Gojcaj wins stipend to attend YALSA’s 2019 YA Services Symposium

CHICAGO — Lindsay Gojcaj, an Information Services Librarian at the Novi (Michigan) Public Library, has won the 2019 Young Adult Services Symposium library worker stipend from the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). The stipend will provide Gojcaj with up to $1,000 to offset travel expenses to attend the symposium, which will be held Nov. 1–3 in Memphis, TN.

“Libraries should provide equitable access to resources that inform, inspire, and include teens,” Gojcaj wrote in her application. “I strive to empower teens by giving them a voice in the library and encourage them to share their opinions.”

April Stevenson, Head of Information Services at Novi Public Library, details Gojcaj’s passion and commitment to serving teens in her letter of support. “She believes libraries should be safe places for teens to explore their interests and discover themselves.” Stevenson also commends how “[Gojcaj] actively seeks out training opportunities, webinars, continuing education, workshops, and conferences, such as this one, to learn new ideas and keep up with the latest teen trends so she can engage with teens.”

The 2019 YALSA YA Services Symposium will be held Nov. 1-3 in Memphis, TN with the theme: “Show Up and Advocate: Supporting Teens in the Face of Adversity.” Early bird registration ends Sept. 15. To learn more about the symposium, including information on programs and how to register, please visit http://www.ala.org/yalsa/yasymposium. Join the conversation online with the hashtag #yalsa19.

Members of the 2019 YA Services Symposium Marketing Task Force who vetted the applications are: Megan Adovasio-Jones, Chair, Nashville Public Library; Emily C. Farmer, Nashville Public Library - Limitless Libraries; Izabel Gronski, Oak Lawn (IL) Public Library; and Scot Smith, Robertsville Middle School Library, Oak Ridge, TN.

The mission of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) is to support library staff in alleviating the challenges teens face, and in putting all teens ‒ especially those with the greatest needs ‒ on the path to successful and fulfilling lives. For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources go to www.ala.org/yalsa, or contact the YALSA office by phone, 800-545-2433, ext. 4390; or e-mail: yalsa@ala.org.