Are you going to YALSA’s YA Literature Symposium this November? Advanced registration is open until October 13, so register now and join us in Austin! If you’ve never been to a YA Lit Symposium, you might be wondering what it’s all about. Leading up this year’s Symposium, we’ll be featuring interviews with Symposium attendees past and present to give you a picture of why you should attend and what to expect.
Today we have an interview with Lalitha Nataraj, a youth services and academic librarian in Southern California, Hub blogger, and member of the 2016 Printz committee. She attended YALSA’s inaugural YA Lit Symposium in 2008.
What was your biggest takeaway from the YA Lit Symposium?
I attended the YA Lit Symposium when I was fairly new to the profession, and it was a valuable opportunity to network with others who were equally passionate about YA literature and serving teens. Since it can be an uphill battle trying to convince administrators, colleagues, and even the general public of the value and importance of serving teens in the library, the YA Lit Symposium was also a place where I felt more connected and understood in my role as a teen librarian. In addition to leaving with new ideas and deeper knowledge of teen literature, I felt more confident about getting involved with professional activities with YALSA.
What surprised you most about your Symposium experiences?
This conference was really the first time I got to have actual conversations with actual authors – I can be such a tongue-tied fangirl, so I was really surprised at how approachable they were. The YA Lit Symposium was also where I became acutely aware of the critical partnerships between authors and librarians – we support each other in so many vital ways.
Did you make any memorable author connections at the Symposium?
I really enjoyed meeting Mitali Perkins – we had a lovely conversation about shared cultural experiences, and the importance of translating such experiences into relatable literature for young adults. I’ve stayed connected to Mitali over the years through social media, and was so pleased to see her again (and revisit our conversation) at the 2014 ALSC Institute.
Any practical tips for first-time Symposium attendees?
Logistically, I definitely recommend (if at all possible) staying as close as possible to the meeting venue – I remember my hotel being a few miles away from the conference hotel, and I felt somewhat isolated. Others have said this before, but it bears repeating – don’t be afraid to go up to someone and introduce yourself.
Are you going back or would you in the future? If so, why?
I won’t be at the 2014 Symposium, but it’s definitely a conference I want to attend again in the future – it’s a wonderful way to keep up with trends in teen library services and programming, and also spend time with folks who share my professional values.
Thanks, Lalitha!
