Hello members! It has been a bit since I have updated, but there is a lot going on at ALSC.
Town Hall
ALSC will host a Town Hall on Thursday, November 12, at 3 p.m. (CT) via Zoom. We’ll share an update on recent reunification activity and the results of the reunification member-leader survey, answer questions from attendees, and invite your input on a new division name. We hope to see you there!
Stay in the Loop
If, like me, you renew your membership in the fall, please be aware that renewing can change your communication preferences, and you may not be getting all of the ALSC emails. To check, log in to your ALA account, go to “Preferences,” and select “Subscribe to ALA emails.”
Children’s Literature Lecture
Today, November 10th, we celebrate our second-to-last Children’s Literature Lecture. In this lecture, an author, critic, librarian, historian, or teacher of children’s literature, from any country, presents a paper that makes a significant contribution to the field. The paper is delivered as a lecture and published by ALSC.
This year, Cynthia Leitich Smith will deliver, “Indigenous Voices: On the Page & Behind the Bylines,” hosted by the Kerlan Collection at the University of Minnesota Libraries at the Elmer L. Andersen Library. I am grateful to the selection committee: Casey O’Leary, Robyn Carr, Lucia Acosta, and Eti Berland, and look forward to Cynthia’s lecture and paper. A livestream and recording of the event will be available from the Kerlan.
Gratitude and Appointment Updates
National Institute was an amazing opportunity for me to meet so many members who are passionate about children’s and teen services and literature, whether at the Morris Seminar, one of the many panels on books and book evaluation, or elsewhere throughout the Institute. It was also exciting to share again that ALSC Institute will move from a biennial to an annual event, beginning in January 2028, and will conclude each year with the Youth Media Awards.
ALSC staff and leadership also had the chance to thank the member leaders who have steadily continued committee work. We also addressed concerns about what reunification means for teen awards, and I want to be clear: there is a strong focus on award retention!
That work is why appointments matter so much right now. Because as we approach 2027, many of us are wondering which of the fantastic 2026 titles will be honored at the Youth Media Awards in January. But the next question that may be on members’ minds is who will serve on award juries in the coming year?
If you submitted a volunteer form through ALSC or YALSA and haven’t heard from me or ALSC yet, please don’t fret! I’m working through appointments with my Presidential Advisory Group, Anne Michaud (deputy director), Ana Cackley (Program Officer for Awards), and Maggie Reagan (Program Manager for Awards and Projects). Together we are considering appointments for our many children’s and teen awards and selection lists. With more than 150 positions to fill, the process is taking a bit longer than usual.
When making appointments, ALSC officers use a holistic, intentional process to build well-rounded committees. To best serve children and teens, we want committees that reflect the full breadth of our profession and the diverse communities we serve. Rather than reviewing applications in isolation, we balance a mix of perspectives, including geographic diversity, institutional mix, lived experience and identity, and ALSC service history.
We strive to place as many passionate volunteers as possible, but demand often exceeds available seats. This is especially true for our highly competitive Award Committees, which regularly receive dozens more applicants than open seats. Because these roles carry a unique workload and high profile, appointees typically have a proven record of active committee service within ALA and ALSC first.
Please give any ALSC appointment careful thought. Ask yourself whether it’s work you want to do and whether it fits your plans and goals right now. Award committees in particular require a significant commitment. Members spend many hours reading and evaluating titles, and they are expected to follow the committee’s criteria and manual as well as ALSC policies and procedures. Many committees also have several mandatory meetings, both virtual and in person. If now isn’t the right time, that’s okay. Opportunities to serve will come again, and we hope you’ll apply in the future.
Still interested in serving? The YALSA volunteer form is now defunct, and the ALSC form can’t fully capture the new range of service interests, so please email your interest to alsccommittees@ala.org.
Ariana Sani Hussain
2026-2027 President, Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)
The post ALSC Updates galore! appeared first on ALSC Blog.
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