Applications available for new YA Galley and Teens' Top Ten groups
Contact: Nichole Gilbert
Program Officer
312-280-4387
ngilbert@ala.org
For Immediate Release
March 7, 2006
Applications available for new YA Galley and Teens’ Top Ten groups
CHICAGO — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), the fastest growing division of the American Library Association (ALA), now is accepting applications from young adult book discussion groups who wish to be considered for YALSA’s YA Galley/Teens’ Top Ten project. YA Galley is an ongoing project in which publishers of young adult books provide copies of their recent titles to teen book discussion groups in libraries. In exchange, teen readers evaluate books for the publishers.
The YA Galley committee will select 15 groups during the ALA’s Annual Conference in New Orleans this June. Each selected group will serve a two-year term beginning in November 2006.
Of the 15 groups selected for the YA Galley project, five Teens’ Top Ten (TTT) groups will be named from applicants who have had established book groups for at least two years. Beginning in November 2006, these select groups will nominate recent titles for the 2007 TTT Books. Teens across the country will choose their favorite books of the year during Teen Read Week 2007 by voting on these nominations.
The other 10 groups selected will use the galleys for their own local and creative book group projects. Additionally, they are encouraged to participate in the online TTT vote during Teen Read Week (October 15 to 21, 2006).
“ It’s great to see the enthusiasm for this program grow,” said YA Galley Chair Tracey Firestone. “This program is a win-win opportunity for everyone involved. Teens get their hands on new books, libraries across the country add to their collections based on the opinions of teens, and publishers are able to hear the opinions from the audience they are trying to reach.”
The application forms, which must be submitted by a book group advisor who is a current YALSA member, are posted on YALSA’s Teens Top Ten site,
www.ala.org/teenstopten.
Applications are due by May 1, 2006 and can be mailed to: YALSA, YA Galley Application, 50 E. Huron, Chicago, Illinois, 60611. Successful candidates will be announced shortly after the 2006 ALA Annual Meeting.
For nearly 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.
