91´«Ã½

My name is Ma’lis Wendt. I retired from The New York Public Library in 2007 after 36 years of a fulfilling

career. I began as a Young Adult Librarian in the Bronx and attended my first 91´«Ã½ conference in 1974

when I joined YALSA (then YASD). My friend, Penny Jeffry’s advice was to accept whatever committee

assignment was offered to me—that turned out to be good advice for 91´«Ã½ and for my career.

I was elected to the YASD Board in the late 1980’s and to the Presidency for 1992. I went on to serve on

Council and BARC and the Committee on Accreditation, all the while maintaining my connections to

YALSA. My last committee was the Joint Committee with YALSA/ ALSC/Reforma to revise the Pura

Belpre Award Handbook. This committee had special meaning for me since I worked with Pura Belpre as

a young librarian on the NYPL South Bronx Project.

I have valued all my YALSA experiences and the friends I’ve made as well as the opportunities to share

information across the country and the various divisions and roundtables of 91´«Ã½.