Candidates for President of ALA's Youth Services Divisions Speak Out
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By Rocco Staino -- School Library Journal, 02/03/2010
Want to know what the candidates for president of the American Library Association’s (ALA) youth divisions have to say? SLJ caught up with them at this year’s ALA midwinter meeting in Boston last month to hear why they’re running for office.
To vote in the election, members must be in good standing as of January 31, 2010. Polls will open March 16 and close April 23, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. CST. When polls open, ALA will notify voters by email, providing them with a password and information about how to vote online.
American Association of School Librarians (AASL) presidential candidates:
From left: Carl Harvey, Ann Ewbanks.
Ann Ewbanks, librarian at Arizona State University.
“I am a boundary broker. One of the most interesting things about my job, as a university librarian serving a college of education, is the vantage point that it gives me in terms of how the educational community sees school librarians. It is this unique vantage point that helps me to see “the big picture” and the vital role that school librarians play in that big picture. School librarians have an incredible opportunity to influence millions of students, and AASL can make our vision a reality.”
Carl Harvey, a media specialist at North Elementary School in Noblesville, IN.
“The future for our profession lies with involvement. Involvement begins by designing instruction and providing resources based on the AASL learning standards that meet the needs of students and teachers; convincing decision-makers that school libraries are a wise use of scarce dollars; and recruiting members to be actively involved in AASL. As president of AASL, I will work on all these areas to help move the profession forward.”
Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) presidential candidates:
From left: Marge Loch-Wouters, Mary Fellows.
Mary Fellows, manager of youth and family services for the Upper Hudson Library System in Albany, NY.
“Each day ALSC has opportunities to reconceive our work. Whether it’s reinventing our structure to include more virtual participation, instigating diversity in our profession, seeking out the connection between new scientific information and our concerns, or training politically savvy advocates for children, there is much good work to be done in ALSC. As President, or as one among our 4000-plus member-leaders, I am eager to make it happen!”
Marge Loch-Wouters, youth services coordinator for the La Crosse Public Library in La Crosse, WI.
“The many members and leaders of ALSC have nurtured me, giving me opportunities to learn and build up leadership skills, become an advocate for children’s services, and allow me to have a voice nationally. By running for office in this vibrant division, I hope I can give back just a portion of what I have received over the years from my colleagues throughout the country.”
Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) presidential candidates
From left: Sarah Flowers, Sarajo Spurgeon Wentling.
Sarah Flowers, retired deputy county librarian at the Santa Clara County Library in California.
“YALSA and its members have so much to offer to teens and to the library profession. I want to continue to help shape the future of young adult librarianship by giving back to this organization that has given so much to me in my library career.”
Sarajo Spurgeon Wentling, youth services librarian at Carver County Library in Waconia, MN.
“I would be honored to be YALSA’s next president-elect, continuing to be actively involved in and giving back to a vibrant organization that has been so significant in my professional life. In the current economic climate it is crucial to advocate for strong teen services in libraries and media centers."
