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.

YALSA’s First Webinar: Join YALSA on March 31 at 2 p.m. Eastern for a FREE webinar! Linda Braun, YALSA president, will lead the hour-long session on the topic of Getting Involved with YALSA. Topics include the various ways to participate in YALSA, and how doing so can help your daily work and career development. Registration is limited, so please contact Eve Gaus at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 5293 or egaus@ala.org to reserve your space.

Process Volunteer Forms Due Today YALSA will begin appointing process committee, jury, task force, and advisory board members this spring! Be sure to fill out your Committee Volunteer Form by March 12 so that Kim Patton, YALSA’s president-elect, will know you’re interested. (Read Kim Patton’s post on the process to find out more about serving on YALSA’s committees).

After the jump, learn more about YALSA’s preconferences (including which authors will appear!), how to access YALSA’s newly revised competencies, details on YALSA’s upcoming mentoring program, how to enter the 2010 Great Ideas contest, and information on the 2010 Young Adult Literature Symposium.

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ALA and DC are almost a far away memory now. However, it is not too late for you to become more involved in YALSA. There is a committee volunteer form at the YALSA site:

http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/joinus/committeevolunteer.htm

I began my YALSA work as a member of the Publications Committee. Eventually, I became chair of the committee and, after recommending YALSA do a revision of their popular HIT LIST, found myself as co-author of that work. I served on TAGS, Professional Development, and now Preconference 2008.

All of the committee work has been informative and highly enjoyable. I have met so many folks who have gone on to become friends over the years. Fill out a form and get active in YALSA.

Posted by Teri Lesesne

PS: I was in a local bookstore yesterday and can report that YA is alive and well there. I was amazed at the variety of the selections. There were 3 teens there reading graphic novels and manga as well as teens browsing the shelves. Such a good feeling.