YALSA President’s Report

November 2007

Paula Brehm-Heeger
"YALSA: Leading the Way"

November was a slightly less busy month than October, but no matter the month YALSA staff and leaders are still hard at work!

Accomplishments

Have finalized presenters for an exciting program about YALSA/RUSA’s new reference guidelines scheduled for this spring’s PLA program.
Finalized this spring’s election ballot
Concluded search for next YALS editor; RoseMary Honnold has accepted the position (the Summer YALS issue will be RoseMary’s first issue as editor)
Followed up on a number of tasks related to the Fall Executive meeting, including providing additional feedback to two groups of 2007 ALA Emerging Leaders that worked on YALSA-suggested topics for their final group reports.
Wrote thank-you notes to additional donors to YALSA’s campaign for creating an Endowment Fund
Started sending out the annual series of emails to committee chairs designed to share information and help everyone prepared for the upcoming Midwinter meeting

In Progress

Finalizing plans to attend a mid-December meeting at the ALA Washington, DC office. Several divisions are sending representatives to this meeting and I will be there representing YALSA
Working with Beth Yoke to find a spokesperson for next year’s Teen Read Week; we are optimistic about some exciting possibilities
Exploring another opportunity to work with the Readergirlz that may provide additional support and PR for Support YA literature Day in April.
Crafting the agenda for Midwinter Board of Director’s meetings
Working with Strategic Planning Chair Mary Hastler and her fantastic committee to create a survey for members that will offer very important member feedback as we enter the next round of strategic planning
Working with the Young Adult Literature Symposium Task Force chair Stephanie Squicciarini, her outstanding task force and the Board to finalize the slate of programs and papers to be presented at this exciting new event next year

Media

Spoke with a reporter from the Augusta Chronicle about graphic novels and was quoted in the final newspaper article.
Spoke with American Libraries “Youth Matters” columnists Jennifer Burek Pierce about future trends in teen services and literature (for one of her early 2008 columns)
Provided quotes for YALSA Communications Specialists Stephanie (Stevie) Kuenn for a press release announcing the 2008 Teen Read Week theme (“Books with Bite”) and also highlighting continued support from Mirrorstone, a 2007 Teen Read Week corporate sponsor, for next year’s Teen Read Week.
Spoke with New York Times reporter Motoko Rich for an article related to teen reading trends and the recently released NEA study reading trends in the U.S; was quoted for an article in the Sunday New York Times.
Answered several questions from a Village Voice reported about publishing for teens and the current trends in teen literature.
Spoke with reporter Amanda Codispoti from the Roanoke Times about the national scope of teen programs and teen centers in libraries
Spoke with a reporter from Leesburg, Florida about gaming in libraries
Worked with Beth and Stevie to craft a letter to the editor related to the new NEA report; letter appeared in the Miami Herald (one of the first papers to cover the NEA information)

Coming up in 2008
ALA Midwinter meeting in Philadelphia.
Head to http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/midwinter.cfm for meeting and room number info.

Registration for the 2008 Annual conference in Anaheim, Calif. will open on January 2, 2008. Housing for the Conference will also open on January 2, 2008, at 9:00 am CT. More information about the Annual conference is available at http://www.ala.org/ala/eventsandconferencesb/annual/2008a/home.htm

Enjoy the Holiday Season and let me be the first to say thank you for all that you have done in 2007 for YALSA and for the teens we serve!