{"id":32881,"date":"2025-04-07T00:01:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-07T04:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/?p=32881"},"modified":"2025-04-03T09:34:29","modified_gmt":"2025-04-03T13:34:29","slug":"building-professional-confidence-through-alsc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/2025\/04\/building-professional-confidence-through-alsc\/","title":{"rendered":"Building Professional Confidence through ALSC"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"Three<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Spring has sprung and it\u2019s still never too early or too late to start getting involved with ALSC! As a Youth Services Librarian who joined ALSC right at the start of their career, I can tell you that contributing to this organization has been one of the biggest driving factors behind keeping me motivated and engaged in my profession- and I believe it can be that for anyone too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Networking<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some of us love it, some of us not as much, but no one can deny the power of having a strong network of professional support. Don\u2019t leave it to the extroverts to have all the fun! Linking up with lots of other youth librarians can be tough since we\u2019re all scattered across the country, but luckily virtual meetings have made it easier than ever for us to get together and share our ideas and experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One way you can start getting connected is by checking out upcoming We Are ALSC Chats (WAAC)<\/a>! ALSC\u2019s Membership Committee will be having another \u2018Zoom Social\u2019 type event on April 23, 2025 at 3pm ET\/2pm CT, titled \u201cSummer Reading Pep Rally: Getting Your Heart, Mind, and Body Ready for the Coming Storm<\/strong>\u201d. Our Zoom sessions offer informal opportunities to meet with other youth library workers around a relevant or timely topic relating to our profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Committee Work<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

ALSC has nearly 60 committees, task forces, and discussion groups that anyone can get involved with! A list of committees can be found here<\/a>, and signing up is as easy as filling out a volunteer form<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re wondering about what committee work can do for you, here are a few cool things that I\u2019ve been graced with after my first two years on the Library Service to Underserved Children and Their Caregivers Committee (LSUCTC):<\/p>\n\n\n\n