ALA Council

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  • 1.  Lifetime ALA Membership

    Posted Jan 31, 2022 05:00 PM
    Hi!   New Councilor here, but I wanted to share some information re: lifetime memberships.

    In one of the Council Meetings during LibLearnX, it was mentioned that lifetime membership payment plans are still too expensive for many members--and that this should be addressed as well by council.  As a lifetime member, I'd actually like to point out several more issues with lifetime membership that we should be aware of. 


    If we are looking just at cost, we need to also remember that the membership does not include divisions or round tables.  So if a lifetime member does not work for a library or institution that pays their dues, they may still pay hundreds of dollars each year to be an active member.

    Aside from cost, I think it's important to know that lifetime members cannot alter their memberships online at all.  If you want to add a new division or round table (or drop one), you have to call ALA to have this done.  Which means you have to call every year to renew those division and RT memberships.  If we are looking at encouraging more lifetime members (through making the payment plan more affordable), this is really something that needs to be addressed.     1)  It's onerous for lifetime members (and often leads to lapses in division membership--at least for me) and  2) I can see it becoming burdensome for ALA staff.


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    Sonnet Ireland
    Library Director
    She/Her/Hers
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  • 2.  RE: Lifetime ALA Membership

    Posted Feb 01, 2022 12:36 PM
    Echoing Sonnet,
    There are definitely benefits and drawbacks to Life Membership
    For me, the big personal benefit is the projected lifetime dues savings. Life Membership is a great gift to give to, or receive as, a newer library worker. The up-front cost was beyond my reach, until I received a lump sum (for incorrectly calculated back-pay) that I was able to apply to the payment.
    For me, the personal drawback is that the smoother, online renewal process for my Divisions and RTs is not available and requires calling in (and, harder, to remember to call in).

    Flipping perspectives to the budget side, Life Membership, while the right thing to offer members, effectively reduces long-term association income. After ~15 years (for new life members aged 45 or younger) each life membership reduces subsequent annual income by one base dues payment. Sure, my lump $2,000 from eight years ago was useful then, but now my life membership nets the current year budget a negative $150 in dues, compared to what I would contribute were I a paying personal member. (a "loss" that I offset with dues for 4 Divisions and I've lost count how many RTs)

    Other than no longer paying annual ALA dues, I think there are no benefits for Life Members beyond the benefits that are avai;able to all ALA members.





  • 3.  RE: Lifetime ALA Membership

    Posted Feb 01, 2022 11:25 PM
    Aaron,

    Thank you for pointing out the budget implications for lifetime membership.  There is a new accounting standard that ALA has just adopted in which the lifetime membership is calculated out for the lifetime of a member using an actuarial average.  But an audit is different than cash management so on one hand, yes, lifetime membership is factored for many years but on the other, the cash is added within the initial year(s).  

    My personal opinion is that if a member is interested in and able to pay for a lifetime membership, please do so.  The accounting behind the scenes is not a factor.  ALA's tactical goal is to expand membership - the foundation to have a greater impact in our society and either yearly or lifetime will get us to our vision.


    Maggie Farrell

    Dean of Libraries
    University Libraries
    University of Nevada, Las Vegas

    maggie.farrell@unlv.edu 
    Office: 702-895-2286

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