Teen librarian Lindsey Tomsu has some amazing kids involved with her teen advisory board. One young lady stepped up to the challenge when a spot opened up on the La Vista Public Library board in Nebraska. Huyen-Yen Hoang put in her application, and before she knew it, the board was naming her as the president. How did you first become involved with La Vista (NE) Public Library?

Huyen-Yen and TAB President, Haley Christensen, do some teamwork coloring during a Random Club program

I first got involved with the La Vista Public Library in the summer of 2005. My first grade teacher had given all her students calendars of things we should do so that we wouldn’t get bored. One day, it said, “Register for the Summer Reading Program,” and so upon doing so, I was so intrigued, I came back every year. Although, I didn’t actively help out until the summer of 2010 when I discovered the newly developed teen program and joined the TAB (teen advisory board). Can you describe the process of getting nominated to the La Vista library board? And on the election? I would say I was lucky to get on the library board. Seeing that a spot had opened up and there was no teen representation, Lindsey Tomsu, our teen coordinator, had recommended me to the mayor. I filled out an application and two months later, I got a letter saying I was accepted onto the board (January 2013). There was no election to library board president. At our November 2013 meeting it was time to fill the official positions again. I was sitting at the table with the other board members and they were going around saying things like, "Oh, well I was just president last year" or "I am going to be secretary this year." Then all of a sudden they slowly turned to look at me... I raised my hand and said, "I volunteer as tribute?" Next thing I know I am the president of the library board at 16 years old. What are the responsibilities of the library board president? Although being president sounds like a lot of work, my main responsibility is to run the meetings when the library director, Rose Barcal, is gone. How much older is the next youngest member of the board? She is about 30 years older than me. Would you consider being part of the American Library Association's United for Libraries board? Yeah! If I am able to, it seems like something I’d like to be a part of.