Conflict of Interest Policy for YALSA

YALSA affirms its confidence in the integrity of members who are invited to be nominated or appointed to serve on award and/or media evaluation committees, and in the integrity of the officers or nominating committees responsible for selecting candidates. However, because of the nature of the work of such committees, those who serve on them must be especially sensitive to conflict of interest situations as well as the appearance of impropriety.

This policy aims to clarify the eligibility and responsibilities of candidates asked to serve on award and/or media selection committees.

I. The following situations disqualify a candidate:

a. Any member who is employed by, or advisory to, any publishing house or production company that produces materials that would be considered by any of the YALSA award and/or selection committees; or is the author or illustrator of a book, or creator of other materials, to be published or evaluated in the year of committee service.

b. Any member who is already on a YALSA award or selection committee may not serve on an Association Board or an ALA jury (ex. the Schneider Family Jury).

c. Any member who works for a distributor of products that would be evaluated in the year of committee service is not eligible to serve on a selection or award committee.

d. Any member who is already on another Division’s award or selection committee may not serve simultaneously on a YALSA award or selection committee.

e. Any member who is already on a YALSA award or selection committee may not accept a concurrent appointment to an additional YALSA award or selection committee. This rule does not supersede any existing selection or award committee policies.

II. All other members are eligible for nomination or appointment and could include the following situations.

a. A member who serves as a professional reviewer of young adult or adult books or non-print materials.

b. A member person who is involved in the selection of materials for professional tools, such as Jr. High or Sr. High Catalog or Fiction Catalog.

c. A member who serves as a writer or editor of professional books in the field of young adult or adult literature.

All candidates for nomination or appointment have an affirmative duty to notify the nominating committee, or the appointing officer, of any circumstance or event which would disqualify him/her under this policy or which would otherwise affect, or give the appearance of affecting, his/her ability to carry out assigned responsibilities fairly and without self-interest of any kind. A committee member must resign immediately upon the development of any circumstance or event which disqualifies him/her from committee service under this policy, or which would otherwise affect, or give the appearance of tending to affect, his/her ability to carry out assigned responsibilities fairly and without self-interest of any kind. Notice of the resignation should be sent to the YALSA President.

The President of YALSA shall immediately accept such resignations when tendered. In the event a committee member violates this policy without notifying the nominating committee or appointing officer, the President shall so inform the YALSA Board and request the committee member to tender his/her immediate resignation. If a committee member refuses, the YALSA Board shall remove the member. The President shall then appoint a new committee member.