Hi everyone! My name is Tanya and I am a co-chair of the ALSC Program Coordinating Committee. ALSC has many committees that do countless things. Maybe you are like me and have never heard of this particular ALSC Committee. Or maybe you have heard of it but have no idea what we do. I am here to tell you about us!
The Program Coordinating Committee is made up of members, 2 co-chairs, our ALSC Staff Liaison, and our Priority Group Consultant. This committee is primarily tasked with reviewing, scoring, and selecting program proposals that are submitted for the ALA Annual Conference and the ALSC Institute, which happens every two years. We also do this work for smaller or virtual conferences as needed. The majority of our work takes place in the fall, as that is when we review for ALA Annual.
We work hard to choose a variety of programs for each conference that are diverse, engaging, creative, and new for our members. After programs are accepted, we then support our presenters in the months before the conference and during their programs as needed. Depending on the year, ALSC will also assign the committee additional tasks that vary.
Why do I enjoy being on this committee you might ask?
I did not have much experience with writing or reviewing proposals before I was selected for this role. I have learned so much about what goes into writing a good proposal (keep an eye out for a future blog post about this) and what makes a program stand out above others. I also enjoy helping to select programs that think our ALSC members will be excited about and will give our members valuable takeaways.
Why should you think about volunteering for this committee?
This is a good entry level committee if you have not been involved much with ALSC. It is a great way to see what is happening behind the scenes of ALSC as well as to see what is happening on a macro level. You get to see what kinds of programs and projects are being worked on nationally and what hot topics there are. This committee also gives you an understanding of what is available to you at upcoming conferences.
If you are interested in volunteering for this committee in the future (or any other ALSC committee), now is a great time to fill out your volunteer form. Committee appointments are made throughout the spring and early summer. If you have any questions about the Program Coordinating Committee, please email me at tanya.prax@yahoo.com.
Today’s blogger is Tanya Prax, the co-chair of the ALSC Program Coordinating Committee. Tanya is a Youth Services Librarian at Arapahoe Libraries in Denver, Colorado. Her favorite things about her job (if she had to pick) are a family cooking program and booktalking to kids at schools.
