Forum Spotlight - Youth Services Forum
November 25, 2024
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The Youth Services Forum is comprised of professionals who work with children in a public library setting and addresses the needs and interests of those concerned with quality library service for children. Members of our group share resources, network, gain leadership experience, and discuss issues that impact library youth services.
The YSF meets four times throughout the year and offers opportunities for committee participation and speaking engagements. Virtual meetings allow the group to include members from across the state.
Members of the YSF are currently working on expanding networking events and presenting the engaging graphic novel contest, “Battle of the Graphics.”
Together with the iREAD committee, we coordinated the 2024 Youth Services Forum Author’s Breakfast featuring award winning author and illustrator, Oge Mora. Her picture book, Thank You, Omu!, was a Caldecott Honor, Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award winner, and Ezra Jack Keats Book Award recipient. Her second book, Saturday won the 2020 Boston Globe—Horn Book Picture Book Award. In addition, our awards committee presented the 2024 winners of the Youth Services Librarian of the Year and the Youth Services Achievement Award at the 2024 ILA Awards Luncheon.
The Youth Services Forum sponsored four programs at the 2024 ILA Annual Conference, "Building Leadership Skills for Youth Services Staff: A How-To Guide for Future Managers," "IGNITE," "Youth and Young Adult UnConference," and "Look What You Made Me Do: Teens, Tweens, and Makerspaces."
Our Facebook group, Youth Services Forum ILA, continues to draw new members and works to provide a place to connect for Youth Services staff in the Illinois libraries. Members post about job openings, share resources and continuing education opportunities and ask questions related to Youth Services.
Interested in joining? Complete this interest form and a member of the Youth Services Forum will contact you.
This spotlight was written by the Youth Services Forum Managers Ellen Fitzgerald and Jennifer Peterson. Ellen is the Children Services Supervisor at the Nichols Library of the Naperville Public Library. Jennifer is the Youth Services Supervisor at the Indian Trails Public Library.
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