ALA HQ released the attached Summary of ALA Membership Dues and Member Types table which may be of interest. Some Councilors noted that dues increases need not be automatic and cited examples of ALA units/affiliates whose leadership vote to increase dues using CPI data. Preventing the increases from being strictly automatic reduces the chance of dues going up with CPI but never coming down if the CPI does.
Discussion continues on the ALA Council list and I found Maggie Ferrell's statement helpful. She wrote "ACRL, as noted in previous emails, went to a dues increase structure that cannot exceed the HEPI unless voted on by the membership. However, the dues increase is not automatic and the ACRL Board must consider and approve the increase. Here is the wording from the ACRL Bylaws:
Section 3. Dues. The amount of personal member dues shall be determined by the ACRL Board of Directors. Annually, the Board of Directors will review and may authorize a dues adjustment not to exceed the percentage change in the most current Higher Education Price Index (HEPI) rounded to the nearest dollar. Adjustments in excess of the percentage change in the most current HEPI are subject to the approval of the membership in a mail or electronic vote. Organizational and corporate member dues shall be determined by the ACRL Board of Directors.
The ACRL Board is accountable to the membership so this is good "check and balance" process and the increase is not automatic. However, the ACRL Board thought a gradual increase in dues when necessary would be easier on our members than a large increase."