As many of you know, GLBTRT has many liaisons to other parts of ALA and other organizations. In an effort to help share their knowledge of what is going on in these other organizations, the News is now offering a space for these reports, tentatively planned for every 2-3 months. We would like to extend our thanks to every liaison that submitted! -JMF
Freedom to Read Foundation
Carolyn Caywood
The Freedom to Read Foundation is in the midst of #FTRF45 — a year-long series of events celebrating 45 years of legal and educational work in support of the freedom to read. It was on November 20, 1969 that the Freedom to Read Foundation filed its articles of incorporation with the State of Illinois. Since that time, FTRF has been instrumental in supporting efforts to keep books on library shelves, protect reader privacy from unwarranted government intrusion, and have unconstitutional laws struck down.
Funds raised in the course of #FTRF45 will be used to support FTRF’s legal and educational initiatives. To keep updated on the latest goings-on with “FTRF45,” follow FTRF on Twitter or Facebook, and visit the FTRF Blog. Use #FTRF45 for social media posts about 45th anniversary events.
Questions? Contact Jonathan Kelley at jokelley@ala.org or (800) 545-2433 x4226.
YALSA
Ana Elisa de Campos Salles
Midwinter in Chicago this year saw YALSA’s executive and board meetings dominated by discussion of the IMLS-funded The Future of Library Services for and with Teens: A Call to Action. You can also find a distilled version in the Executive Summary.
The scheduler for annual this year is not out, but if you’re interested in learning more about how YALSA works, I recommend checking out YALSA 101 to learn what they’re about and how you can get involved. If you work with teens and have a say in your collection, I also highly recommend sitting in on one of their book list committees, like Great Graphic Novels for Teens. But the best session to attend for me, and for many people given how packed the room gets, is the Best Fiction for Young Adults Teen Feedback Session. Area teens from wherever the conference is being held are asked to line up and step up to the mic to book talk at us. Love it or hate it, they’re honest and fun about it, and the session is brilliant.
I’m sure we’ll be hearing more about the Futures report in YALSA sessions at annual. In the meantime, go to YALSA’s pages to keep up to date with everything they’re up to, and check out the YALSA blog, the literature blog for YALSA The Hub, and follow them on Twitter.
