Become a Friend of YALSA

Our Mission

Friends of YALSA was created in 2005 to ensure excellence in the Association's traditional programs and services to library workers serving teens and to support growth in new directions as our profession meets the exciting challenges of the 21st century.

Each year, FOY funds are used to support over $16,000 in member scholarships, grants and stipends, including a Spectrum Scholarship and Emerging Leader.  When additional FOY funds become available, YALSA's Board also directs FOY funds to support the following areas:

  • Advocacy: educating members, library workers, the general public and policy makers about the importance of providing excellent library services to teens, and the critical role that library workers and libraries play in helping teens develop key literacy skills and a lifelong appreciation of reading.
  • Continuous Learning: creating opportunities for all members and library workers to grow through grants, providing scholarships to those in need and offering distance learning and institutes.
  • Planning for the Future:helping to attract new members and retain existing ones, creating public awareness campaigns, planning and carrying out new initiatives to pursue excellence in library service to young adults, and more.
  • Research: guiding and promoting research in the field of young adult librarianship through grants, publications, and other means to ensure that the field of librarianship has the necessary knowledge to meet the needs of teens.
  • Teen Literacies: sponsoring literacy initiatives such as Teen Read Week, YALSA’s booklists and book awards, and guaranteeing YALSA's place in the forefront of our nation's adolescent literacies campaigns.

Check out this infographic to learn more about the member awards and grants FOY funds. 


2021 Giving Tuesday 

For every donation to Friends of YALSA on Tuesday, November 30, the donor will be entered into a raffle to win one of the following prizes:

  • Virtual YA Author visit from Jennifer Mathieu (there will be a selection of date options)
  • A set of 4 signed books from YA author, Brenden Kiely 

Winners will be notified by Friday, December 3, 2021.  

View the list of 2020 Friends of YALSA donators.

To Become a Friend:

You can become a Friend of YALSA in any giving category.

  • Platinum Circle $1,000 or more
  • Gold Circle $500-$999
  • Silver Circle $250-$499
  • Bronze Circle $100-$249
  • Friends' Circle $10-$99

How to Donate 

Make your tax-deductible donation in either of the following ways:

  • Donate by credit card at the ALA Development Office's secure website. (Fill in the amount you would like to donate in the YALSA box of the "ALA Divisions and Offices" section).
  • Send a contribution by mail, using the printable mail-in form (PDF). Complete the form and mail it back with your donation to: Friends of YALSA, 225 N Michigan Ave, Suite 1300, Chicago, IL 60601.
  • Set up a recurring donation via the Network for Good's secure website. (In the "Designation" box, type "YALSA").

Donate now!

How Funds Are Used

The Friends of YALSA supports $15,095 worth of member grants, awards and scholarships each year. Since 2007, the Friends of YALSA gave more than $70,000 to support efforts such as:

  • sponsoring Spectrum Scholars (listen to an interview between Linda Braun, YALSA past president, and Hoan-Vu Do, YALSA's 2010-2011 Spectrum Scholar)
  • sponsoring Emerging Leaders
  • sending YALSA members to ALA's Library Advocacy Day
  • launching YALSA's Writing Award to honor the best writers, bloggers and researchers in the field

Special Recognition for Friends of YALSA

  • A letter from ALA/YALSA recognizing your generous donation for your tax records
  • Special listing in YALSA E-News, YALSA's monthly e-newsletter
  • Special listing on the YALSA Web site
  • Friend of YALSA conference badge ribbon
  • Reserved seating at the YALSA Membership Meeting, Edwards Luncheon (for ticketholders) and Printz Program and Reception (for ticketholders) at ALA’s Annual Conference
  • Acknowledgment at the annual Membership Meeting
  • Platinum and Gold Circle members receive a special invitation to meet with the Edwards Award winner at a reception at ALA Annual Conference

For More Information

Request a Friends of YALSA packet to be mailed to you by contacting the YALSA office at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 4390, or via email at yalsa@ala.org.

Previous Friends of YALSA

 2013 Friends of Friends of YAL2019 Friends of YALSA
2018 Friends of YALSA
2017 Friends of YALSA
2016 Friends of YALSA
2015 Friends of YALSA
2014 Friends of YALSA 
2013 Friends of YALSA
2012 Friends of YALSA
2011 Friends of YALSA
2010 Friends of YALSA
2009 Friends of YALSA
2008 Friends of YALSA
2007 Friends of YALSA
2006 Friends of YALSA

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