ALSC/YALSA Reunification FAQs

What is Happening with YALSA

After many years of effort by ALA and YALSA members, YALSA remains financially unsustainable, with 8 of the last 10 years running in an operational deficit. Consequently, ALA is pursuing the reunification of YALSA with the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). This means that YALSA will be dissolved from a governance perspective, and member activities will be transitioned into ALSC. 

While ALA remains committed to meeting the needs of practitioners in the fields of children’s and teen services, we know that this news will come with many questions from YALSA members. Please see the FAQs below for more details and to learn how to submit your feedback to the YALSA Board and staff as we work towards the reunification of ALSC and YALSA.

How Was Reunification Decided Upon?

Since December 2023, ALA has utilized a shared staffing model to support YALSA when ALSC’s Executive Director stepped in as YALSA’s Interim Executive Director, while continuing to hold the Executive Director position in ALSC. This was a short-term solution to a longer-term challenge as YALSA has carried a net-deficit budget for more than three years.

ALA has been in conversation with YALSA and ALSC’s Executive Committees, discussing possible options to reunify the divisions, since historically, teen and children’s services were housed under one division (read more on ALSC’s History here and YALSA’s History here).  The parting had been amicable and recognized the growth of teen services and the expanded member work in dedicated teen spaces in their libraries, but this is no longer a sustainable model. 

Through the recent conversations, ALSC leadership resolved that ALSC is open to including teen services in the spectrum of the division's programming. Both divisions have considered many ways to define this new relationship, and both agree that “reuniting” is a strong path forward, given that ALSC and YALSA were a combined unit many years ago. Reuniting ALSC and YALSA is an integral part of the ALA Forward initiative, an effort that aims to optimize how we work together, align our structure with strategic goals, and empower ALA to deliver even greater value to members and libraries.

Why is YALSA Pursing Reunification Over Other Options?

YALSA and ALSC’s Executive Committees have identified clear advantages to reunification, including:

  • Reuniting will allow ALA to continue providing over 2500 YALSA members with dedicated resources and opportunities to support teen library services and expand ALSC’s collaborative efforts from children through teens.
  • Cost savings to members who currently hold both ALSC and YALSA memberships (roughly 30% of members).
  • A continued shared staffing model, which ALA has seen positive results with so far, and overlap with membership.
  • Combining staffing resources while still maintaining a distinction between teen and children’s services and familiarity with the programs, services, awards, and other projects unique to each division.

Will Teen Services Still Have a Unique Space Within ALA?

Yes – while ALSC has traditionally been the home for library service to children from birth through eighth grade, ALSC leadership is working towards ensuring that a unique space for teen services is maintained during the reunification process. ALSC is reassessing and re-envisioning many of its programs and member benefits.

Reuniting will require discussions on how best to brand and promote the reunited unit. A timeline for this work has not yet been determined.

What is the Timeline for Reunification?

The proposal for the dissolution of YALSA and reunification with ALSC has already been submitted to ALA’s Committee on Organization (COO), and we have an aggressive but optimistic timeline:

  • Mid-June 2025 - COO submits final proposal to ALA Council 
  • End of June 2025 at Annual Conference - ALA Council votes twice to approve proposal  
  • September 1, 2025 – August 31, 2026 will be a transition year inclusive of: 

Collecting member input to determine division priorities and what members would like to see retained from YALSA’s current structure and programming slate. This will include opportunities for members to give feedback via a survey, membership meetings at ALA Annual Conferences in 2025 and 2026, community forums, and focus groups;

Aligning staffing with ALSC and YALSA division priorities;

Managing transitions on internal systems (finance/budgeting, membership databases, etc.);

Building the FY27 budget to reflect planned projects, activities, and current endowments.

  • August 31, 2026 - Dissolution of YALSA effective 
  • September 1, 2026 – Reunification effective 

What will happen to my YALSA membership after dissolution?

ALA is working to determine logistics for converting active YALSA memberships to ALSC memberships at the time of the reunification September 1, 2026. Reunification will result in savings for members who belong to both divisions, as they will be paying for one, rather than two, division memberships.

How Can I Be Involved and Submit My Feedback?

We know that this news is a lot to take in and we understand this may come as a surprise. Please be assured that ALA leadership and your division leadership are cognizant of the benefits and challenges of this new relationship, and we are all committed to ensuring the priorities of both divisions are upheld. 

Additional steps for reunification will include opportunities during the transition year for members to give feedback via a member survey, during membership meetings at ALA Annual Conferences in 2025 and 2026, virtual community forums, and virtual focus groups. 

The full year transition through 2025-2026 is built in to address the deliberate efforts to seek member input and to expand the work within ALSC in a way that is least disruptive to existing programming, activities, and staff capacity. ALA is committed to supporting the transition work by providing additional staff support from across other ALA units, including the Membership, Finance & Accounting, IT, and Communications offices.