An Interview with Sean Gilmartin, Dorothy Broderick Scholarship Recipient

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Claire Moore, from YALSA’s Leadership Initiatives Fundraising Taskforce recently interviewed Sean Gilmartin.  He was the 2017 recipient of the Dorothy Broderick Student Scholarship, which is funded through YALSA’s Leadership Endowment.  The taskforce’s goal is to raise $20,000 by the end of January 2018 to grow the endowment so that there’s enough interest to fund other leadership initiatives, like scholarships for a leadership e-course series that’s coming in 2018.  So far, the taskforce has raised approximately $12,500.  Any donation made now through Jan. 15th will be matched dollar for dollar by ALA.  Please consider making a gift–any size helps, and ALA will double your impact!

Dorothy Broderick Student Scholarship Recipient

Sean Gilmartin, Teen Services Librarian at Elmwood Park Public Library

How long have you been a YALSA member?

2 years

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How YALSA Funds Member Services & Support for Library Staff

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A common question that I get, especially from new board members, is about where funds come from to support YALSA and its members.  The answer is pretty straightforward, although not one many people expect.  Member dues make up only about a third of YALSA’s total funding.  The other two thirds comes from product sales (award seals, books & e-learning); events (YA Services Symposium & ticketed events at ALA conferences); grants; corporate sponsorships; interest from YALSA’s endowments; and individual donations.  Many people are surprised to learn that funds from ALA or the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) are not a part of YALSA’s annual budget.  Actually, YALSA receives important services from ALA, such as HR and legal counsel, but not regular financial support.  IMLS offers competitive grants that YALSA is eligible for, and we have been awarded two.  If you’re interested, you can learn more about YALSA finances in my latest annual report.

All the funds that come into YALSA, from whatever source, are used to

  1. Provide members with services and support, like free monthly webinars and the summer learning grants we now have available
  2. Create and share resources with the library community, at no cost to library staff, such as our short, informational videos and newest toolkit about teen literacies

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Help Support Scholarships & Grants for Library Staff

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As of this morning, YALSA is $205 away from reaching our end-of-the year fundraising goal of $1,000. If we hit our goal, a donor has agreed to match it with a $1,000 donation of their own! Please consider making a donation to Friends of YALSA, which supports $16,000 worth of grants, scholarships and awards each year for library staff. Donations can be made online, and details are here: http://www.ala.org/yalsa/givetoyalsa/give. Donations can also be made via text message. Simply, text ALA TEENALA to this number: 41518 to make a $10 donation to YALSA. Thank you for your support and have a wonderful new year!

Celebrate with YALSA

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The Cornish HenYALSA’s fifty-sixth birthday is just a few weeks away and we want you to be at the party! We will be celebrating here all month long and we want you to get involved. Here are just a few ways you can participate:

1. Donate your time: The YALSA Fundraising Guide (PDF) has several great ideas about how to throw a party, family game night, Dinner by Genre or book trivia night! Take a few hours to host an event that celebrates YALSA’s accomplishments and benefits the Friends of YALSA.

2. Donate your money: Your financial support goes to grants, stipends and scholarships that help foster our profession. Friends of YALSA members also enjoy many benefits. Friends of YALSA attending the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago this year, will enjoy reserved seating at the Printz and Edwards Award Receptions (tickets required) as well as a special reception for Printz-winning author Nick Lake before the Printz reception on Monday evening. Friends in the Gold and Platinum circles are invited to meet with Margaret A. Edwards Award winner Tamora Pierce‘ on Saturday afternoon before the luncheon. Donate today to support your fellow librarians and enjoy the benefits of being a Friend of YALSA!

3. Donate your status: Check out your favorite cookbook and get baking! Help us spread the word about YALSA’s birthday by baking a birthday cake! Theme your cake after your favorite YALSA award, blog or week (Teen Tech Week and Teen Read Week) and post the picture to YALSA’s facebook page by June 17th. Fans will vote on their favorite cake and the baker will win a prize pack including beautiful handmade apron from The Cornish Hen’s Etsy shop.

Find your way of telling YALSA how much you appreciate the past fifty-six years!

YALSA’s Turning 56!

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Image Courtesy of Will Clayton on FlickrOn June 24, 2013, YALSA will’ celebrate’ it’s 56th anniversary and we want you to be a part of the festivities!In 1957, when YALSA was founded, it wasn’t the large organization we know today. Originally called the Young Adult Services Division (YASD), there are many things you would recognize in today’s organization. YASD was committed’ to librarians who served teens in all kinds of libraries and focused on selected booklists and a professional publication (a joint venture with ALSC). For 56 years YALSA has been committeed to serving and connecting young adult librarians, and this year we want to celebrate our organization’s accomplishments.
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Why I Donate to Friends of YALSA

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I am stingy with my hard-earned money. So when I decide to donate to worthy organizations and causes you can be sure I feel confident my money will be used in a responsible manner, supporting causes that match my values and passions.

That is why I donate to Friends of YALSA every year. Like you, I am passionate about teens and teen library services. I actively seek out the ideas, inspiration, and motivation YALSA provides through blogs, listservs, publications, conferences, etc., etc. I also want to support my colleagues in their efforts to provide excellence for our young people. The grants, scholarships, and awards offered to members by YALSA enhance our entire profession.

I invite you to donate to Friends of YALSA along with me. Your support will be a positive influence for teens and those who serve them. Your money will indeed be used in a responsible manner as YALSA continues to give us the capacity to engage, serve and empower teens.

Please donate today. If we can raise $2000 by the end of August we will receive an additional $1000 from a generous donor. So each of your dollars will actually be worth $1.50!! What a great deal!!

Any amount is welcome, and it will only take a moment of your time to donate. The URL is: www.ala.org/yalsa/givetoyalsa/give

Thank you so much for your support.

Thank You For Your Dedication!

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You lead a busy life, yet you are taking time to follow this YALSA blog. That demonstrates you share YALSA’s mission to expand and strengthen library services to teens everywhere. You are dedicated to providing the best library services for teens. You want to give teens the opportunity to access quality books. You also support your colleagues in their efforts to do the same. Would you be reading this if you weren’t?

Because of your dedication you would like to extend your influence beyond your own community. You would like to bolster the entire teen library profession. You can do that right now, and you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home or office!

Donate to Friends of YALSA today. Your contribution of any size supports initiatives and projects that benefit teens and the library professionals who serve them. Your generosity can help sponsor emerging leaders, fund attendance at National Library Advocacy Days, or put books in the hands of disadvantaged young people. Did you receive one of the awesome Teen Read Week resource kits in October? That was made possible by contributors just like you.
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