Job Description for Advisory Board, Committee, Jury & Taskforce Members

When members are appointed to official groups, they are expected to be active participants in the work of the group. They must commit the time, energy and creativity needed to assist the group in realizing its goals and objectives.  All group members are responsible for responding to communications from the chair in a timely manner and accepting and performing tasks assigned to them by the chair.  Selection and award committee members are responsible for attending all meetings held at both Midwinter and Annual.  

Before deciding to volunteer for a particular committee/jury/taskforce, YALSA recommends that you contact the  current chair of the group or participate in a group meeting (like YALSA's All Committee Meeting at Midwinter and Annual or a meeting being held online by the group) to get an idea of the group and the work that it does. Some committees, like award and selection committees, require a significant amount of time.  Do your due diligence and talk to current group members to find out about how much time one must have to devote to the work of the group.

Minimum Qualifications

Please note that by accepting a position as a commitee member, you are indicating that you are able to make a commitment to serve for the entire length of the committee appointment. If you know that a significant event will be happening in the coming year that would prohibit you from serving out your full appointment, then please delay your committee service until you have enough time to commit to the group. YALSA has many other options besides committee work that require less time commitment and offer more flexible opportunities, such as blogging, facilitating a discussion forum or webinar, joining a discussion or interest group and more.

  • Current membership in YALSA
  • In order to accomplish work in a virtual environment, all committee/jury/taskforce members must be competent users of web 2.0 tools, including but not limited to wikis, e-chats and ALA Connect.
  • Good time management and organizational skills
  • High ethical standards
  • Willingness to serve
  • Adequate time to commit to the work of the group
  • Meets deadlines

Please note that specific groups call for certain areas of expertise. For example, the Financial Advancement Committee seeks members who have fundraising experience. Please check the individual group’s page on the web site for details.

Reports To: Chair of the group to which they have been appointed

Appointment Process

  • Researches the different member groups to find one that is the best fit for you
  • Fills out the appropriate volunteer form before the annual deadline
  • Reads appointment form and accompanying information carefully before signing and returning it to YALSA’s Membership Coordinator
  • Asks YALSA’s Membership Coordinator or President-Elect for more information about the appointment, if needed
  • Notifies chair and fills out a new volunteer form if re-appointment to the group is desirable

Participation

  • Knows the function statement for the group and understands the charge and policies and procedures of the group 
  • Seeks guidance or clarification from the chair when needed
  • Requests the information needed to perform tasks from the chair
  • Actively participates in planning and implementing short and long-range goals for the group
  • Participates in any scheduled meetings, online discussions, virtual work sessions, etc.
  • Takes a proactive approach to group work
  • Works on group projects throughout the year
  • When appropriate, promotes YALSA and its resources to communities, professionals, and teens
  • Clears any contact with vendors, publishers, organizations etc. first with the chair, who then clears it with YALSA’s Executive Director

Knowledge

  • Becomes familiar with the ALA Handbook of Organization
  • Reads and understands the content of the YALSA Handbook, paying special attention to any policies or procedures that impact the work of the group
  • Pay special attention to association activities that affect or are affected by the group's work
  • Becomes familiar with the YALSA Strategic Plan
  • Keeps up with YALSA news by reading YAttitudes and YALS, monitoring the YALSA Blog and/or subscribing to association Twitter feed

Communication

  • Promptly informs chair and YALSA’s Membership Coordinator of changes in mailing and contact information
  • Strives to respond within 24 hours to chair messages
  • Informs chair of any emergencies or extenuating circumstances where you will not be able to participate in communication or activities for a period of time.
  • Brings any issues or concerns relating to the group or to your ability to participate in the group to the chair so that they may be resolved in a timely manner
  • Understands that the only person with authority to speak for the group is the chair
  • Notifies the YALSA President, group chair and YALSA’s Membership Coordinator if resigning 

What YALSA Looks for When Considering Requests for Reappointment to a Group or Appointment to Another Group

Terms of appointment vary, and members may request re-appointment (in some cases up to a total of four years) by filling out a new volunteer form. Many members have asked us how YALSA evaluates them when looking at requests to be re-appointed to a group or to be appointed to another group. We look at:

  • Participation: How active has the group member been during his/her term? As examples, has the member actively participated in projects, communicated with group members in a timely manner, taken a proactive role in accomplishing the work of the group, and/or participated in any events or programs organized by the group?
  • Attendance: Did the member attend all required face-to-face meetings, virtual work sessions, conference calls, etc.?
  • Chair and Staff Feedback: The chair and appropriate staff are asked for feedback on the group member’s participation in the work of the group.

What YALSA Looks for When Considering Committee Members for Appointment as Chair

In addition to the items noted above, YALSA also looks at whether a group member has been actively engaged as a leader on any special projects, his/her success in managing the work, his/her ability to work in a team environment, ensuring that projects are successfully completed in a timely manner and familiarity with association structure and governance. The YALSA President-Elect communicates with the current committee chair to gather information about the best qualified committee members to serve in the role as chair.
http://www.ala.org/yalsa/aboutyalsa/yalsahandbook/jobdescriptioncommittee
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