YALSA announces fifth round of Excellence in Library Service to Young Adults Project

Contact: Nichole Gilbert
YALSA
312-280-4387
ngilbert@ala.org
For Immediate Release
April 5, 2007

YALSA announces fifth round of Excellence in Library Service to Young Adults Project

CHICAGO - The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), the fastest growing division of the American Library Association (ALA) is now accepting applications for the fifth round of the Excellence in Library Service to Young Adults Project.

YALSA’s Excellence Award Task Force will select up to 25 exemplary teen programs/services in all types of libraries to include in a fifth edition of Excellence in Library Service to Young Adults. The top five programs will receive cash awards of $1000 each. Twenty “best of the rest” applications will receive cash awards of $250. All programs will be featured in the fifth edition of Excellence in Library Service to Young Adults, which will be edited by Amy Alessio and will be available in Spring 2008.

Applications are available on the YALSA Web site at www.ala.org/yalsa. The deadline to submit applications is June 1, 2007.

The categories of programs/services for young adults ages 12 – 18 that will be considered are:


1. Enhancing Teen Spaces, Physical or Virtual: this includes teen space makeovers, web-based services or programs for teens and/or projects that make libraries in schools and public sectors more teen friendly and/or accessible

2. Teen Tech Week: educational or recreational programs or services relating to YALSA’s inaugural Teen Tech Week March 4-10, 2007

3. Creative Teen Clubs: regularly-meeting teen groups based on a teen interest or that enhance library or literary experiences for teens

4. Promotion of Award Winning Young Adult Literature: services or programs that feature any of YALSA’s awards: Alex Awards, Margaret Edwards Award and/or Michael Printz Award

5. Reading Raves: unique reading promotion initiatives, in the areas of readers’ advisory, book discussion groups, incorporation of youth participation in library reading programs, services to reluctant readers or special needs readers, etc.

6. Community Connections: programs or services that involve a close partnership with schools, public libraries, or agencies in the community

7. Living in a Diverse World: services or programs to teens that promote respect for differences and/or reach out to teens of diverse backgrounds, such as ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, learning and communication styles, gender, disability and/or economic status

8. Services Under $100: high impact services or programs that are low in cost

9. Special Events: a program or service that runs no more than twice a year which has high interest or high impact on area teens

Applications will be judged on the degree to which the program/service meets the needs of its community, particularly the young adult audience it serves; originality; quality; the degree to which the program or service reflects the concepts identified in The New Directions for Library Service to Young Adults; and the degree to which it impacts and improves service to young adults.

The Excellence in Library Services to Young Adults Project was started by ALA Past President Hardy Franklin in 1993. All five rounds of the project have been funded by the Margaret Alexander Edwards Trust. Edwards was a well-known and innovative young adult services librarian at Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Md., for more than 30 years.

For 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos, and audiobooks for teens. For more information about these awards or for additional lists of recommended reading, go to www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists. For more information about YALSA, please contact us via e-mail, yalsa@ala.org; or by phone at 1-800-545-2433 ext. 4390.