American Library Association (ALA)

[ALA website is huge. Here are some basics.]

Membership in ALA is the place to be if you are a librarian or library worker. Thousands of leaders in the profession know ALA membership helps them effectively plan new strategies, quickly learn new skills, and immediately connect with great ideas for their libraries. You can instantly connect to these resources, and with other professional library workers at all levels through ALA membership.

Organizational Membership
Your library has a unique opportunity through Organizational Membership in the American Library Association (ALA) to have your concerns about legislation, funding, library use, and advocacy heard at a national level. Organizational Members know that ALA focuses on issues that are important to libraries and library workers. Joining ALA is a benefit to your organization and a voice in the future of America’s libraries.

ALA works through the 'your library campaign' to increase public awareness about the value of libraries to our communities. Organizational Members can take advantage of many ALA programs and events to help expand staff skills and services. Aligning your organization with ALA provides your library with a wide variety of benefits, including discounts on ALA resources like our professional publications, employment and management resources, and affiliated insurance programs. Public, high school, and community colleges receive free Oprah Book Club® selections as a key benefit.

Dues
$110 - Library budget of less than $50,000 or other not-for-profits of any size.
$110 - Chapters and affiliates
$175 - Library budget between $50,000 - $199,999

Personal Memberships
A subscription to American Libraries magazine (11 issues) and AL Direct, the weekly e-newsletter

• Discounts on registration rates for Annual Conference, the Midwinter Meeting, and divisional national conferences and symposia
• Access to several members-only discount programs, including medical, life, long-term care, auto, and home insurance, ...

Dues

• Student Members – includes individuals enrolled in a program for certificate or degree in library and information studies. Certain state chapters have Joint Memberships with ALA. $33.00/year.Non-Salaried Members - includes librarians earning less than $25,000 per year or not currently employed. $46.00/year.
• Trustee 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 as members of governing boards, advisory groups, etc. $59.00/year.
• 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. $59.00/year.

New Members Round Table
NMRT is an organization for people with fewer than 10 years of membership in ALA. We have close to 2000 members representing every aspect of librarianship, from nearly every state and even some foreign countries. Our mission is to help those who have been association members less than ten years become actively involved in the association and the profession. The goals are fourfold: (1) to structure formal opportunities for involvement and/or training for professional association committee experiences on the national, state and local levels; (2) to provide a wide variety of programs to assist, encourage, and educate those new to the association and the profession; (3) to offer a variety of leadership training and opportunities to help those approaching the end of their NMRT eligibility make the transition to future positions in the association and the profession, and; (4) to develop and implement ongoing programs for library school students which encourage professional involvement and networking.

Mentoring program

Handbook