Hello Friends!

Do you ever feel like you want to represent YALSA and the awesomeness of being a teen librarian? You are pretty great after all! Some say that being a teen librarian is like being a bright, shiny unicorn, but how can you convey that to everyone? (Aside from surrounding yourself 2pm-6pm with teenagers…) Did you know that YALSA has merch now?

yalsa | ALA Graphics Gift Shop (alagraphics-gift-shop.myspreadshop.com)

Throw on a YALSA T-shirt or a Teentober shirt and let everyone know that you are a teen whisperer, here to advocate for teenagers in the library! Or get a pin for your bag. They say “Do what you love, love what you do…at the library!” and let’s be honest, that sentiment is true for librarians AND teens, so maybe check your budget and pick some up as Teentober prizes! Or if you have a favorite teen who likes pins, let them know! (I know, we don’t “have favorites”, but also yes we do.)

Times are hard right now, and sometimes supporting an organization by giving money can seem like a big commitment, but supporting an organization and getting a T-shirt or a pin? Well then! On behalf of the Financial Advancement Committee, I hope you’ll consider it!

Respectfully summitted by Amber Loveless, Financial Advancement Committee

Friends of YALSA is happy to introduce our 2021 Campaign, YOU + YALSA = the Sky’s the Limit.  We invite you to donate to Friends of YALSA to help fund our array of scholarships, awards, giveaways, and a new idea that we’d like to offer to volunteers this year and in the years to come.

Why donate in 2021?

This year’s new initiative is supporting volunteers with slow or unreliable internet access. With virtual activities becoming a bigger part of professional organization opportunities, we want to make sure that everyone who wants to volunteer with YALSA does so without concern about internet service. We’d like to use a portion of funds raised from our 2021 campaign to purchase hotspots to be loaned out to volunteer members whose internet service does not support the amount of virtual work that needs to be done throughout the year. YALSA’s current membership is over 3,700 strong.  Please consider a donation to help colleagues from around the world the opportunity to participate in YALSA volunteer appointments to the best of their ability, regardless of internet service.

So, what else does Friends of YALSA support? 100% of your donations fund FOY’s initiatives, which includes YALSA’s Awards and Grants.

Here are some recent recipients:

  • 2020 Emerging Leader:  Seungyeon Yang-Peace, Las Vegas Clark County Library District, Nevada
  • 2020 Innovation Award:  Brittany Garcia, Rancho Cucamonga Public Library, California
  • 2021 Writing Award Winners:  Jennifer Banas (The Journal of Research on Libraries and Young Adults); Terry Lewis and Cate Sweeney (Young Adult Library Services); Deborah Takahashi (YALSABlog)
  • Shipping of Great Books Giveaway:  Belfast Area High School; Franklin Township Public Library; Townsend Harris High School

Would you consider making a donation to Friends of YALSA during 2021? You may donate by credit card via the ALA Development Office’s secure website, or send a contribution by mail by downloading and completing the paper form. Send your donation to: Friends of YALSA, 225 North Michigan Ave, STE 1300, Chicago, IL 60601.

Thank you in advance for your support, gift, time and generosity.

Sincerely,

~Amanda Barnhart, YALSA President 2020-2021,

~Traci Glass, YALSA Financial Advancement Committee Chair on behalf of the Financial Advancement Committee

2020 has been a challenging and difficult year. As we move through this final month of 2020, I’ve been thinking about the things I’m most grateful for and a big piece of that is the support I’ve felt from my YALSA and ALA colleagues. Just being able to talk about books, attending sessions at the year’s virtual YALSA Symposium, and “seeing” everyone at this year’s virtual Annual conference was something that buoyed my spirit and reinvigorated the love I have for this work. Coincidentally, we recently celebrated #GivingTuesday, and I was excited to donate to Friends of YALSA (FOY) to help others achieve their dreams of studying and working in the library field. As someone who was helped by FOY funds through the Board Fellow Program, I know how important these opportunities are to growing passionate and dedicated folks in the profession. During this unprecedented time, teens need us more than ever, and Friends of YALSA provides scholarships, leadership opportunities, conference attendance assistance, and much more through monies donated all year to support those who work for and with teens.

This year, our big fundraising raffle was cancelled due to the Symposium being virtual, but in light of that, we have a fun surprise!  YALSA is offering the chance of winning a free virtual author visit from Gretchen McNeil, author of 2020 YALSA Teens’ Top Ten winning title, #MurderFunding and 2019 YALSA Teens’ Top Ten winning title #MurderTrending. While donating is not required to enter to win, we truly hope you will consider donating to FOY or specifically to our Give $20 in 2020 campaign as it winds down for the year. If you have already donated this year – THANK YOU! If you have not donated, please consider giving if you are able to help support your colleagues during these difficult times. And, be sure to fill out the form to throw your name (or the name of a colleague if you’d like to gift the visit) in the hat for the opportunity to treat your teens to a virtual author visit. Please submit the form by January 30, 2021.

Thank you to Gretchen and Freeform Books, an imprint of Disney Publishing Worldwide for donating this awesome prize.  And, thank you, to all of you, for supporting each other in all the ways you do during this time.

-Traci Glass, Financial Advancement Committee Chair

What’s really cool about the money that is donated to Friends of YALSA (FOY), like through our Give $20 in 2020 campaign, are the programs the donations support. One program especially close to my heart is YALSA’s Board Fellow program! In 2019, I was honored and thrilled to be named YALSA’s Board Fellow.

I first heard about this opportunity a few years prior at the 2016 ALA Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida. I sat next to a YALSA member on a bus to a publisher event that evening. I was so happy being a part of the Great Graphic Novels for Teens selection committee, but I was also thinking of going outside my comfort zone in terms of getting more involved in YALSA. I really had no idea how to do that until I started talking to the YALSA member next to me. All these years later, I wish I knew who I spoke to because that person changed my YALSA life I explained to them about feeling like I wanted to do more, but I wasn’t sure how to do that exactly. I felt like applying to be on the YALSA Board proper was too big of a step for me, and it was then that they told me about the Board Fellow program. It seemed like the perfect step in the direction I knew I wanted to go. I could meet Board members, see how the process worked, be active and engaged, and grow my leadership skills in ways that I could use in my YALSA volunteer work, as well as at my own organization. I would be a non-voting member, but I was totally fine with that! I wanted to see how it worked before I threw in my “ayes” or “nays”.  It took me another couple of years to muster up the courage to apply, and I am so glad that I did.

I feel the Board Fellow program really opened my eyes to the work of the Board and introduced me to so many friends I have made in the process.  My experience as the Board Fellow showed me the bigger picture of YALSA work and how it affects all of us who work for and with teens in our libraries. I was incredibly thankful to receive the stipend that the Board Fellow receives from monies donated to FOY to help defray conference attendance costs over my one year appointment term.

The application for YALSA’s 2021 Board Fellow is due by December 1! I hope everyone who wants to take that next step in YALSA leadership will consider applying. And, thank you to everyone who has donated to FOY. Your contributions have helped members like me and from around the world. As I mentioned in my post last month, we know that everything is challenging right now. If you’d like to and are able to contribute, please consider becoming a Friend of YALSA (any denominations welcome) or donate $20 as part of this year’s Friend of YALSA fundraising campaign Give $20 in 2020. Thank you for your work supporting teens in our community and supporting your colleagues near and far.

-Traci Glass, Financial Advancement Committee Chair

Hello, YALSA members and teen advocates,

As the Chair of the 20-21 Financial Advancement Committee (FAC), I am honored to work with a wonderful group of folks to help raise funds to support our fellow members through these difficult and trying times. You might be asking yourself – what is the FAC?  What do they do?  The Financial Advancement Committee provides oversight and continued enhancement of the Friends of YALSA program, including promotion, fundraising, and donor recognition. We work with the Board and staff year-round to create and implement virtual fundraising campaigns and fundraising efforts at conferences, aimed at both members and others, to support the $19,595 worth of member scholarships and stipends YALSA gives out annually. Currently, we are already working on ideas for virtual fundraisers for the Virtual Symposium, new fundraising campaigns for 2021, and working with YALSA staff to start planning the 2021 Coffee Klatch that is held annually at the ALA Annual Conference.

You have probably noticed all of the great scholarships and stipends that YALSA gives out even if you didn’t realize that the FAC oversees the money that goes into funding these opportunities.  Friends of YALSA funds opportunities, scholarships, and grants like the shipping expenses for the Great Books Giveaway, sponsoring Spectrum Scholars and Emerging Leaders, sending YALSA members to ALA’s National Library Legislative Day, and much, much more. We all know how challenging it is right now for all of us. If you’d like to and are able to contribute, please consider becoming a Friend of YALSA or donate as part of this year’s fundraising campaign Give $20 in 2020.  Thank you for your work supporting teens in our community and supporting your colleagues near and far.

I am excited to share this year’s Financial Advancement Committee group with you! And, we hope that you will consider volunteering for this committee in the future!

Traci Glass, Chair
Stephanie Charlefour, Virtual Member
Carrie Kausch, Virtual Member
Amber Loveless, Virtual Member
Kayla Payne, Virtual Member
Shira Pilarski, Virtual Member
Celeste Swanson, Virtual Member

Several years ago, the YALSA Fiscal Officer resigned and for a little over a year, I assumed her role. It was 18 months of ‘new growth opportunities’ and, thanks to Beth Yoke and Nichole O’Connor, I learned what was important to a non-profit organization.

And what was that? Make sure that the profits realized from activities, match not only the organization’s needs, but also the amount of staff and volunteer time that is required. That message came across over and over and I became more aware of how great ideas from members impact the staff and make the use of volunteers imperative. Working with Nichole, who’s involved with all the ticketed activities YALSA offers at conferences (such as the Edwards luncheon/brunch, Printz Awards, Morris/Non-Fiction event), I collected a lot of information about cost and attendance. Although the numbers at each event did vary, depending upon location and expected authors, when we set up a spread sheet showing ten years of activities, it was obvious which events were really popular and which were waning. Hmm – time to evaluate those ticketed events. As the Board considered what we’d found, adjustments were made to determine if the event should continue and, if it would continue, what changes could make it more financially viable. The response of staff and Board to the cost/expense of these activities, reinforced the need to carefully scrutinize financial obligations, and YALSA does that. In other words, our donations are in ‘good hands.’

As members, I encourage you to join Friends of YALSA, aka FOY, and when you have the opportunity, ask the Fiscal Officer how the budget is going. Are there activities that will have to be eliminated or refined?  Does YALSA continue to contribute to the Spectrum Scholarship? Does YALSA continue with its division scholarships, awards and grants (close to $200,000 a year are offered to members)?

When you become a member of Friends of YALSA, you give back to your division and to your members. As you prepare for the fall, please consider the request from FOY to ‘Give $20 in 2020.” Your twenty dollars will be put to good use as YALSA continues its tradition of supporting the Spectrum Scholar, Emerging Leader, National Library Legislative Day, various Writing Awards and many other member opportunities.

Give $20 in 2020 today.

~Pam Spencer Holley, YALSA member

foy-infographicEvery #GivingTuesday (this year it is Tuesday, November 29) I give to organizations and causes that have an impact on my community. This year I am giving to Friends of YALSA to support my colleagues serving teens in public and school libraries to recognize their hard work and give them the helping hand they need to become leaders in their community and in YALSA. Not a day goes by that I don’t see a story about a YALSA member doing something innovative, reaching a new audience, and putting teens first. I am grateful that I get to be part of an organization of passionate librarians, and I want to make sure that my colleagues in YALSA have the tools they need to keep moving forward into the future.

All Friends of YALSA donations go directly to members in the form of $14,095 worth of annual grants, scholarships and awards for members.  These honor the hard work and significant contributions members give to YALSA (Volunteer of the Year Award, and Writing Award), to support their advocacy for teens (National Library Legislative Day travel grants), and to build their leadership skills (Board Fellow, Spectrum Scholar and Emerging Leader). As we near Thanksgiving, and you consider what you are grateful for, remember the helping hands that got you to where you are today, and consider donating to Friends of YALSA to help share these wonderful opportunities with your fellow YALSA members.

Donate here. Click on Divisions and then YALSA.

Kate McNair is a YALSA Board Member and has been a Friend of YALSA since 2012.

P.S. Many of the member grants and awards supported by Friends of YALSA have an application deadline of Dec. 1st!

The Charge of the YALSA Financial Advancement Committee (FAC) states that the Committee “provide[s] oversight and continued enhancement of the Friends of YALSA (FOY) program, including fundraising efforts and donor recognition”.  As a part of that work, FAC develops and presents a fundraising plan to the YALSA Board for approval each year. At their Midwinter meetings in Boston, the YALSA Board will review and take action on item 22, FAC’s proposed 2016 plan.  The Board wants to act on the item during their Midwinter Meetings so that FAC is able to move forward with their plans without interruption.

An effective Fundraising Plan is integral to YALSA’s ability to support several FOY initiatives. These include the Advocacy Travel Stipend, support of the ALA Emerging Leader Program, support of the ALA Spectrum Scholar Program, and the association’s Board Fellow.  All of these give YALSA the opportunity to help members grow professionally.

For the 2016 plan, FAC outlined a set of year-long virtual and face-to-face initiatives that provide YALSA advocates a variety of opportunities to give to FOY.  If you have questions about FAC, FOY, or other YALSA financial topics feel free to get in touch with FAC Chair Jane Gov or YALSA’s Fiscal Officer Linda W. Braun.

All YALSA Board Meetings are open to Midwinter Meeting attendees. Feel free to drop by for a short or long period of time. The meetings are an excellent way to learn what YALSA is working on and get a sense of how the association’s governance works. If you’re not in Boston, follow @yalsa for live Tweets from the meetings.  

 

Jane Gov is a librarian in the City of Pasadena, CA and Financial Advisement Committee Chair. 

 

So, at some point in February, I decided that I would apply for YALSA’s travel stipend to attend #NLLD15.  I was hopeful and I received the award.  So, I planned my trip, contacted my state coordinator, packed my bag, and was off to Washington.

dupont circleI arrived at 12:30 on Sunday at Ronald Reagan International Airport.  I took Southwest and was able to get a pretty economical ticket.  I found my way to the METRO station, purchased a Smart Ride Card, and hopped on the Metro toward Dupont Circle.  I was on my way to the First Time Attendee Session at the ALA Washington Office.

I stopped for a quick photo on Dupont Circle.  I think Annette Bening made a bigger deal out of it in the “America President” than it was.  Three quick blocks and I stopped at Kramer Books & Afterwords Café for Lunch.  They have an amazing brunch/luncheon menu on Sundays and it is a restaurant attached to a bookstore. Nirvana!  I had the crab cake open faced sandwich.  ( I found it on Urban Spoon.)ala office

After lunch, I walked the 2 blocks to the ALA Washington Office.

The meeting for first time attendees was amazing.  We worked on techniques for speaking with Senators and Representatives.  We talked about “the ask”.  I even managed to take a selfie with the presenter, Stephanie Vance.

Working on your asking skillsThe training was inspiring.  We had the opportunity to meet other librarians and media specialists from across the country.

I headed back to the host hotel after the meeting to meet up with my state delegation for dinner.  We went to a local restaurant and talked about our goals and appointments for the next day.  Oops!  I was supposed to make some appointments!

The next morning, we had a full day of sessions on the different issues and pieces of legislation affecting libraries at the host hotel.  Our state coordinator found a few minutes to have a pastry.Florida delegationCharlie takes a break

Since, I hadn’t made any appointments the day before, I took the list of representatives that were not yet contacted from Florida and made some calls to set up appointments with their staffers.  I managed to contact all but two and schedule appointments throughout the next day.

 

In the evening, we attended a reception for library staff at the Dirksen Building, where some of the Senate Committees meet.  I met the YALSA President and the Director and we were photobombed during a selfie.  I also managed to photobomb the President of ALA during a speech to the delegates.

YALSA prez director and me           Working on my testifying

After a quick breakfast the next morning, we were off to the Capitol to visit and discuss the issues.  As usual Southern charm rules and the Florida delegation was warmly received by the staffers of our Representatives and Senators.  Our delivery was professional and I believe our message was heard.  I was encouraged that most were interested in us because we were their constituents in the districts.

It was an interesting experience that I would love to have the chance to repeat.

office visit1

After a quick bite in the underground cafeteria, I was off to the METRO for one last ride to the Airport.  Thank you, YALSA for the opportunity to #act4teens and represent the interests of Florida libraries in Washington, and thank you Friends of YALSA for funding this opportunity!  If you’d like to be the recipient of this travel grant for 2016, apply online by Feb. 1, 2016.

Grand Central Station           Metro seal

 

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Vandy Pacetti-Donelson is a Library Media Specialist. She is a library advocate and board member for the Florida Association for Media in Education (FAME). Find her online at www.eliterateandlevelingup.com or follow her on Twitter @VandyPD.

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!