Tag Archives: The Hub

There is an immediate opportunity to lead the Hub advisory board and manage the site.  YALSA seeks a new Hub Manager for a one-year term starting December 1, 2021 with an option to renew based on performance.  Send  your cover letter and resume to Letitia Smith at LSmith@ala.org by  November 15, 2021.

We’d like to thank the Hub’s current member manager, Sara Beth Coffman for extending her term, all the tremendous work and dedication she’s put into the Hub the past year. 

The main responsibilities  of  the Hub Manager include leading an advisory board to provide oversight in creating, soliciting, and managing content for the blog, as well as recruiting bloggers. Additionally, the member manager will help manage the selected lists blogging teams and the dissemination of the selected lists, as well as the promotion and technical maintenance of the blog.

The member manager will receive an honorarium for their one-year term, as well as a small stipend to attend YALSA/ALA conferences. Please note that this is not a salaried staff position, but a member volunteer opportunity. YALSA membership is required.

See the list of qualifications and responsibilities below.  

List of Qualifications:

1. Strong project management and organizational skills
2. Ability to delegate work and to manage a variety of contributors and volunteers
3. Dynamic, self-motivated individual
4. Excellent verbal and written communications skills, in order to develop content and communicate with potential content providers
5. Experience in web publishing with responsibilities including but not limited to: utilizing video clips, audio, and social media, maintaining a high standard of writing, and ensuring compliance with policies created for the maintenance of the site
6. Knowledge of HTML and WordPress, which YALSA uses for administration of blog sites; as well as knowledge of plugins, tagging, categories, and other WordPress tools
7. PHP knowledge a plus
8. Ability to set and meet deadlines
9. Knowledge of best practices and current trends in collection development for and with teens in libraries
10.  Ability to work well in a team environment
11. Ability to work well in a mostly virtual setting, including using tools such as Google Drive, Google Calendar, Zoom, etc. to coordinate work and communicate with others
12.  Personal membership in YALSA
13. A commitment to advancing the recommendations YALSA outlined in its report, The Future of Library Services for and with Teens: a Call to Action and Teen Services Competencies for Library Staff.
14. A commitment to advancing and supporting YALSA’s mission and EDI Plan.
15. High ethical standards and no real or perceived conflict of interest with YALSA or its portfolio of print and web publications

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Oversight & Coordination

• Communicate with the Advisory Board, Selected List Blogging Team Leaders, and YALSA’s Communications Specialist on a regular basis to generate ideas for content, assign tasks, discuss marketing strategies, and discuss site management
• Work with the YALS and JRLYA editors and YALSAblog and Teen Programming HQ managers as appropriate to coordinate dissemination of information to members and the library community.
• Maintain communication with YALSA member groups whose work relates to collection development and content curation
• Oversee and help manage the posting and promotion of the selected lists
• Follow all established and relevant ALA and YALSA policies and guidelines, enforce them as necessary and periodically conduct a review of them to ensure relevancy and currency
• Direct questions about sponsorships, advertising, etc. to YALSA’s Executive Director
• Develop a calendar for content, based on YALSA events and activities as well as those going on in the larger community related to collecting and curating library materials for and with teens
• Write reports prior to the Annual Conference and Midwinter Meeting for submission to the YALSA Board of Directors

Seek Out & Manage Content & Contributors

• With the Advisory Board, review and edit content submitted to the site to make sure the quality is acceptable, that it is aligned with YALSA principles, and that it includes YALSA branding prior to posting, when appropriate
• With the Advisory Board, manage postings regularly to guarantee quality of content and appropriate tagging and category identification
• With the Advisory Board, recruit a diverse group of contributors on a regular basis, which may include but is not limited to: YALSA members, authors and teens
• Communicate regularly with bloggers to solicit content, share news, motivate bloggers, develop a blogging schedule, etc.
• Interact with and provide any necessary training to contributors as needed at ALA’s Annual Conference, Midwinter Meeting, or YALSA’s Symposium and via virtual means
• Effectively motivate, support and manage a large and fluctuating group of contributors and volunteers
• Work with the Advisory Board to manage comments and spam daily to guarantee that the blog content is appropriate

Promotion

• Attend ALA and YALSA events to recruit contributors and inform member groups about the site
• Answer questions and inquiries about the site in a timely fashion
• Work with YALSAblog Member Manager to cross-promote the blogs and collaborate on projects that advance YALSA’s Organizational Plan
• Utilize social media to increase awareness of the Hub and its content

Technical Maintenance

• Work with YALSA’s Communications Specialist as appropriate to update and manage blog software
• Monitor new technologies as they impact the site: add-ons and plug-ins to blog software, widgets or applications for hand-held devices, etc.

Selected Lists and Bloggers

• Select bloggers and team leads for YALSA’s book lists: Amazing Audiobooks, Quick Picks, Best Fiction, and Great Graphic Novels for the Hub from volunteer applications with support from YALSA staff
• Review applications for Selected List Teams and build a balanced roster for each team in terms of:
  • A balanced geographic distribution of members on the team
  • Representation of all library types (school, public, academic)
  • Inclusion of both younger and older adolescent focus of committee members
  • Representation of a variety of experience levels of team members
  • Diversity of team members in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, etc. 
• With Coordinators, facilitate the work of these blogging teams on The Hub by communicating with bloggers about editing and scheduling of reviews
• Support the dissemination and promotion of final lists
• Work with the Advisory and the Award and Selected List Oversight Committee to oversee training for Selected List Teams and leverage existing YALSA resources to do so, and develop new as needed
• Provide a template and sample posts for the blogging teams, and other resources as called for.
• Communicate regularly with Selected List Team Leads
• Work with the Advisory Board to update and/or create guidelines for the Hub, including public comment guidelines, so that they accommodate selected list efforts
• Sit in on virtual meetings of Selected List Teams, as needed
• Offer guidance, support, and expertise for Team Leads throughout term as needed
• Communicates with YALSA Board and staff regarding the possible need to expand into a co-manager format, and/or increase the size or change the make-up of the Advisory Board
• Communicates with YALSA staff regarding any possible back-end improvements needed to the site to accommodate the selected list effort

Interested individuals should send a cover letter and resume that includes management, writing, and web publishing experience. Familiarity with PHP, WordPress, HTML, and social media preferred, but not required. Send cover letters and resumes to Letitia Smith at LSmith@ala.org by  November 15, 2021.