Type: Standing
Date of Establishment: January, 1999
Date of Completion: Continuing
Membership: 9, including chair. All members will be appointed by the vice-president/president-elect.
Qualifications:
- Current membership in YALSA
- Experience in evaluating library materials, such as relevant course work, on the job materials evaluation experience, writing reviews and/or relevant articles, previous selection committee experience, etc.
- Ability to attend both ALA's Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference during your term of appointment on the committee.
- Ability to dedicate a significant amount of time to seeking out and reading relevant titles.
- No conflicts of interest in accordance with YALSA’s Award & Selection Committee Conflict of Interest Policy.
- Good time management and organizational skills
- High ethical standards
- Previous service on a YALSA committee/jury/taskforce is preferred.
For information on the responsibilities of committee/jury/taskforce members, visit YALSA's Handbook.
Term of Office: 1 year, commencing February 1 and ending Jan. 31, one year later. Committee members, including administrative assistants and chairs, who have completed one full term on any of YALSA’s six award committees may not be appointed to the same or another YALSA award committee for two years from the conclusion of their term. In extreme circumstances, and at the President’s discretion, an exception may be made if a committee member resigns suddenly or if there is a shortage of qualified candidates for positions. The President, after discussion with the Executive Director and Committee Chair, may determine that the best course of action is to appoint a member regardless of his/her recent committee service history.
Function: To select from the previous year's publications the best young adult book, "best" being defined solely in terms of literary merit. The Committee may also name as many as four honor books.
Procedures: See Policies and Procedures - YALSA Handbook, VIII. - 17
History: After study and discussion by the Best Young Adult Book Award Feasibility Task Force from Spring, 1998 to Winter, 1999, a proposal by the Task Force to the Board was adopted at the 1999 Midwinter Meeting.
The first award was given at the Annual Conference in 2000.
Winners: See the complete list.