ALA & YALSA Resources for Member Groups

resources for YALSA leaders

Find out how to get involved with YALSA and ALA via member groups! You'll find information for those serving or interested in serving on advisory boards, committees, interest groups, juries, interest groups and task forces.

Tools to Facilitate the Work of your Group

For detailed information about managing a virtual group, please check out the Chair Manual (.pdf).

  • Create an email discussion list. Contact YALSA, at yalsa@ala.org
  • Create a Slack channel in YALSA's Slack account. Contact YALSA Projects at yalsaprojects@ala.org
  • Use the workspace and networking opportunities on ALA Connect, an online resource from ALA. ALA Connect is useful if you would like to keep a calendar of tasks (accessible to all members) that your group needs to accomplish, if you want to have real-time text chats to talk about your work, if you want to share documents, or if you would like to have threaded discussion on a topic. To access ALA Connect, log in using your ALA login and password. Need a space for your committee on ALA Connect? Contact YALSA, at yalsa@ala.org
  • If your group needs to meet via conference call or an e-meeting (via a video conferencing platform), please contact YALSA at yalsa@ala.org to request that one be set up for you.
  • Schedule a face-to-face meeting of your group at an ALA Annual Conference or Midwinter Meeting. Contact Carla Jamison, YALSA’s Program Officer, at 1.800. 545 2433 x4387 or cjamison@ala.org

Selected Resources for Reaching YALSA and Beyond

  • Send a brief report to YALSA E-News about your group or have an event listed in YALSA's Google calendar. Contact YALSA Projects yalsaprojects@ala.org
  • Host podcasts on one of YALSA's blogs that feature a discussion about something relating to your group’s area of focus.
  • Create a space on YALSA’s public wiki for participants to share information and ideas. Fill out the form (Word Doc) to request space and email it to: yalsa.wikis@gmail.com
  • Participate on YALSA's Facebook fan page by posting relevant messages on the wall (see a list of other YALSA e-resources)
  • Chairs and conveners who want to be active YALSA bloggers can contact the YALSAblog manager, at yalsablogmanager@gmail.com
  • Tweet @yalsa and YALSA staff will retweet your message
  • Send announcements out via YALSA's two biggest listservs, YALSA-BK and YA-YAAC.
  • For more resources or ideas for disseminating information about your group, contact YALSA Projects at yalsaprojects@ala.org

Publishing

  • Post information and handouts from your ALA conference program in the conference scheduler on ALA Connect.
  • Write & publish articles in Young Adult Library Services. Contact the Member Editor, at yalseditor@gmail.com
  • Write and publish research articles in the Journal of Research on Libraries and Young Adults. Contact the editor, at yalsaresearch@gmail.com
  • Write a brief announcement for YALSA E-News. Contact YALSA Projects at yalsaprojects@ala.org
  • For book-length publishing ideas, please contact YALSA Projects at yalsaprojects@ala.org
  • Visit this web page for more information about writing and publishing with YALSA

Continuing Education

  • Host a program at ALA’s Annual Conference. Calls for proposals are due each year in August via an online form that is accessible from the YALSA homepage beginning each July.
  • Host programs or present papers at YALSA’s annual Young Adult Services Symposium. Calls for papers and proposals are online on YALSA's events page.
  • Facilitate one of YALSA's live Third Thursday webinars. Contact Beth Yoke, YALSA's Executive Director at tdillards@ala.org for more information.
  • Create a YALSA Academy video. Contact YALSA's Executive Director at tdillards@ala.org for more information.