All of our Selected Lists, have been transitioned over to the Hub. Transitioning the selected lists to The Hub will offer a better opportunity to highlight books that are being considered for each list in a more timely and easily accessible manner, as well as provide members with more virtual participation opportunities. More info can be found here.
Blogging Team Function Statement
To select, annotate, and present for publication an annual list of notable audio recordings significant to young adults from those released in the past two years.
The Team
The Amazing Audiobooks Blogging Team consists of 10 - 15 YALSA members and one Team Lead. Team members are appointed by the Hub's Member Manager and serve a term of one year. Team members may be selected to serve a concurrent, second one-year term based on the member's first year performance and their interest and availability in serving another year, for a total of a two-year maximum concurrent term length on the team. The term of service begins Jan. 1st in the year under consideration and concludes Dec. 31st of that year.
Members who have served two consecutive years as a member and/or administrative assistant may not be appointed to the same team for three years from the conclusion of their last term. This guideline will not apply to the Chair. In extreme circumstances, and at the President’s discretion, an exception may be made if a team member resigns suddenly. The President, after discussion with the Team Lead, may determine that the best course of action is to fill the vacancy with an experienced member, and appoint a member in good standing who successfully served on the blogging team in question during the previous three years.
Team Member Responsibilities
Each team member must be responsible for listening to and ranking the majority of audiobooks submitted for consideration in any year. Members conduct all work virtually and work year-round. Members must participate actively in the work of the team. Specific duties are assigned by the Team Lead. Members must be able to listen to audiobooks in all possible formats, both digital and physical.
Team Lead Responsibilities
The Team Lead presides at all meetings of the group and manages an online work space for the group. It is the responsibility of staff to contact the various audiobook publishers with an explanation of the team’s charge and need for members to receive submissions to be judged for the annual list. The team lead should work with staff to renew efforts each year to increase the number of audiobook publishers who are aware of and involved in this project. The Team Lead is a voting member of the group, with all the rights and responsibilities of the other members. It is also the Team Lead's responsibility to notify team members of times and format/platform for meetings, to compile a list of suggested titles for discussion, and to provide an agenda before each meeting.
Eligibility & Criteria
Eligibility
- All literary genres are eligible for consideration.
- The Team will consider and vote on titles published within the past two calendar years. A title may only be submitted once and cannot be reconsidered the next year.
- Audiobooks must be available for libraries to purchase and lend. This can include a digital format that is available for lending or in a physical format.
- Titles previously published in another country (in any format) will be considered eligible the first year the title is available for libraries to purchase and lend in the US.
- Titles previously unavailable in a format for libraries to purchase and lend will be considered eligible the first year the title is available for libraries to purchase and lend.
- The audiobook is intended for or appeals to young adults, who are defined as persons age 12 to 18; works for this entire age range are to be considered. Adult titles are also eligible for consideration if they have crossover appeal.
- Audiobooks featuring single or full cast narration are eligible.
- The Team Lead, with assistance from designated YALSA staff, is responsible for verifying the eligibility of all nominated titles.
The criteria against which any particular audiobook should be judged as a candidate for a final list of annual recommendations by YALSA include:
- Appeal of content to any or all potential listeners between 12 and 18 years old. While the list as a whole addresses the interests and needs of young adults ranging in age from 12 to 18, individual titles may appeal to parts of that range rather than to its whole. Material need not be “family friendly,” or appeal to the youngest common denominator of adults.
- Adapted materials must remain true to, expand, or complement the original work.
- Effective use of voices, music, sound effects, and language.
- Appropriateness of material for audio presentation.
- Suitability of match between performer and text.
- Possible expansion of audience of young adults for a text that has not been readily accessible in its print format to its target audience.
- Professional production quality
- Correct pronunciation of all text words is required, however, a title would not necessarily be disqualified if an error is deemed by the Team to be minor. when evaluating the recording as a whole
- Clarity of recording is required.
- Informative packaging is preferred.
Curricular suitability can be a positive consideration but is not a requirement for inclusion.
Nominations
The nomination period runs from January 1 to December 1.
The Team Lead will accept nominations throughout the year, as well as suggestions from the field. A suggestion form is available on the YALSA website. Team members may nominate an unlimited number of titles. Team members may recommend to the Team Lead that a particular production company be contacted specifically for review copies of a title that deserves team attention. Neither publishers nor authors may nominate their own titles. The Team Lead will regularly disseminate a list of nominated titles to group members. Each nomination must have been heard by at least one group member in its entirety.
Team members are encouraged to solicit the opinions of young adults on titles being considered for nomination.
Selection Process
A simple majority vote will determine the winners.
The final list, with annotations written by the team, will be complete by Dec. 31. The list will be made available on The Hub and in the Teen Book Finder Database.
Meeting Procedures
Voting Process
At the discretion of the Team Lead, straw votes may be conducted periodically. The sole purpose of such voting is to guide discussion by revealing levels of support for individual titles.
Amazing Audiobooks List
The final list of recommended titles numbers between 25 and 30 and addresses the wide scope of interests and concerns of listeners between 12 and 18. No one title need address the interests of all listeners in this range, but the list as a whole must offer a balance of developmental levels, intellectual concerns, and experiential backgrounds. Each year’s submissions for consideration must have been produced or released within the 24 months previous to the list’s release at Midwinter. The list is to be annotated, with the annotations reflecting both the content of the audiobook and the performance quality through which the production company enhances any print on which the production is based. An audiobook produced and released close to Midwinter may be eligible for reconsideration in the following year if fewer than ¾ of committee members have had the opportunity to review it between its submission and the final selection meeting of the term.
Diversity
Librarianship focuses on individuals, in all their diversity, and that focus is a fundamental value of the Young Adult Library Services Association and its members. Diversity is, thus, honored in the Association and in the collections and services that libraries provide to young adults.
Revision
These procedures will be subject to review, and possible revision by the YALSA Board of Directors following the first two years of implementation. Revised, 01/08. Revised, 11/14.