New Member Center

ALA Connect and Connect Live

Collaborate with more than 50,000 library professionals with a wide variety of interests and specializations. ALA Connect is the place to share ideas and make new connections with library workers across the globe. ALA Presidents host ALA Connect Live events to connect with members year-round. Save your seat!

New Member Social and Orientation Sessions

Join us online to meet your ALA Membership staff, learn about some of the resources available to you through your membership, and connect with other ALA members and library colleagues. Register for one of our scheduled sessions today.

American Libraries and AL Direct

Keep up with breaking news and relevant information affecting every type of library with early access to ALA’s award-winning e-newsletter AL Direct and American Libraries magazine, the voice of the profession and flagship magazine of the association.

Library Worklife

Learn more about issues that concern all library workers: career advancement, certification, human resources practices, pay equity, recruitment, research, and work/life balance with your subscription to the monthly Library Worklife newsletter. Included with your membership from the American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA).

ALA Member Value Programs

ALA membership includes access to exclusive perks and offers that can help you maximize your personal and professional life. LEARN MORE

Professional Development

Build your expertise and advance your career with ALA's word-class professional development. Members receive discounted pricing on learning opportunities designed to meet your needs and your schedule, from a quick webinar to asynchronous online courses.

ALA eLearning | Booklist webinars

Discounts on Educational Programming and Conferences

Enjoy discounted pricing for the leading professional conference for librarians, ALA  Annual Conference & Exhibition, as well as Division Conferences, Symposia, Forums, & Institutes. Members also have exclusive access to LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience — with Learning Labs, Xcelerators, and action-based instruction.

Tools, Publications, and Resources

Track future trends for libraries, build connections with experts and innovative thinkers, and respond with critical data collection and research during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, ALA members work to interpret and revise the core values guiding the profession of librarianship.

Programming Librarian

Share, learn and be inspired with new ideas! Programming Librarian provides the resources, connections, and opportunities you need to help your library fulfill its role as a center of cultural and civic life.

Advocate for Libraries

Check out the advocacy resources available for you and your library. ALA is THE national voice for libraries and provides advocacy assistance, resources, training, and the support networks needed by local advocates and you can help amplify those messages. ALA works to inform government officials, lobby legislators, and build critical coalitions to further library interests and secure policies that support your library's mission -- providing free and equal access to information for all.

Intellectual Freedom

Protect intellectual freedom, a basic right in a democratic society and a core value of the library profession. Everyone hopes their library will never face a censorship challenge, but should it happen, it's good to know that help is available from ALA. In addition to providing local support for challenges to library materials and programs, ALA generates awareness at the national level about threats to intellectual freedom.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Engage with ALA's Libraries Respond resources  to  share information, find resources, and connect as your library evolves to meet the changing needs of your community through the lens of equity, diversity, and inclusion. ALA is committed to building a future where library leaders are as diverse as the populations we serve. The Spectrum Scholarship Program actively recruits and provides scholarships and  leadership development opportunities to American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern and North African, and/or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students.

Find Your First or Next Job

Browse job listings on ALA JobLIST. Set up a job alerts, upload your resume, and use the career resources to ensure success.

ALA-APA Salary Survey

Negotiating job salary, planning the next step in your future career, or mapping out plans for your library? Good information is essential. ALA-APA's Library Salary Survey Database — a $250 value — is included with your ALA membership and has benchmarking data organized by state or region for both MLIS and non-MLIS positions.

Resume Review and Mentorship Opportunities

Have professional questions or need a little help polishing up your resume? The New Members Round Table (NMRT) has a Resume Review Service and a Career Mentoring Program to help you take that next step.

"I am eternally grateful to ALA and the Black Caucus of the American Library Association for believing in me and sponsoring my participation. I learned so much about how ALA functions as a professional organization, the difference between leadership and management, and how to lead from wherever you are regardless of your job classification or title."

— Raemona Little Taylor, ALA Emerging Leaders Class of 2016, Senior Librarian and Education Initiatives Coordinator at Marin County (Calif.) Free Library