Membership Value and Benefits

Types of Membership

Organizational Membership

Organizational membership in MLA provides your library and staff with a number of member benefits, including advocacy for your library. Now more than ever is the time to invest organizational dues in MLA in support of advocacy efforts to protect library services and funding. Organizational membership also gives libraries discounts on staff and trustee memberships and allows access to affinity programs. Finally, directors receive complimentary individual membership as representatives of their organizations.

The Organizational Membership Dues Year is July 1 – June 30 to coincide with MLA’s Fiscal Year. Dues are due in full by July 1 each year. MLA members enjoy a 60-day grace period on renewal dues, after which memberships will be canceled for non-payment.

MLA advocacy efforts impact all libraries and communities across the state.

Recently our members have enabled MLA efforts to allow for fair and unencumbered millage issues on the ballot and protect library services
MLA mitigated proposals that would allow only November ballot issues to legislation that would eliminate only the February ballot option.
Libraries are once again free to educate and inform voters about upcoming millage elections. MLA helped stop the devastating moratorium (SB 571/PA 269) preventing the sharing of factual information about library millage elections within 60 days of Election Day. This could have been devastating to the successful passage of library millages.

MLA continues its fight to protect library services and funding while providing library staff the professional development they need.

MLA won the fight to exempt libraries from a number of tax captures ensuring millions of dollars go to libraries. Libraries were the only special millage exempted.
Initiated a successful call to action that prevented penal fines from being diverted to road repair funding.
Ensured libraries were reimbursed for losses due to the Personal Property Tax Repeal.
Enabled $3.3 million increases in state aid to libraries.
Provided 1,000 library professionals with the opportunity to grow through educational and networking events.
Partnered with National Insurance Services, Inc (NIS) to provide access to health insurance options for library staff.

Professional development

MLA’s successful mentor program supports career development by providing encouragement, support and guidance to library science students, early-career librarians, mid-career staff looking to advance within their field or library staff looking to transition into another position.
MLA Academic Libraries program, provides a renewed opportunity for librarians from smaller colleges to obtain leadership roles and presentation opportunities. MLA Annual Conference offers a robust offering of sessions on leadership, academic specialties and highlights the value of networking and learning across library types.

Download the organizational membership application (pdf) or join online.

Join or Renew Your Organizational Membership

Individual Membership

MLA offers you professional development and networking. Stay on top of your professional game, learn the latest trends and best practices through MLA workshops and conferences. Network with and learn from your colleagues in academic, public and special libraries in Michigan.

MLA offers you career advancement. Build your resume through participation in MLA’s committees, work groups and Interest Groups. Support your profession and be part of protecting libraries in Michigan. MLA provides you with vital information including the latest library news, in-depth coverage of library topics and trends from around the state.

Individual membership dues are assessed on an anniversary basis and are valid for 12 months from the time you join. MLA members enjoy a 60-day grace period on renewal dues, after which memberships will be canceled for non-payment.

Download the individual membership application(pdf) or join online.

Join or Renew Your Individual Membership

Membership Classifications and Dues Rates

Organizational Member – Any incorporated library, library cooperative, consortium or library school. Dues are a sliding scale based on the organization’s operational expense budget. Please refer to the Organizational Membership Form (pdf) for dues schedule.
Affiliated Individual Member – Any individual employed by and directly affiliated with an Organizational Member. Dues are a flat annual rate of $85, 50% less than those of Unaffiliated Individual Members.
Unaffiliated Individual Member – Any individual who is not affiliated with an Organizational Member. Dues are a flat annual rate of $170, double those of Affiliated Individual Members.
Affiliated Trustee Member – Any Trustee or member of a board of directors of an Organizational Member. Dues are a flat annual rate of $50, 50% less than those of Unaffiliated Trustee Members.
Unaffiliated Trustee Member – Any Trustee or member of a board of directors of a library that is not an Organizational Member. Dues are a flat annual rate of $100, double those of an Affiliated Trustee Member.
Unaffiliated Library Director – Any library director or chief administrative officer of a library, library cooperative, consortium or library school that is not associated with an Organizational Member. Dues are the greater of $170.00 or 80% of the Organizational Member rate.
Retiree Member – Any person age 60 or older who is a former employee of and retired from a library, library cooperative, consortium or library school is eligible for membership in this category. Dues are a flat annual rate of $50.
Student Member – Joint membership in the American Library Association (ALA) and MLA is available to any Library and Information Science student. Dues are a flat annual rate of $40. Please visit our Student Membership page for more information and a link to the online application at ala.org.
Life Member – Any Individual Member who, on or before January 1, 2010, was designated as a Life Member by the Board of Directors. No dues or membership fees shall be required of Life Members.