CYAAL (Colorado Young Adult Advocates in Libraries) is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit organization which seeks to improve services to teens in libraries in Colorado.  We run quarterly professional development trainings and assist in the annual Colorado Teen Literature Conference.

C'YAAL began as an adhoc group, made up of interested parties who had little or no professional support. Once Upon A Time (in the year 2000), in Colorado libraries very close at hand, three Young Adult Advocates (Vicki Pasicznyuk, Jan Knauer, and Susan Dunn) thought, "Wouldn't it be nice if we knew other folks like us?". You can read more on the founding of C'YAAL in the December 2001 issue of Colorado Libraries, the professional journal of the Colorado Association of Libraries.

C'YAAL, Colorado Young Adult Advocates in Libraries, is the result of the collective work of members from across the state. There are no membership fees, degrees required, or much "Shhh"-ing. A listserv has been established to keep contact with each other. Just email cyaalco[at]gmail[dot]com if you'd like to be put on the list.

Frequently, YA librarians work as "lone wolves." We are dedicated to serving young adults to the best of our abilities, but may not have extensive resources or support to do so. Many of us are supporters of YA services, but may be working without official titles.

Whatever your situation, be it a school, academic, or public library, it is hoped that C'YAAL will help you connect with other YA advocates across the state. Utilizing an interactive site, we can promote program ideas, information, idea sharing, and professional support. This is a chance for us to interact across geographic boundaries and share our dedication to young adults. Thank you to ACLIN and the Colorado Virtual Library who graciously granted us server space to house this site during our inception.