Why you should become an ACL member?

ACL members find support for their unique librarian roles, enjoy community with other like-minded librarians, and gain valuable resources for their libraries to serve with excellence.

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Community & Collaboration

Collaborate with Christian librarians worldwide via our member discussion list. Connect with other librarians in similar work environments through sections and professional interest groups.

ACL Annual Conference

Attend the ACL keystone event each year, where members learn, network, engage, collaborate, and are encouraged for the year ahead. Members enjoy a $90 discount on conference registration.

Spiritual Encouragement

Gain insight and encouragement to serve others well as a Christ-following librarian. Read the monthly devotional, submit confidential prayer requests, and/or join the prayer team.

Make a Valuable Impact

Join with other librarian members to impact the field of librarianship, help other librarian colleagues grow in the profession, and strengthen individual libraries.

Save Your Library Money

Full membership in ACL qualifies your institution to join our Christian Library Consortium (CLC) which provides group purchases and significant discounts on popular library resources.

Access to Library Resources

Members gain valuable resources to improve your library and services for its users. Expand your services by joining the ILL, Reciprocal Borrowing Program, or Christian Library Network.

ACL Journal Subscription

The official publication of ACL, The Christian Librarian offers a variety of content including book reviews, articles and peer-reviewed content. Articles are relevant to faith and librarianship and best practices in library science.

Librarian-to-librarian Support

Our members are our greatest resources so ask your library-related questions! Members can also join the FREE ACL Mentoring program to gain wisdom and knowledge from a more seasoned librarian.

Who can join ACL?

Any Christian who affirms the mission of ACL is eligible for membership, regardless of job title or educational background.

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Faith Affirmation

ACL recognizes that different Christian denominations and traditions use different language to express the heart of historic Christian faith as articulated in the following verses of Scripture.

John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
Romans 10:9 – “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

Mission

The mission of the Association of Christian Librarians is to strengthen libraries through professional development of evangelical librarians, scholarship, and spiritual encouragement for service in higher education.

Membership Types

  • Full Member:

    A Christian librarian who is affiliated with or retired from an institution of higher learning and affirms the mission of ACL. These members are eligible for positions on the Board of Directors. Institutions with full members are qualified to join the Christian Library Consortium (CLC). Membership rates are based on salary; see chart below.

  • Associate Member:

    Any other Christian librarian (k-12 librarian, public librarian, unemployed librarian, church librarian, etc.) or Christian non-librarian (library school student, library staff person, etc.) who is interested in librarianship and affirms the ACL mission. Associate members can not serve on the ACL Board of Directors and their institutions are not eligible for membership in the Christian Library Consortium (CLC). Voting on association business and service on ACL teams is encouraged. Membership rate is based on salary; see chart below.

Those who have never been ACL members before enjoy a

$40 First-Time Member Rate

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What else should I know about individual membership in ACL?

Membership Period

Individual membership is for January 1 through December 31 of the application year. Applications submitted October 1 or later will be applied to the following year’s membership.

Membership Scholarships

Working as a librarian outside of the US or Canada? Learn more about our International Member Scholarship!

The International Member Scholarship was established by the Commission for International Library Advancement (CILA) so that membership dues would not be a hindrance to international librarians joining ACL. The scholarship covers membership dues for the current, enrolling membership year. Scholarships are awarded on a “first come, first serve” basis, with up to 25 scholarships awarded per year. Individuals must meet the following criteria, to be eligible for participation:

  1. The applicant must be a practicing librarian (full-time or part-time) in academia outside of the United States and Canada, making the equivalent of under $10,000 USD annually.
  2. The applicant must affirm our mission and testify to their faith in Christ to be eligible for membership, regardless of job title or educational background.

To Apply: Complete the ACL membership application and check the box “Would you like to apply for the International Membership Scholarship?” Then complete the additional required questions. When finishing the remainder of the application please choose “Pay by Mail” in the Payment Selection area and submit application.

Applicants can expect to receive notification within 14 days of submitting their application. ACL reserves the right to cancel a scholarship or change the criteria for awarding scholarships at any time.

Membership Cost

Full Member Rates
First-Time Member Rate $40
Retired Academic Librarian Rate $35
Library Student Rate – employed as librarian (2 year max) $35
Annual Salary $0-$24,999 $50
Annual Salary $25,000-$39,999 $70
Annual Salary $40,000-$59,999 $90
Annual Salary $60,000-$79,999 $110
Annual Salary $80,000+ $135

 

Associate Member Rates
First-time Member Rate $40
Retired Associate Member Rate $35
Library Student Rate – not employed as librarian (2 year max) $35
Annual Salary $0-$39,999 $50
Annual Salary $40,000+ $75

Membership FAQ

Your individual ACL membership is not transferable and stays with you even if you change roles or jobs. Be sure to let us know of any employment or contact info changes so we can keep your membership record up to date.
Please email the ACL Home Office at info@acl.org to get your username and password.
A membership in the Association of Christian Librarians (ACL) is for a an individual member regardless of if they are currently employed or not. A membership in the Christian Library Consortium (CLC) is for a Christian institution of higher education that has a current ACL on staff.
The ACL membership year runs from January-December of any given year, yet applications for membership are welcome at any time. After October 1st, all applications received will be applied to the following year of membership.
We love to keep our membership records up-to-date to serve you best. Please fill out this google form with any employment or contact information changes.