and developed by our YALSA Hub Bloggers and committee members. Our lists, like Amazing Audio, Quick Picks, Great Graphic Novels, and Teens Top Ten, and the hardworking members who create them have not gotten as much attention as they should since the move to the YALSA Hub.

The solution the Board has discussed is to create a team whose main focus is highlighting and marketing the content generated by the selection committee. This would include working with the blog list coordinator, publicizing lists in Cognotes at the Midwinter and Annual conferences, creating social media postings and branding, and highlighting selection list members on the blog.

Other recommendations include:

  • Create an Instagram account for the division and for marketing the selection list to reach teen users.
  • Maintain an online record of past members.

If you would like to join us, the meetings are open and any individual who is registered for the conference may sit in.

Board I, Saturday, June 22, 1-5 PM, Washington Convention Center, 155 link

Board II, Sunday, June 23, 4-5 PM, Washington Convention Center, 155 link

The agenda may be viewed here

And the specific document (Item #24) may be viewed here

Help YALSA Name A New Teen-Focused Month

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This year, Teen Read Week and Teen Tech Week will be dissolving to form a month long celebration of teen programming and teen services in libraries across the country! The month long celebration will be held in October of every year.

Teens, want a say in YALSA’s newest month long celebration? Librarians, please encourage your teens to be a part of an exciting initiative. The celebration will include related displays, passive activities, and programming that will fit public libraries, school libraries, and beyond! We will also being asking both teens and librarians for their feedback on the celebration, so be sure to keep an eye out for that.

To submit your celebration name, post on social media with your suggested idea and use #yalsaname or fill out our Google form. The winner will receive prizes and recognition! You are able to submit ideas until 5/31. Once the submission date has passed, there will be a voting period for the top 10 entries. Please share the news! We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

This post was submitted by members of the Teen Tech Week / Teen Read Week Committee.

YALSA Leadership and Volunteering

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At ALA Annual this year, YALSA held information sessions on how to get involved with the organization, both as a new volunteer and as someone seeking leadership opportunities.  Here’s a recap of the event.

If you’re just starting out, volunteering for one of YALSA’s committees is an excellent first step.  All YALSA members are encouraged to fill out the Committee Volunteer Form once a year. Here is a list of committees and the link to the form. Read More →

Volunteer Opportunities: Three New YALSA Taskforces

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Have you ever benefited from YALSA grants or awards? How would you like to be recognized if you did win a YALSA scholarship or award? Want to help YALSA raise funds to support leadership initiatives for members? Then we need your help! I’m accepting volunteer forms for three new taskforces that were established by the Board last week–Leadership Fundraising, Member Achievements Recognition, and Member Grants and Awards Evaluation taskforces.  Volunteer now through Feb. 15! Please email me with any questions and read on to learn more about the volunteer opportunities.

Read More →