First Wednesdays with YALSA

YALSA hosts informal e-chats the first Wednesday of each month from 8-9 PM, Eastern. YALSA chats will be hosted in a private Meebo room until further notice; watch for announcements on the YALSA Blog and in YALSA's ALA Connect space for the URL and password.

YALSA hopes to encourage members to use the e-chats as a jumping off point for planning and implementing informal, local gatherings for librarians, library school students, and library workers who serve teens to discuss relevant issues, network, socialize, exchange ideas and share news and information about YALSA. If you're interested in hosting a First Wednesday event, read our planning tips.

Members are encouraged to participate in the chats as a means of exchanging ideas and information. The calendar in YALSA’s space on ALA Connect and YALSA’s Google Calendar both show upcoming chats.

Plan Your First Wednesday Event

For tips on event planning, visit www.wikihow.com/Organise-an-Event

Choose a location with Internet access (obtain advance permission if necessary)
- Home
- Library meeting room
- Library school classroom or lounge
- Coffeehouse
- Restaurant/bar
- Other?
Decide on your main goal for organizing a First Wednesday with YALSA event:
- Create an opportunity for area YALSA members and YA library workers to socialize and get to know one another
- Create an event that has a continuing education focus
- Create a professional networking event
- Create an event that is a mix of the three
- Other
Decide on what activities will take place before or after the e-chat:
- Activities with a social focus
  - Potluck supper
  - Happy hour
  - Party
  - Coffee Klatch/High Tea
  - Other
- Activities with a continuing education/professional focus
  - Lecture/presentation on specific topics in YA lit (relating to chat theme)
  - Round table discussion/panel forum (relating to chat theme)
  - Make & take
  - Speed networking
  - YALSA 101 – Intro to the division
  - Other
Advertise your event.
- Think about who you’d like to attend: school librarians, public library staff, grad students, YALSA members, etc. The YALSA Office can provide you with contact information for the members in your area. Contact Letitia Smith, YALSA Membership Coordinator, for assistance at lsmith@ala.org or 1.800.545.2433 x4390
- Decide if you want people to RSVP
- Choose a method that’s the best fit for you:
  - Send out an e-vite
  - Post information on relevant library listservs
  - Post fliers in library break rooms
  - Create paper invitations and distribute
Download or request handouts and swag from YALSA by visiting www.ala.org/yalsa/handouts. Based on the topic the event will be focusing on, choose appropriate materials from YALSA to hand out at your event. Please be sure to give the YALSA Office ample time (7-10 days) to process your request.

Carry Out Your Event

Arrive early, set up, then mingle when people arrive.
Test the Internet access and ALA Connect at http://connect.ala.org/yalsa prior to the scheduled e-chat. Confirm that there are not technical troubles. To log in to ALA Connect, use your ALA website login. Make sure that in your member profile, you’ve clicked “Include me in ALA Connect.”
Consider having name tags available, especially if most of the attendees do not know each other well.
Be a gracious host, chat with people by themselves and introduce them to others, etc. For tips on hosting an event, visit: http://www.wikihow.com/Host-a-Successful-Party
Be available to answer any questions that people may have about YALSA. If something comes up that you can’t answer, keep a journal or pad of paper where people can list their questions so you can pass it on to YALSA staff or YALSA leadership
Personally hand out swag and materials instead of letting it sit on tables.
When appropriate, talk to people about how you have benefited from being a YALSA member.
Stay until the very end & gather up any left over materials, take down, signs, etc.
If another event is planned for next month, advertise it at this one.
Be sure to thank any helpers.

Tips

Recruit other YALSA members who can assist you with planning as well as be present at the event to greet people and circulate.
Create signage, if necessary, to guide people to the location or room where the event is being held.
Consider offering a door prize. Plan on bringing something people can drop their business cards into. If you’d like a door prize from YALSA, indicate that if/when you request swag. YALSA can provide books or audiobooks for door prizes.
Organize a group of colleagues to take turns planning and hosting First Wednesdays with YALSA.

Follow Up

If any attendee asks a question about YALSA that you’re unable to answer, let them know you’ll find out the answer and someone will get back to them. Get their email address, then contact the YALSA office at yalsa@ala.org or 1.800.545.2433 x4390 with your question.

A Note about Funding

Please note that YALSA does not have any funds to support this event other than the cost of shipping the swag and/or handouts. Therefore, it is imperative that you do not incur any costs or enter into any formal agreements with businesses. YALSA will not reimburse anyone for food, room rental, advertising, supplies or any other expenses.

Sample Event Outline

(Times are eastern)

7:00 – 8:00 PM: happy hour, mingling, collect business cards for door prize

8:00 – 9:00 PM: participate in YALSA e-chat (could gather multiple people around a computer, or have multiple computers available)

9:00 – 9:15 PM: group discussion/wrap up from e-chat

9:15 – 9:30 PM: share news and info about YALSA and membership, answer any questions

9:30 PM: give out door prize, announce the next event, thank everyone for coming