Dues & Member Types

ALA membership is open to individuals, organizations and non-profits, and businesses interested in working together to ensure a stable future of libraries, librarians, and the profession. There are a variety of memberships meeting the needs of librarians, library workers, libraries and organizations, students, joint ALA-Chapter packages, organizations, friends, trustees, retired, unemployed, and corporations -- along with opportunities to joining divisions and round tables that meet specific professional needs and interests.

Dues are based on the roles one has in library work. Special rates are available for Retirees, Students, Friends, Trustees, International, and Non-Salaried or Unemployed members. Membership in ALA Divisions and Round Tables is an additional fee, and special dues rates may also be available.

• Membership in ALA is required for Divisional and Round Table membership.
• Personal Memberships run for 12 months starting with the month of your application.
• ALA’s fiscal year is September to August, and dues rates below are current from September 1, 2012 to August 31, 2013. 

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ALA Personal Member Dues                  Joint Membership Programs with Participating Chapters 

ALA Organizational Member Dues         ALA Corporate Member Dues

Divisional Membership Dues                 Round Table Dues

ALA Personal Member Dues 

Regular Members - $65 for the first year, $98 for the second year, $130 for the third and later years.  Includes librarians as well as others employed in library and information services or related activities in positions that: (a) require a master's degree; (b) require a state level certification; or (c) are managerial.

Non-Salaried or Unemployed Regular Members- $46/year. Includes librarians earning less than $25,000 per year or not currently employed.  In a difficult economy this dues category can be helpful for those in career transition or for those just beginning their careers.

Student Members – $33/year. Includes individuals enrolled in a program for certificate or degree in library and information studies. Certain state chapters have Joint Memberships with ALA. Student Membership is limited to five total years.  $33/year.

Library Support Staff Members – $46/year. Includes others employed in library and information services or related activities.  Several states have Joint Memberships with ALA for Support Staff.  .

Retired Members – $46/year. Includes those who have retired from library and information services or related activities.

Trustee Members – $59/year. Includes those not employed in library and information services or related activities who, through their personal commitment and support, promote library and information services as members of governing boards, advisory groups, etc.

Friends Members - $59/year. Includes individual friends of libraries and member of special citizens caucuses interested in participating in association work.

International Members – $78/year. Includes librarians who do not hold U.S. citizenship and who are not employed in the U.S. or U.S. possessions, regardless of salary level.

Associate Members – includes those not employed in library and information services or related activities who, through their personal commitment and support, promote library and information services; e.g., friends and special citizen caucuses and/or individuals interested in participating in the work of the Association. $59/year.

Life Members - includes those who purchase basic membership in ALA for life at rates dependent upon age at the time of application. Installment plans and lump sum purchases are available. Life members receive full benefits of ALA membership with division and round table membership available for additional dues. Download and view life member application for more information.

Continuing Members - includes those who have been active, paid ALA members for at least 25 uninterrupted years. Continuing Members receive ongoing free membership upon retirement.  No ALA Dues.

Joint membership program with participating chapters

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Students, Library Support Staff, and Trustees, Join ALA and Your State Library Association for one low price!

Join Your State Library Association and ALA for one low price!   

Organizational Member Dues

Learn more about our community of library and non-profit members. 

$175 - Very Small Library
$300 - Small
$500 - Medium
$1,300 - Large
$2,000 - Very Large

 $150 - Other - includes Chapters and Affiliates, International Libraries, and non-profit organizations other than libraries

•  State libraries, please contact Member and Customer Service at membership@ala.org to discuss dues.

Corporate Member Dues

ALA Corporate members are active advocates for libraries and librarians.  Learn more about how your company can get involved.

Corporate Membership.  Your membership connects you with leading buyers and decision-makers across the library world while demonstrating your commitment to the global transformation of libraries. Through your Corporate Membership you maximize your visibility and that only increases as you take full advantage of the benefits and discounts available only to Corporate Members.

 As a Corporate Member, you are recognized as a valuable supporter of libraries, librarians, and other library staff. Libraries are essential to helping communities contribute to and benefit from our increasingly global economy.  And your support through your ALA membership helps to ensure that the best library services are available to all.   Take a few moments to review the following information to see all that you receive.

Corporate Member Key Benefits  

Select the corporate membership that meets your needs.

• At the $500 level you can designate one Key Benefit (see list below) you wish to receive when you join or renew (changeable year-to-year, but not within the same year of membership).
• At the $2,000 level, you automatically receive ALL of the Key Benefits (listed below)  --  PLUS, new this year,  25% off display advertising in American Libraries magazine (available only at the $2,000 level). 

Key Benefits

• Discounted Membership List Rental. Receive a 15% discount on renting our membership mailing lists, including lists of members active in special interest divisions, sections, and round tables, as well as Canadian and international addresses. 

• Preferred Exhibit Booth Space. Receive preferred booth space assignments before other exhibitors. Get recognized in conference programs, in Cognotes (our show daily), the ALA’s Membership Pavilion, and  identify your exhibit staff as “Corporate Members” on exhibit badges.

• Recognition as an ALA Corporate Member in American Libraries Buyers Guide, as well as advanced search in the guide.

 All Corporate Members also receive the following benefits.

• ALA JobLIST: Discounted rates on online classified job ads on the top site for both job seekers and employers in the U.S.

• American Libraries: A free subscription to American Libraries, the magazine of ALA, providing a wealth of information about libraries, library work and current ALA news and events.

• AL Direct: Weekly breaking news and information in the award-winning e-newsletter from American Libraries.

Divisional Membership Dues – Personal, Organizational and Corporate

 Select a Division based on your interests or library type - Division Quick Start Guide .

American Association of School Librarians ( AASL)

$50 Regular | $20 Student | $25 Retired |  $25 Non-Salaried  |  $75 Org/Corp
Publications: Knowledge Quest (5 issues) and AASL Hotlinks (monthly)

Sections ($5 each):

• Educators of Library Media Specialists (ESLS)
• Independent Schools (ISS)
• Supervisors (SPVS) 

Special Interest Group - Free

• Retiree SIG   

Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS)

$65 Regular | $15 Student | $25 Library Support Staff | $75 Org/Corp
Publications: Library Resources & Technical Services (quarterly- $20*) and ALCTS Newsletter Online (6 issues)

Sections (no charge):
 

• Acquisitions (AS)
• Cataloging and Metadata Management (CMM)
• Collection Management (CM)
• Continuing Resources (CRS)
• Preservation and Reformatting (PARS)

Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)

$45 Regular | $18 Student | $45 Org/Corp
Publications: Children and Libraries: The Journal of the ALSC (3 issues - $20 subscription value included in dues*) and ALSC Matters! (quarterly)

College and Research Libraries (ACRL)

$57 Regular | $37 Student | $37 Retired | $125 Org/Corp
Publications: College & Research Libraries (6 issues -$26*) and C&RL News (11 issues)

Sections and Interest Groups (3 Interest Groups or 2 Sections plus one Interest Group at no charge. Additional Sections and Interest Groups at $5 each):

• Academic Library Services for International Students Interest Group
• African American Studies Librarian (AFAS)
• Anthropology and Sociology (ANSS)
• Arts (ARTS)
• Asian, African, and Middle Eastern (AAMES)
• College Libraries (CLS)
• Community and Junior College Libraries (CJCLS)
• Digital Curation Interest Group
• Distance Learning (DLS)
• Education and Behavioral Sciences (EBSS)
• Health Sciences Interest Group
• Image Resources Interest Group
• Instruction (IS)
• Law and Political Science (LPSS)
• Librarianship in For-Profit Institutions Interest Group
• Numeric and Geospatial Data Services in Academic Libraries Interest Group
• Rare Books and Manuscripts (RBMS)
• Residency Interest Group
• Science and Technology (STS)
• Slavic and East European (SEES)
• Universal Accessibility Interest Group
• University Libraries (ULS)
• Virtual Worlds Interest Group
• Western European Studies (WESS)
• Women and Gender Studies (WGSS)

Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA)

$52 Regular | $20 Student | $20 Retired | $60 Org/Corp | $500 State Libraries
Publication: Interface (quarterly - $10*)

Interest Groups (Free):

• Consortium Management Discussion Interest Group (formerly part of ICAN)
• Collaborative Digitization Interest Group (formerly part of ICAN)
• Future of Libraries Interest Group
• Interlibrary Cooperative Interest Group (formerly part of ICAN)
• Physical Delivery Interest Group (formerly part of ICAN)
• Library Consultants Interest Group
• Library Services for Youth in Custody Interest Group (formerly part of LSSPS)
• Bridging Deaf Cultures @ your library Interest Group
• Library Services to People with Visual Disabilities that Prevent Them from Reading Standard Print Interest Group (formerly part of LSSPS)
• Library Services to the Incarcerated and Detained Interest Group (formerly part of LSSPS)
• State Library Agencies-Library Development Interest Group
• Library Services to the Incarcerated and Detained Interest Group (formerly part of LSSPS)
• Universal Access Interest Group (formerly part of LSSPS)
• State Library Agencies-Library Development Interest Group
• State Library Agencies/LSTA Coordinators Interest Group
• State Library Agencies Youth Services Consultants Interest Group
• Tribal Librarians Interest Group

Library Leadership & Management Association (LLAMA)

$35 1st year Regular | $50 2nd and later years Regular | $15 Student | $65 Org/Corp
Publication: Library Administration & Management (quarterly - $27.50*)

Sections (no charge):
 

• Buildings and Equipment (BES)
• Fundraising and Financial Development (FRFDS)
• Library Organization and Management (LOMS)
• Human Resources (HRS)
• Measurement Assessment and Evaluation (MAES)
• Public Relations and Marketing (PRMS)
• Systems and Services (SASS)

Library and Information Technology Association (LITA)

$60 Regular | $25 Student | $30 Non-Salaried | Free Interest Groups | $90 Org/Corp
Publication: Information Technology & Libraries (quarterly—online)

Public Library Association (PLA)

$60 Regular | $20 Student | $50 Retired, inactive or non-salaried | $100 Org/Corp
Publication: Public Libraries (bimonthly - $25*)

Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)

$60 Regular | $25 Student | $30 Support Staff | $30 Retired/Non-Salaried | $80 Org/Corp
Publication: Reference & User Services Quarterly (4 issues - $25*) and RUSA Update (4 issues, online)

Sections (no charge):
 

• Business Reference and Service (BRASS)
• Collection Development and Evaluation (CODES)
• History (HS) 
• MARS: Emerging Technologies in Reference (MARS)
• Reference Services Section (RSS)
• Sharing and Transforming Access to Resource Section (STARS) 

United For Libraries:  The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations and Foundations (United for Libraries)

(Formerly named ALTAFF)

$50 Trustee and Friend  | $50 Regular | $15 Student  | $50 Org   | $500 Corporate  |
Publications: The Voice for America's Libraries (bi-monthly)

Sections (one at no charge, additional sections are $15 each): 

• Trustees

• Friends

• Foundations

Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)

$60 Regular | $25 Student | $25 Retired & Non-Salaried | $25 Advocate | Publications: Young Adult Library Services (quarterly -$20*) and YAttitudes (monthly)

 * denotes the price for the member benefit publication included in dues.

Round Table Membership Dues – Personal, Organizational and Corporate Rates

Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange (EMIERT)
$20 • $10 Student • $25 Org/Corp

Exhibits ( ERT)
$15 • $30 Org • Corp Free

Federal and Armed Forces Librarians (FAFLRT)
$15 • Free-Retired •  Students- Free for first 2 years • $30 Org/Corp

Gaming in Libraries
$10 • $20 Org/Corp

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBTRT)
$15 • $5 Student • $20 Org/Corp

Government Documents (GODORT)
Newsletter - "dttp: Documents to the People" included in dues.
$20 • $10 Student • $35 Org/Corp

Intellectual Freedom (IFRT)
$15 • $5 Student • $20 Org/Corp

International Relations (IRRT)
$5 • $5 Student • $15 Org/Corp
* ALA International Members residing outside of the 50 states may join IRRT at no charge.

Learning (LearnRT)
$20 • $50 Org/Corp

Library History (LHRT)
$20 • $5 Student • $100 Org/Corp

Library Instruction ( LIRT)
$15 • $25 Org/Corp

Library Research (LRRT)
$15 • $25 Org/Corp
* ALA Student Members enrolled in doctoral programs - Free

Library Support Staff Interests (LSSIRT)
$10  Individual Members • $10 Org/Corp

Map and Geospatial Information (MAGIRT)
$20 • $10 Student • $60 Org/Corp

New Members ( NMRT) (First 10 years)
$10 Individual Members • $10 Org/Corp  (+10 years of NMRT Membership are Alumni status)

Retired Members (RMRT)
$20 Regular • $50 Org/Corp

Social Responsibilities (SRRT)
$15 Individual Members • $5 Retiree or Unemployed • Students: Free • $25 Org/Corp

Staff Organizations (SORT)
$3 • $6 Org/Corp

Video (VRT)
$20 Individual Members • Students -Free) • $35 Org/Corp

ALA membership is open to individuals, organizations and non-profits, and businesses interested in working together to ensure a stable future of libraries, librarians, and the profession.
 

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