Virginia Library Association joins ALA Joint Student Membership Program as the 50th partner

CHICAGO — The Virginia Library Association is officially the 50th state library association to be onboarded to the American Library Association’s (ALA) Joint Student Membership Program.

The program was initiated to broaden ALA’s outreach and recruitment to library school students. ALA recognizes that the best way to grow and strengthen its outreach is through personal memberships that encourage concurrent involvement in Chapter and ALA activities. The partnership will serve students who attend an MLIS program in the Virginia Commonwealth, including members of one of ALA’s newest student chapter affiliates, the Student Organization of Library and Information Studies (SOLIS) at Old Dominion University, founded in 2020.

Lisa Varga, executive director of the Virginia Library Association said, “The Virginia Library Association is thrilled to offer this membership option to students in the Commonwealth. The increase in opportunities for career development, continuing education, and networking not only benefit current master’s degree candidates, but the profession at large. We hope to see many people take advantage of this program.”

Now through Aug. 31, 2022, ALA Joint Student Membership is $44. Each ALA student member is entitled to all the regular ALA personal membership benefits at a substantially reduced dues rate.

ALA’s Chapter Relations Office and Member Relations and Services teams are excited to begin this relationship with the Virginia Library Association. We are committed to bringing the best possible ALA experience to Virginia’s student members.