If you think YALSA as opposed to ALA is a softer option for volunteering your professional, think again! These people are dedicated. Youth services is a calling and so is throwing your hat in the proverbial ring. It’s a ring not of doom, but a multi-ring circus, and your committee chair is the ringmaster.
But wait! Don’t walk away yet! There is hope for the more casual contributor. And indeed some of the smaller, less time-consuming contributions may in fact lead to bigger and better things.
Here’s how it breaks down:
If you have just 5 minutes a month to spare:
- Why not nominate a title for a reading list?
- Contribute content to the Wiki!
- It’s easy, just make sure to get your topic vetted first to make sure it is a good fit
- Adapt something you’ve written before and get it out there!
If you have 30 minutes a month to spare:
- Why not submit a program idea?
- Join or view an online webinar
- If you join YALSA you get an all access backstage meet the band and get invited to the after party or online webinars! Past topics have included everything from cultural competence to content creation – chock o’ block full of countless topics!
- Apply for a member award
- Apply for a grant – YALSA gives out $150K/annum in grants. It’s up for grabs!
If you have 60 minutes a month to spare:
- Why not blog for YALSA?
- Join the mentoring program (sign up is in May)
- You can do it all online!
- Some of the committees are almost 100% virtual – like the strategic reconnaissance command committee…well…it’s really just the strategic committee, but WOW! Exciting stuff! All from the comfort of your own internet connection!
If you are ready for a commitment: (without the marriage and mortgage)
There’s a lot you can do for YALSA, but beware all ye who enter here…here there be part-time jobs!
- Board fellow
- Research – there’s funding available, folks!
- Award Committee – Printz award committee is heavy duty reading and time commitment.
YALSA offers so much more, too, than even this…thirsty for more?!
Further education:
- Webinars on the members only portion of the YALSA site
- 3rd Thursday every month – live webinars with, like, live living people
- Only got a coffee break to commit? Why not watch a 10-minute YALSA Academy video?
YALSA Interest groups:
- Got a great idea for an interest group? All you need is 15 peeps and you are in!
Selection Committees:
No, we’re not selecting curtains together, but after all that interaction, you will know your committee members like a virtual roommate!
- Audiobooks
- Selected Lists (2-year commitment)
- Chair a committee and then get supervisor/management experience!
- Strategic committee
- Printz Committee – 1-year commitment (because anything more could be dangerous for your health)
- Quickpicks – 2-year commitment
- Task Force
- Advocacy – great for the extrovert in you! Bug senators in your spare time!
- HUB writing – YA Lit advocacy, dudes! Readers’ advisory, 100% virtual, just 1-2 hrs a month commitment.
- Collection development topics, fiction, non-fiction, audio, digital content
- Media that goes beyond the awards
- One post a month is all that it takes!
- Write for the journals!
- Research
- YALS – continuing education, competencies…
- YALSA writing awards!
Read on McDuff on the YALSA site! We’ll see you there!
@yalsa