Young Adult Services

YALSA Young Adult Literature Symposium Task Force (Young Adult Library Services Association)

To provide recommendations for each Annual Teen Read Week to the ALA/YALSA staff; to assist in the selection of a slogan, the drawing up of a timeline, the creation of new items added to the tip sheet and Teen Reading Website; and to recommend promotional activities and products.

To provide a forum for the learning, discussion and promotion of TAGS as a critical part of library service to all teens. This includes library Teen Advisory Groups and all other forms of teens as advisors in libraries. To promote and maintain a YALSA TAGS online presence, including but not limited to blog postings and website and wiki content.

To establish guidelines and/or procedures to involve young adults in the decision-making process which directly affects their access to information and library service at local, state, and national levels; to provide continuing education and public professional awareness of youth participation.

To explore, recommend, initiate, and implement ways of working with other organizations that work for youth.

Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) YALSA Graphic Novel Selection

To select annually two librarians (one from a school, one from a public library) who work directly with young adults to receive the Baker & Taylor/YALSA Conference Grant.

To collect and share information with the YALSA office about issues relating to young adult librarianship at the state and regional levels; to liaise with state and regional chapters and share with them information and resources about key YALSA programs and initiatives; to communicate with YALSA’s Division and Membership Promotion Committee and collaborate as appropriate; to work with ALA’s Chapter Relations Office as appropriate; and to assist the YALSA office with participation in state and regional conferences.

To work jointly with LLAMA to create guidelines that will be helpful for all libraries, but with a particular focus on public libraries, to use when enhancing, designing or building teen areas. All recommendations will be in compliance with current ADA requirements and will rely on current studies and professional literature on teens, libraries, interior design and architecture as a guide.

To address the needs of young adults who do not or cannot use the library because of socioeconomic, legal, educational, or physical factors; to serve as a liaison between these groups and their service providers, and to identify and promote library programs, resources, and services that meet the special needs of those populations.