YALSA seeks proposals for first-ever Young Adult Literature Symposium
Contact: Stephanie Kuenn
Communications Specialist
312-280-2128
skuenn@ala.org
For Immediate Release
August 28, 2007
YALSA seeks proposals for first-ever Young Adult Literature Symposium
CHICAGO - The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), the fastest-growing division of the American Library Association (ALA), will hold its first biennial Young Adult Literature Symposium at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville, Tenn., November 7 - 9, 2008. YALSA will accept proposals for programs and unpublished, scholarly papers through its Web site at
www.ala.org/yalsa through October 1, 2007. The Young Adult Literature Symposium is funded in part by the William Morris Endowment.
The symposium’s theme, “How We Read Now,” will investigate who, what, how and why the burgeoning teen population—the largest and most diverse in U.S. history—reads. The event will also explore the impact this generation is having on young adult literature and vice versa. The goal of the symposium is to provide a venue for educators, librarians, students, authors, publishers and others interested in young adult literature to gather and explore this vibrant and growing genre.
“Librarians attending the symposium will come away with a fresh perspective on today’s young adult literature that will help them as they work to connect a wide variety of teens with the books they want and need,” said YALSA President Paula Brehm-Heeger. “This event will offer a unique chance for librarians to broaden the scope of their own YA literature knowledge and also symbolizes how far YA literature has come. Having a full event dedicated just to literature for teenagers will help generate the support and respect these important works of literature deserve.”
For 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.
