Student Member, Voice of Youth Advocates Advisory Board

Posted August 2, 2018

Position​ ​Title: Student​ ​Member​ ​of​ ​the​​ ​​Voice of Youth Advocates Advisory​ ​Board​ ​(VAB)

 

Background​: Founded​ ​in​ ​1978​ ​by​ ​Dorothy​ ​M.​ ​Broderick​ ​and​ ​Mary​ ​K.​ ​Chelton,​ ​Voice​ ​of​ ​Youth Advocates​ ​(​VOYA)​​ ​magazine​ ​is​ ​the​ ​only​ ​independent​ ​library​ ​journal​ ​dedicated​ ​to​ ​the needs​ ​of​ ​young​ ​adult​ ​librarians,​ ​the​ ​advocacy​ ​of​ ​young​ ​adults,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​promotion​ ​of young​ ​adult​ ​literature​ ​and​ ​reading.​ ​​VOYA​ ​adheres​ ​to​ ​three​ ​underlying​ ​principles: specialized​ ​library​ ​services​ ​for​ ​young​ ​adults,​ ​intellectual​ ​freedom​ ​and​ ​equal​ ​access,​ ​and youth​ ​advocacy​ ​and​ ​youth​ ​participation.  

 

Position​ ​Summary: At the forefront of professional innovation, students offer fresh and relevant voices to VOYA operations. Consequently, VOYA seeks student voices and perspectives to add to the ​VAB by maintaining two current student members to serve one-year​ ​terms. Students serving on the VAB learn how a magazine is published, participate in VAB meetings, and make meaningful contributions to the board by providing a unique student perspective. Student VAB members will become adept at strategically scanning the YA services landscape for new ideas on youth services and youth studies. While representing ​VOYA in an official capacity, students will make valuable professional contacts in the YA services field and will be directly supervised by a ​VAB member,​ ​with​ ​whom​ ​they​ ​will​ ​have​ ​a​ ​one-on-one​ ​mentor​ ​relationship. 

 

Minimum​ ​Qualifications:

• Currently​ ​enrolled​ ​in​ ​an​ ​ALA-accredited​ ​MLIS​ ​program
• At​ ​least​ ​halfway​ ​through​ ​coursework​ ​for​ ​degree​ ​with​ ​a​ ​cumulative​ ​GPA​ ​of​ ​3.0​ ​or higher
• Completion​ ​of​ ​at​ ​least​ ​one​ ​YA​ ​services​ ​course​ ​or​ ​demonstration​ ​of​ ​practical experience​ ​in​ ​YA​ ​services​ ​such​ ​as​ ​writing​ ​reviews,​ ​contributing​ ​to​ ​a library-related​ ​blog,​ ​or​ ​completion​ ​of​ ​graduate-level​ ​coursework​ ​related​ ​to​ ​young adults​ ​or​ ​public​ ​service.
• Able​ ​to​ ​commit​ ​to​ ​a​ ​full​ ​calendar-year​ ​appointment
• Strong​ ​technical​ ​skills,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​conducting​ ​research​ ​in​ ​online​ ​databases​ ​and using​ ​social​ ​media​ ​platforms.  

 

Additional​ ​Preferred​ ​Qualifications:

• Desire​ ​to​ ​serve​ ​YAs​ ​in​ ​some​ ​capacity​ ​upon​ ​completion of​ ​MLIS​ ​degree
• Demonstration​ ​of​ ​YA​ ​service​ ​experience​ ​(such​ ​as​ ​current​ ​professional​ ​position, volunteer​ ​activities,​ ​internships,​ ​or​ ​involvement​ ​in​ ​a​ ​YA​ ​service​ ​group​ ​such​ ​as YALSA​ ​or​ ​the​ ​YA​ ​Division​ ​of​ ​a​ ​state​ ​or​ ​regional​ ​library​ ​association)

 

Responsibilities:

• Write a reflection of your experiences as a VOYA Student Advisory Board Article to be published in the December or February issue of VOYA
• Participate​ ​in​ ​VAB​ ​Meetings:
• Arrange and participate​ ​in​ ​quarterly​ ​virtual​ ​board​ ​meetings
• Contribute​ ​a​ ​student​ ​perspective​ ​on​ ​research​ ​about​ ​YA​ ​services, coursework,​ ​ and​ ​class​ discussions
• Conduct​ ​Research:
• Research​ ​and​ ​present​ ​new​ ​ideas​ about​ ​youth​ ​services​ ​and youth​ ​studies​, including from YA journals and magazines, ​and​ ​deliver​ ​evidence​ ​of​ ​strategic​ ​information-seeking
• Critically​ ​read​ ​​VOYA (both​ ​print​ ​and​ ​online)​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​informed feedback
• Coordinate​ ​Recruitment​ ​of​ ​Future​ ​Student​ ​VAB​ ​Members
• Toward​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of​ ​their​ ​term,​ ​student​ ​members​ ​will​ ​assist​ ​with​ ​the recruitment​ ​and​ ​vetting​ ​of​ ​potential​ ​new​ ​student​ ​appointees
• Write and publish at least one review during term on VAB

                       

 

 

Benefits:

•  Gain​ ​practical​ ​experience​ ​serving​ ​on​ ​the​ ​​VAB with​ ​other​ ​professionals​ ​working​ ​in the​ ​field​ ​and​ ​serving​ ​YAs
• Develop​ ​invaluable​ ​contacts​ ​with​ ​professionals​ ​in​ ​the​ ​field​ ​of​ ​YA​ ​services​ ​and obtain​ ​letters​ ​of​ ​recommendation​ ​from​ ​​VOYA‘s publisher​ ​and​ ​editor-in-chief
• Improve ​oral​ ​and​ ​written​ ​communication​ ​skills​ ​and​ ​high​ ​proficiency​ ​in implementing​ ​communication​ ​technologies
• Gain​ ​experience​ ​advocating​ ​for​ ​selection​ ​and​ ​appointment​ ​of​ ​future​ ​student​ ​VAB members
• Enjoy​ ​a​ ​complimentary​ ​one-year​ ​subscription​ ​to​ ​the​ ​print​ ​edition​ ​of​ ​​VOYA  

 

How​ ​to​ ​Apply:

• Send​ ​a completed​ ​application, including​ ​résumé​ ​and​ ​two​ ​letters​ ​of​ ​recommendation​ ​(at least one​ ​from​ ​a professor​ ​or​ ​practitioner​ ​of​ ​YA​ ​services)​ by October 1, 2018 ​to​ ​​ [email protected].