Date of Establishment: January, 1999
Date of Completion: Continuing
Membership: 9, including chair. All members will be appointed by the vice-president/ president-elect for 2000 and 2001. Beginning in 2002, the chair and four members will be appointed and the remaining four members will be elected by the membership of the association.
Qualifications: YALSA members who must be able to attend both the Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference of ALA.
Term of Office: One year
Function: To select from the previous year's publications the best young adult book, "best" being defined solely in terms of literary merit. The Committee may also name as many as four honor books.
Procedures: See Policies and Procedures - YALSA Handbook, VIII. - 17
History: After study and discussion by the Best Young Adult Book Award Feasibility Task Force from Spring, 1998 to Winter, 1999, a proposal by the Task Force to the Board was adopted at the 1999 Midwinter Meeting.
The first award was given at the Annual Conference in 2000.
Winners: