Handbook

Program Planning Process - Criteria for Programs

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CRITERIA FOR PROGRAMS

As appropriate, proposed programs and objectives will be subject to the following review criteria:

Purpose

Are the goals and objectives for the proposed program clearly defined?
How does the program address YALSA goals and priorities?
Who is the targeted audience? Is the target audience clearly defined? To what extent does the targeted audience represent more than one segment of YALSA's membership? To what extent does it represent more than YALSA's membership?
Are there other ALA units or outside organizations that would have an interest in the topic? Is co sponsorship a possibility? If not, why not?
Is the topic one of current importance, or popular demand, or related to the overall theme for the conference of which it is a part?
Is the program required at a particular time because the topic is related to an event of current significance?
When was the last program on this topic presented and is the amount of new information or demand sufficient to warrant another program?

Format

Does the amount of time (e.g. conference program, preconference workshop, institute workshop, outside conference) and the suggested format (e.g. speaker, panel, small group, etc.) represent the most workable and valuable method of presentation for the program topic?
Does the program take advantage of local resources and facilities that may be available in a particular city or geographical region?
Will the proposed program elements be available for the program i.e. speaker, equipment, space, etc.

Cost

Is the program cost realistic? Is it justifiable in terms of the nature and size of the targeted audience and the importance of the topic?
Is the proposed program being co sponsored or was co sponsorship considered and rejected with justifiable grounds? If the program is being co sponsored will it include shared costs or is it co sponsorship in name only?
What external (to ALA) funding is available to cover some or all of the costs of the proposed program?
If a pre conference/regional institute/workshop, will it be self supporting?

Rights & Permissions

The association has the right to publish all publications, products and/or presentations connected to committee-sponsored activities and programs. The YALSA office requests that all program participants sign a Letter of Agreement with YALSA in advance of a program. The Letter of Agreement also covers audio and video taping rights. Inform all program participants of this procedure when they agree to participate in a program. DRAFTS of letters of agreement follow on pages 21-28.