a Division of the American Library Association

YALSA's National Guidelines and White Papers

YALSA is your source for national guidelines, competencies, white papers, and benchmarks to aid librarians, library workers and libraries in better understanding the components of an excellent teen services program.

For school library standards and guidelines, please visit AASL's Standard and Guidelines page. For an international perspective, please see IFLA's Guidelines for Library Services to Young Adults (PDF)

YALSA Guidelines

YALSA's Young Adults Deserve the Best: Competencies for Librarians Serving Youth (also available in PDF)

YALSA's Public Library Evaluation Tool

Reference Guidelines for Library Services to Teens, Ages 12-18 (PDF) , developed by RUSA and YALSA

Teen Space Guidelines (also available in PDF)

Research Guidelines and Tools

National Research Agenda, 2012-2016

YALSA's Research Bibliographies

Journal of Research on Libraries and Young Adults

International Research Abstracts: Youth Library Services

YALSA/VOYA/Henne Research Grant

Midwinter Paper Presentation

YALSA White Papers

YALSA's white papers are authoritative guides that make recommendations on important issues in teen librarianship. Current, board-approved white papers include:

The Importance of a Whole Library Approach to Public Library Young Adult Services: A YALSA Issue Paper by Linda W. Braun with contributions from Sarah Flowers and Mary Hastler, Approved by the YALSA Board of Directors, January 2011
The Benefits of Including Dedicated Young Adult Librarians on Staff in the Public Library by YALSA with Audra Caplan, approved by the YALSA Board of Directors, January 2009
The Importance of Young Adult Services in LIS Curricula, by Don Latham, approved by the YALSA Board of Directors, January 2009
The Value of Young Adult Literature, by Michael Cart, approved by the YALSA Board of Directors, January 2008
The Need for Teen Spaces in Public Libraries, by Kimberly Bolan, approved by the YALSA Board of Directors, January 2008