Get ready to vote! The YALSA election runs from March 19 through April 25, and to help you be an informed voter, we’re sharing interviews with each of the 2014 YALSA Governance candidates.
We will start with the candidates for Board Director-at-large. YALSA Board members serve three-year terms, during which they jointly determine YALSA’s policies, programs, and strategic direction, in accordance with YALSA’s bylaws. They attend both virtual and in-person meetings and serve as liaisons to YALSA’s committee chairs and members. A full description of Board duties and responsibilities can be found here.
Candidates, who will be presented in alphabetical order, were asked to craft “Twitter-length” responses (i.e. around 140 characters). Full biographical information on all of the candidates can be found on the sample ballot.
Today we have an interview with Jennifer Korn.
Name and current position: Jennifer Korn, TeenSpot Manager, The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County.
Why did you decide to run for a YALSA office? What excites you about serving on YALSA Board?
Serving on Board will allow me to give back to YALSA and to lead the organization in a way that supports my fellow teen serving professionals to reach their potential.
What areas of YALSA’s Strategic Plan do you think you can best contribute to? Why?
Advocacy and continuous education because of my past and present involvement in both of these activities within my library system, regional organizations, and YALSA.
What is the most pressing issue facing YALSA today?
The decrease in support for teen-focused, school and public library services as illustrated by a reduction of allocated resources and dedicated professionals.
What priority activities should YALSA take on to address the “paradigm shift” as described in The Future of Library Services for and with Teens report?
Advocating for the necessity of teen library services needs to be a top priority – advocacy to legislators, library and school administrators, potential partners.
What attributes have helped you succeed professionally?
I welcome challenge and growth. I perform best with a team and prefer collaborative work. I am thorough and focused with all of my work.
What do you see as the primary role of the Board?
Creating high-level initiatives that support the organization’s strategic plan, and then arming members so they can translate these initiatives into objectives that address immediate organizational needs and encourage member growth.
If elected, how will you help YALSA members (in their daily work, in their careers, other)?
I will make decisions guided by member needs and concerns, and emphasize the importance of engaging more members in YALSA’s activities.
What else would you like voters to know about you?
My involvement in YALSA has helped me move from librarian to a manager with recognized leadership ability. I want all of YALSA’s members to experience the same benefits to their professional growth.