YALSA Joins Giving Tuesday Movement to Encourage Spending with a Purpose
Renee McGrath, Chair, Financial Advancement Committee
I'd like to ask those of you who use social media (Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr) to sign up for our fundraising effort in conjunction with #GivingTuesday.
 
This doesn't mean you have to give any money (although that would be very much appreciated). It's a "get the word out" campaign. You sign up at a site called Thunderclap, and then on Giving Tuesday (Dec. 3rd) it will automatically send out a message on either your Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr account. (or all of them).
 
Giving Tuesday was first started last year, to help nonprofits raise funds in order to help others. It's held the Tuesday after Thanksgiving - the idea is about giving thanks, but around that time, we've become more concerned about being a consumer i.e., Black Friday and Cyber Monday (and now so many stores open on Thanksgiving!)

• Sign up for Thunderclap: http://thndr.it/1bnbVud
  Choose Twitter, Facebook and/or Tumblr. It will ask you to sign in to those accounts. That's it!  It's very easy.
• Give directly to YALSA

 We would like to raise $2,000 in order to send two library workers to Washington DC in the Spring for National Legislative Day to advocate for library services to teens. In this climate of slashing budgets, it's vitally important for our voices to be heard.

Nominate Great YALSA Volunteers!
The YALSA Volunteer of the Year Awards acknowledge the contributions of YALSA members who have demonstrated outstanding service to the mission, goals and work of YALSA during a given service year.  Awards are given out for:

• Chair: leadership of an advisory board, jury, committee or task force
• Appointed Member: contributions within an advisory board, jury, committee or task force
• Group: work conducted as a whole by an advisory board, jury, committee or task force

Nominations accepted through Dec. 1 of each year.  The recognition includes a one year membership to YALSA and a commemorative certificate for each category's winner(s).  To nominate yourself, a group or an individual, please use this online form.

Nominate a colleague or yourself for the ABC-CLIO/Greenwood/YALSA Service to Young Adults Achievement Award
Nominations are now being received for the prestigious ABC-CLIO/Greenwood/YALSA Service to Young Adults Achievement Award. This grant of $2,000 is funded by ABC-CLIO/Greenwood and is presented every other year. The grant recognizes a YALSA member who has demonstrated unique and sustained devotion to young adult services. Visit http://www.ala.org/yalsa/awardsandgrants/achievement to download the application or submit an entry via the online nomination form  All persons being nominated must be current personal members of ALA/YALSA at the time of nomination. However, the nominator does not need to be a member of YALSA or ALA. Completed applications should be e-mailed to Letitia Smith (...@ala.org">lsm...@ala.org) with the name of the award in the subject line. Questions should be directed to ...@sbcglobal.net?subject=ABC-CLIO%2FGreenwood%2FYALSA%20Award" target="_self">Michael Cart, Jury Chair. Applications must be received by Dec. 1.

Win $1,000 to attend ALA’s Annual Conference in Las Vegas!
If you are a YALSA member, work with teens, and have never attended an annual conference of the ALA, then you are eligible to apply for a YALSA Conference Travel Grant. Baker and Taylor awards $1,000 each to a school and public library worker that works with teens. If you are a graduate student, there’s a third grant available for you! Online applications are due Dec. 1. Click here for the Baker and Taylor scholarship application and here for the student application. For questions, contact Katie LaMantia at ...@gmail.com" target="_blank">lama...@gmail.com. 

YALSA will have over 100 programs, meetings, and events at the 2014 Annual Conference that you won’t want to miss. The conference is also an excellent opportunity to network with colleagues, authors, and potential employers. Apply now before it’s too late!

Take the Morris/Nonfiction Reading Challenge in December!
The shortlists for YALSA's Morris Award and Excellence in Nonfiction Award will be announced the first week of December. At The Hub, we'll be challenging you to read all of the nominees for either (or both!) awards in our Morris/Nonfiction Reading Challenge starting Dec. 9! Get to know the nominees for these exciting awards before the winner is announced at ALA’s Youth Media Awards in January, and give yourself a head start on The Hub Reading Challenge, which starts in early 2014. Watch The Hub for more details!

Best,

Sharon Rawlins, MLS

Youth Services Specialist for Lifelong Learning

NJ State Library

185 West State St.

P.O. Box 520

Trenton, NJ 08625-0520

...@njstatelib.org">sraw...@njstatelib.org

609-278-2640 ext. 116 - phone

609-278-2650 - fax

Check out my youth services blog!