Get Involved and Participate in YALSA
Find ways to participate in YALSA, from volunteering to writing!
YALSA offers a variety of ways to participate at a variety of commitment levels. Find out how to get involved:
- Award Committees
Interested in being on a YALSA Award Committee that chooses book and media awards? Watch the Award Committee Webinar or read a transcript from YALSA's monthly e-chats about serving on an award committee (PDF). Also, read this article How to Succeed on a YA Book Committee (PDF).
- Awards & Grants
Each year, YALSA offers more than $195,000 in awards, contests, grants, stipends, and scholarships to its members.
- Be on the YALSA Board
Run for YALSA office! YALSA annually holds an election. YALSA members elect a division President-Elect, Board members, certain award committee members and, depending on the year, a Division Councilor, Fiscal Officer and Secretary. Find out the benefits of board service. Read this article (PDF) on running for ALA Council by Steve Matthews.
Why should you want to become a Board Liaison?
- Great way to build your professional network.
- Get the inside scoop on all things ALA & YALSA
- Gain board and comittee leadership skills
- (For Students) Connect coursework to real-world issues
- Committees and Advisory Boards
Volunteer for a year-long YALSA committee or advisory board! YALSA appoints volunteers to its virtual strategic committees (e.g., Research, Summer Learning) in the spring and its award committees and selected list blogging teams (e.g., Best Fiction for Young Adults, Morris Award) in the fall. Interested? See a list of committees and be sure to fill out the Committee Volunteer Form. Interested in chairing a committee or advisory board? Watch the Virtual Chair Training Webinar. Have questions? Check out the Committee FAQ.
- Juries and Taskforces
Volunteer for a short term (3 - 6 months) jury or taskforce! Juries are appointed each fall, and taskforces are assembled as needed. Members can find out about these opportunities as they become available via the weekly YALSA eNews. - Interest Groups
Start a YALSA Interest Group. These can be based on a topic, like makerspaces or science fiction, or they can be based on geography, like a Nashville Area Interest Group, or an International Members's Interest Group.
- Represent YALSA at a State Conference
Help YALSA have a presence at your state library association conference by presenting a program, helping to staff an exhibit booth or hosting a happy hour. Learn more on YALSA's wiki or contact Letitia Smith at lsmith@ala.org.
- Represent YALSA to other National Organizations
Opportunities include serving as YALSA's Liaison to ALA groups, to IFLA, and/or USBBY. Contact the Executive Director for more information.
- Selected List Groups
Help develop one of YALSA's annual lists of recommended listening or reading! For 2017, Amazing Audio and Quick Picks are being created by members through The Hub. In 2018 the other selected list work will also move to The Hub, too.
- Support Our Initiatives
Register for YALSA’s major yearly initiatives: Teen Read Week and Teen Tech Week. Use each website to find program and event ideas, resources for planning, publicity tools, and more.
- Teens' Top Ten Voting
Encourage your teens to vote for their favorite books in the Teens’ Top Ten.
- YALSA Election
Help determine YALSA’s direction! Vote in the annual ALA/YALSA Election, held each spring. Read this Election FAQ for more information.
- YALSA Wiki
Share your great ideas on a variety of topics on the YALSA Wiki.
Other Ways to Get Involved