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CHICAGO —The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) has named Cearra Harris as its .

Harris’ career began at Richland Library in Columbia, SC. While working at Richland Library, Harris fell in love with programming, and developed a strong passion for serving the at-risk community. She is currently the Teen Services Specialist at the Charlotte (North Carolina) Mecklenburg Library and is pursuing an MLIS at University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

“I am humbled to be named a 2018 YALSA Spectrum Scholar,” said Harris. “This scholarship will provide me with the necessary skills and opportunities to deepen my experience as a Graduate student, and fully prepare me to be a youth services librarian in the future. I am so excited for what is yet to come because I know that as a future librarian I will have the power to transform lives and my community!”

The program actively recruits and provides scholarships to American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern and North African, and/or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students to assist them with obtaining a graduate degree and leadership positions within the profession and 91´«Ã½.

YALSA’s participation in the program is funded through the (FOY). Each year, FOY donations fund over $14,000 in member awards, grants, scholarships, and stipends.

was created in 2005 to ensure excellence in the Association's traditional programs and services to library workers serving teens and to support growth in new directions as our profession meets the exciting challenges of the 21st century. Learn more or donate at .

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.