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CHICAGO - Find tools for improving services to teens in your community by enrolling in "Growing, Managing and Defending the Young Adult Budget" and "Tapping Youth Participation to Strengthen Library Services," online courses offered this fall by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Both courses run Oct. 4 through Nov. 1 and cost $135 for YALSA members, $175 for 91´«Ã½ members and $195 for nonmembers.

In "Growing, Managing and Defending the Young Adult Budget," instructor Monique Delatte will offer participants a two-pronged approach to building and growing a young adult services budget. Students will learn how to advocate for the YA budget to important library stakeholders and how to gain financial support for teen services from grant-funded sources. Students will also learn tips for maintaining the relationships that keep the funding flowing long after this course is complete.

In "Tapping Youth Participation to Strengthen Library Services," instructor Amy Alessio will share practical ways to work with teens to improve library services. Participants will learn the benefits of teen participation and engagement in the library and will examine examples of youth participation in collection development, programming and planning of physical and virtual spaces. In addition, participants will learn methods of incorporating youth participation into the administrative levels in public libraries and school libraries and into the community.

Each course provides the equivalent of 10 contact hours, and certificates of completion are issued to all individuals who successfully complete the course. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more, and all YALSA e-courses are available for licensing; contact Eve Gaus at egaus@ala.org or 1 (800)-545-2433, ext. 5293, for more information.

For more information on YALSA’s online courses, please visit . Registration for both courses will close on September 27.

For more than 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos and audio books for teens. For more information about these awards or for additional lists of recommended reading, go to . For more information about YALSA, please contact us via e-mail, yalsa@ala.org, or by phone, at 1 (800) 545-2433, ext. 4390.