SLA Adds New Dues Tier for Info Pros Making Less than $18K

With many facing lay offs and cutbacks SLA members are able to rely on their professional association to provide assistance in tough times

Alexandria, Virginia, November 12, 2008-- Special Libraries Association (SLA), the premier global association for information professionals and special librarians, has added a third tier of membership dues for the full member class of membership. Dues for members with incomes of less than US$18,000 annually are now reduced to US$35 annually. Association members who fall into this category, including those who are unemployed, will have full access to all of SLA's members-only services, including professional development, the SLA Career Center and networking opportunities. This initiative is an immediate response to the global economic crisis and will allow more members from around the globe to participate in the full range of SLA's benefits. This dues structure will make membership in SLA affordable for members working in any economy, as well as those who are students, unemployed, part-time workers or retired.

"Members need the support of their association more than ever if they lose their jobs," said SLA CEO Janice R. Lachance. "Our new dues structure will allow them to keep their professional skills and networks intact as well as provide them with the members-only SLA tools and resources the association provides to enhance their professional skills or find new employment. Being an SLA member even allows info pros to have access to discounts on health insurance as well as tuition at library and information schools."

The new dues tier was proposed at a meeting during SLA's Annual Conference in Seattle with members from Australia, Hong Kong, India, and Japan. Many information professionals and special librarians in Asia and elsewhere make less than US $18K annually and were not able to afford to join SLA. The new dues structure will make membership in SLA affordable for members in these income levels throughout the world.

"SLA wants to provide its members with the best possible services and resources, no matter where they live or how much they make," said Lachance. "That means taking a close look at our dues structure from time to time in relation to world economies and other factors affecting our members' ability to participate."

With this addition, SLA will now have three dues tiers for full members: One for members with incomes equivalent to US$35,000 or more (dues of US$160); one for members with incomes below US$35,000 but equivalent or above US$18,000 (dues of US$99); and the third new tier for members with incomes below US$18,000 (dues of US$35).

The member benefit that allows members who become unemployed a one-time, one-year opportunity to pay dues of US$49 is now unnecessary and will be eliminated. Members will now be able to pay the lowest dues as long as their income is below US$18,000, regardless of their employment status.

About SLA
The Special Libraries Association (SLA) is a nonprofit global organization for innovative information professionals and their strategic partners. SLA serves more than 11,000 members in 75 countries in the information profession, including corporate, academic, and government information specialists. SLA promotes and strengthens its members through learning, advocacy, and networking initiatives. For more information, visit us on the Web at www.sla.org.

Note to Editors and Producers: Supporting interviews with SLA Leadership and member testimonies are available for use in coverage of this story. Please contact the SLA Director of PR, Cara Schatz at +1.703.647.4917 or cara@sla.org for more information.