YA Section Strategic Plan

The New Jersey Library Association’s Young Adult Services Section

Core Purpose:

The Young Adult Services Section encourages and supports library services and literature for teenagers throughout the state of New Jersey.

Our three main goals are:

  1. Promote library materials and events to teens
  2. Promote best practices in teen services
  3. Support teen librarians

Goal 1: Promote Library materials and events to teens

Objective: Garden State Teen Book Awards

Participants from the section read and evaluate YA books for inclusion in one of three categories on the Garden State Teen Book Awards ballot: Fiction Grades 6-8, Fiction Grades 9-12, and Non-fiction Grades 6-12.  The section prepares and distributes the ballot, gathers and tallies votes cast by New Jersey readers, and honors the winners at the Garden State Luncheon at the annual NJLA Conference.

Objective: Teen Advisory Board Forums

Teen Advisory Board Forums demonstrate teenagers’ support of their local libraries to the teens themselves, libraries, and the press.  Teen Advisory Board best practices are shared while encouraging teens to both be proud of their accomplishments and to further develop library programming and activities.

 

Goal 2: Promote best practices in teen services

Objective: NJLA Conference

Prepare and present current, quality programming pertaining to service to teens.

Objective: NJASL Conference

Prepare and present current, quality programming pertaining to service to teens with a focus on school libraries.

Objective: Youth Services Forum

Prepare and present current, quality programming pertaining to service to teens.

 

Goal 3: Support teen librarians

Objective: Network opportunities

The section meets six times per year and members are encouraged to share (in person and virtually) their successes and issues in all aspects of library service to teens.  Members work together to decide on conference programming, to prepare the GSTBA ballot, and plan and promote additional events.

Objective: Leadership opportunities

The section invites members to gain leadership experience by serving on its Executive Board and by being a presenter or panelist for conference programming.

Objective: Continued education

During our six annual meetings, members are updated on pertinent information in New Jersey libraries and opportunities for relevant continued education are highlighted.