YALSA Awards

Not a YALSA member? Here are two great reasons to join.

Young Adult Literature Symposium Stipend

YALSA’s Young Adult Literature Symposium Stipend will enable two qualified recipients to attend the symposium, which will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Nov. 5-7, 2010

Two stipends up to $1,000 each will be awarded as follows: the first stipend is to be awarded to a library worker who works directly with young adults, with one to ten years’ experience; the second is to be awarded to a student enrolled in an ALA-accredited MLS program (you must be a MLS student as of Nov. 5, 2010) with a focus on serving young adults in a library setting.  To be considered for either stipend, you must be a personal member of YALSA.

Applications for both stipends must be received in the YALSA office by Jan. 4, 2010, via email to yalsa@ala.org. Download the application instructions and form: students (Word doc) and library workers (Word doc). Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Winners will be notified before or on March 1, 2010.

Questions can be directed to Nichole Gilbert at ngilbert@ala.org or 1.800.545.2433 x4387.

YALSA’s MAE Award for Best Literature Program for Teens

This award honors a YALSA member for developing an outstanding reading or literature program for young adults. Winners receive $500 and an additional $500 for their libraries. Applications for the MAE Award, along with all of YALSA’s grants and awards, are due to the YALSA office by Dec. 1.

The MAE Award for Best Literature Program for Teens is sponsored by the Margaret A. Edwards Trust.

Edwards was a well-known and innovative young adult services librarian at Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Md., for more than 30 years. Her trust has supported many initiatives from YALSA, including the Alex Awards for adult books with teen appeal and all five rounds of the Excellence in Library Service to Young Adults project.

Criteria

  • The purpose of the reading or literature program must be to bring young adults and books together and to encourage the development of life-long reading habits.
  • The program must be specifically designed for and targeted at reaching young adults.
  • All or part of the program must have taken place in the twelve months preceding the award deadline date of December 1.
  • The applicant must work directly with young adults and be a personal member of the Young Adult Library Services Association.
  • Nonwinning entries may be resubmitted in subsequent years if the program is current and ongoing and if a new application that updates the documentation is submitted.

Guidelines

  1. All entries must include the application form (PDF) provided by the Young Adult Library Services Association.
  2. All applicants must be current personal members of ALA/YALSA at the time the application is submitted.
  3. Entries should be models of clarity and completeness.
  4. The application must be e-mailed to Nichole Gilbert at ngilbert@ala.org. Questions can be directed to Nichole at 1.800.545.2433 x 4387. Applications must be sent electronically.
  5. Applications must be received no later than December 1 of the current year.