The following guidelines are provided as a means for making decisions about the design and content of the YALSA website.
Purpose
The YALSA website serves two main purposes:
- To provide information on the organization
- To provide information on how to better serve teens in libraries.
The primary purpose of the site is to provide information on the organization. It is possible that in some instances information on the organization will also aid librarians in serving teens successfully in libraries.
The For Members Only section of the website provides members with value added content. This content should include “insider” information for YALSA committees and members including full committee rosters and resources related to the work of a committee.
Audience
The YALSA website serves the needs of the following groups:
- YALSA members
- Members of YALSA Committees
- Librarians serving teens directly
- Librarians serving teens indirectly
- Library school students
- Teachers
- Publishers
- Teens
- Parents
As the website can not be successful in serving the needs of each group equally, YALSA should focus the website on serving librarians that provide direct service to teens – both members and non-members of the organization. The remaining groups are secondary audiences of the site and should not be ignored. However, the majority of the content on the site will serve members of the main audience.
Content
All content on the YALSA site will meet the purpose and audience as defined above. When adding or deleting content from the site, YALSA will use the Content Checklist (Attachment A) to determine the value of the information/resource. The YALSA Website Timeline (Attachment B) will guide YALSA staff in updating and revising site content on a regular basis. Committees that choose to post content on the YALSA site will submit a completed Content Checklist along with each file submitted for posting. Any committee that sponsors content on the site is responsible for maintaining that content, checking links and so on, on a regular basis and informing YALSA about updates that need to be made.
Links on the YALSA Site
The YALSA website will link to outside resources that provide information of interest to librarians serving teens. For example, sites that:
- Provide information on YA developmental needs and assets;
- Highlight best practices in young adult services;
- Focus on news related to teens, teen reading, teens in libraries, etc.
Linking to the YALSA Site
Permission to link to the YALSA website will be granted upon request to websites that provide information and resources on young adult interests, young adult development, and young adult library services.
Copyright
The ALA copyright/disclaimer statement that appears on all ALA web pages shall appear also at the bottom of all YALSA web pages, including those web pages that contain links to non-ALA sites. YALSA does not exert editorial control over materials that are posted by third parties. Therefore, YALSA is not responsible for any materials that are posted by third parties. YALSA specifically disclaims any and all liability for any claims or damages that result from any postings by third parties.
Guidelines approved by the YALSA Board January 27, 2003