91´«Ã½

CHICAGO — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½),is seeking program proposals and paper presentations for its 2012 Young Adult Literature Symposium, , to be held Nov. 2-4, 2012, in St. Louis.

The symposium will gather together librarians, educators, authors and publishers to explore what lies ahead for young adult literature, including trends in content, format and interaction. In an era where trends can rise and fall in the blink of an eye, how do we find the next Big Thing? How will the changing face of today’s teen drive changes in content? What, besides words, will be in the digital future of young adult literature? Can looking into the past of the genre help us determine where we might be headed in the years to come? What factors play a role in determining what will become the Next Big Thing? Join YALSA as we explore what the future has in store for young adult literature and what or who may transform it.

YALSA invites interested parties to propose 90-minute programs centering on the theme, as well as paper presentations offering new, unpublished research relating to the theme. Applications for all proposals can be found (click “Programs and Presenters”). Proposals for programs and paper presentations must be completed online by Nov. 15, 2011. Applicants will be notified of their proposals’ status by Jan. 15, 2011.

Visitors to the symposium website can also join the online symposium community, sign up for the symposium mailing list and more.

For more than 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos and audio books for teens. For more information about YALSA or for lists of recommended reading, viewing and listening, go , or contact the YALSA office by phone, (800) 545-2433, ext. 4390, or e-mail, yalsa@ala.org.