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CHICAGO — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) has awarded Angela Hartman and Sara Huff its 2017 Travel Stipend.

The travel stipend, worth up to $1,000 each and funded by , will allow both recipients to attend , which takes place May 1-2, 2017 in Washington, D.C.

Hartman is a librarian at the Hutto (Texas) Independent School District.

“It is an extreme honor to be selected as the recipient of the stipend from YALSA to attend National Library Legislative Day 2017,” said Hartman. “As a first-time attendee, I am looking forward to joining the Texas delegation to share the message with federal legislators of the continued importance of libraries and librarians, especially for teens and young adults.”

Huff is teen librarian at the William Jeanes Memorial Library and Nicholas and Athena Karabots Center for Learning located in Lafayette Hill, PA.

“As a Teen Librarian in a public library, I see the positive impact libraries makes on teens’ lives every single day,” said Huff. “I see firsthand how literature can affect young people. From attending programs, to reading books, to providing a safe and welcoming space, libraries provide a huge influence on teens. That is why I strongly support federal funding for libraries and I am so excited to be able to go to our nation’s capital and voice my support.”

To learn more about National Library Legislative Day, please visit . For resources and tips on how to speak up for teens and libraries, visit .

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 , or contact the YALSA office by phone, 800-545-2433, ext. 4390; or e-mail: yalsa@ala.org.