Join WLA | Give Your Passion a Voice 

Membership in the Wisconsin Library Association (WLA) offers many benefits. We encourage members to become involved with any one of our many units - membership participation is vital to the WLA and Wisconsin libraries. By your membership and involvement in WLA, you will be able to impact your library and your community. Not only will you receive the opportunities below, you will have an opportunity to volunteer on one or more of our active committees which impact the organization.

Membership Forms

Benefits of Membership

  • Enhance your legislative knowledge and advocacy skills, and support initiatives to improve library service and funding in Wisconsin.
  • Connect with library professionals and other leaders. Build your personal contact list online and in person to help solve day-to-day challenges and celebrate successes.
  • Meet professional challenges and develop your career path with an abundance of leadership and continuing education opportunities, including WLA and unit conferences.
  • Be part of something bigger! Support the profession and a worthy cause. Your dues payment is WLA's most important source of financial support, and having a large membership boosts WLA's credibility with elected officials and others who affect libraries and the profession.

More for members only

  • Discounts on conference and event registration!
  • WLA e-newsletter
  • Access to e-lists based on your unit or other special interests
  • Access to online directory of Wisconsin library personnel and supporters
  • Individual/personal members may vote in WLA elections and hold elected or appointed office

Membership Levels

Personal (individual)

  • Individuals currently employed in a library pay dues calculated at $3.00 per $1,000 of wages. Minimum is $50.00; maximum is $250.00.
  • Unemployed or retired library workers, trustees or Friends: $50.00.
    To qualify for reduced WLA dues as a retired member, an individual must draw retirement income, not be actively employed and have been a WLA member for the previous three years.
  • Full-time students pursuing a Master's in library science (joint ALA/WLA membership): $38. 
  • Life member: $0

    To qualify for free lifetime WLA membership status, an individual must draw retirement income, not be actively employed and have been a WLA member for the previous 25 consecutive years. Life members of WLA shall receive full personal membership for life without payment of additional dues.

Institutional

  • Corporations (for profit): $200
  • Non-profits (including Friends groups): $75
  • Libraries and library-related organizations pay based on budget:
                           Up to $49,499 $  63.00
  $50,000 to $99,999: $102.00
  $100,000 to $249,999: $152.00
  $250,000 to $499,999: $191.00
  $500,000 to $999,999: $224.00
  $1,000,000 and over:  $255.00

 

Trustee Memberships

WLA conferences and other educational programs offer your trustees and volunteer leaders the chance to learn more about libraries, gain a broader perspective on their important role, and interact with others who share a passion for libraries. We’re pleased to invite your library trustees, foundation board members, and friends board members to join WLA with this tiered dues structure:
                           Boards with 5 or fewer members $100
  Boards with 6-8 members $150
  Boards with 9-14 members $200
  Boards with more than 14 members $300
  Individual board members $50
To learn more or to purchase board memberships, please email [email protected] or call 608-245-3640.