Contact: Stephanie Kuenn
Communications Specialist
312-280-2128
skuenn@ala.org

For Immediate Release
July 10, 2007

YALSA podcasts Annual Conference

CHICAGO - The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), the fastest-growing division of the American Library Association (ALA), successfully completed a pilot project to cover the 2007 ALA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., through podcasts. These podcasts are available on the YALSA Blog at http://blogs.ala.org/yalsa.php.

"YALSA has been working to help make sure that those who can't attend conference have opportunities to participate in activities the division sponsors," said Linda Braun, YALSA blog manager and podcast editor. "Podcasts seemed like the next logical step for giving those who can't travel to events like Annual Conference to be a part of the experience. And, of course, those who do get to go to conference get an expanded experience."

YALSA armed five of its members; Francisca Goldsmith, Erin Helmrich, Erin Downey Howerton, Joseph Wilk and Connie Urquhart, with digital recorders and set them loose on the streets of Washington, D.C., and in the halls of the Washington Convention Center to capture the YALSA experience at Annual.

Podcasters covered a variety of topics, ranging from coverage of YALSA sponsored events to an impromptu roundtable on queer literature for young adults. The Annual podcasts also included a discussion on getting involved in YALSA committees, interviews with authors and exhibitors and much more.

"The interviews and reflections of the podcasters have an energy and excitement that is really quite remarkable," Braun said. "A couple of them reflected on their experiences, and those recordings are really powerful.  This project has helped me realize that there are teen librarians working in the field with fresh ideas that are really exciting and worthwhile. I have a renewed excitement about the future of the profession and the lives of teens as a result to listening to these podcasts."

For 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos, and audio books for teens.  For more information about YALSA, or for lists of recommended reading, viewing and listening, go to www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists, or contact the YALSA office by phone, 800-545-2433, ext. 4390; or e-mail yalsa@ala.org.